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CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 


THE   IRISH  DRAGOON 


BY 


CHARLES  LEVER, 

AUTHOR  OF  "HARRY  LORKEQUER,"  ETC. 


PHILADELPHIA : 

PORTER  &  COATES. 


.#***■*  T:^TrHtM* 


PREFACE 


The  success  of  Harry  Lorrequer  was  the  reason  for  writing 
Charles  O'Malley.  That  I  myself  was  in  nowise  prepared  for  the 
favor  the  public  bestowed  on  my  first  attempt  is  easily  enough 
understood.  The  ease  with  which  I  strung  my  stories  together — 
and  in  reality  the  Confessions  of  Harry  Lorrequer  are  little  other 
than  a  note-book  of  absurd  and  laughable  incidents — led  me  to  be- 
lieve that  I  could  draw  on  this  vein  of  composition  without  any 
limit  whatever.  I  felt,  or  thought  I  felt,  an  inexhaustible  store  of 
fun  and  buoyancy  within  me,  and  I  began  to  have  a  misty,  half-con- 
fused impression  that  Englishmen  generally  labored  under  a  sad- 
colored  temperament,  took  depressing  views  of  life,  and  were  pro- 
portionately grateful  to  any  one  who  would  rally  them,  even  pass- 
ingly, out  of  their  despondency,  and  give  them  a  laugh  without 
much  trouble  for  going  in  search  tof  >t.  - 

When  I  set  to  work  to  wiite*  Charles  O'Malley,  I  was,  as  I  have 
ever  been,  very  low  with  fortune,  **.nd  the  "success"  of  a  new  venture 
was  pretty  much  as  eventful  10  me  as  the  turn  of  the  right  color  at 
rouge  et  noir.  At  the  same  time  I  had  then  an  amount  of  spring  in 
my  temperament,  and  a  power  of  enjoying  life,  which  I  can  honestly 
say  I  never  found  surpassed.  The  world  had  for  me  all  the  interest  of 
an  admirable  comedy,  in  which  the  part  allotted  myself,  if  not  a  high 
or  a  foreground  one,  was  eminently  suited  to  my  taste,  and  brought 
me,  besides,  sufficiently  often  on  the  stage  to  enable  me  to  follow  all 
the  fortunes  of  the  piece.  Brussels,  where  I  was  then  living,  was 
adorned  at  the  period  by  a  most  agreeable  English  society.  Some 
leaders  of  the  fashionable  world  of  London  had  come  there  to  refit 
and  recruit,  both  in  body  and  estate.  There  were  several  pleasant 
and  a  great  number  of  pretty  people  among  them ;  and,  so  far  as  I 
could  judge,  the  fashionable  dramas  of  Belgrave  Square  and  its 
vicinity  were  being  performed  in  the  Rue  Roy  ale  and  the  Boulevard 
de  Waterloo  with  very  considerable  success.  There  were  dinners,  balls, 

(iii) 

514909 


IV  PREFACE. 

dejeuners  and  picnics  in  the  Bois  de  Cambre,  excursions  to  Water- 
loo, and  select  little  parties  to  Bois-fort,  a  charming  little  resort  in 
the  forest,  whose  intense  cockneyism  became  perfectly  inoffensive  as 
being  in  a  foreign  land,  and  remote  from  the  invasion  of  home-bred 
vulgarity.  I  mention  all  these  things  to  show  the  adjuncts  by  which 
I  was  aided,  and  the  rattle  of  gayety  by  which  I  was,  as  it  were, 
"  accompanied,"  when  I  next  tried  my  voice. 

The  soldier  element  tinctured  strongly  our  society,  and  I  will  say 
most  agreeably.  Amongst  those  whom  I  remember  best  were  several 
old  Peninsulars.  Lord  Combermere  was  of  this  number,  and 
another  of  our  set  was  an  officer  who  accompanied,  if  indeed  he  did 
not  command,  the  first  boat  party  who  crossed  the  Douro.  It  is 
needless  to  say  how  I  cultivated  a  society  so  full  of  all  the  storied 
details  I  was  eager  to  obtain,  and  how  generously  disposed  were 
they  to  give  me  all  the  information  I  needed.  On  topography 
especially  were  they  valuable  to  me,  and  with  such  good  result  that 
I  have  been  more  than  once  complimented  on  the  accuracy  of  my 
description  of  places  which  I  have  never  seen,  and  whose  features  I 
have  derived  entirely  from  the  narratives  of  my  friends. 

When,  therefore,  my  publishers  asked  me  could  I  write  a  story  in 
the  Lorrequer  vein,  in  which  active  service  and  military  adventure 
could  figure  more  prominently  than  mere  civilian  life,  and  where 
the  achievements" of •  "a, British." atafryf  wight  form  the  staple  of  the 
narrative  —  when  this"  question  wa^s  propounded  me,  I  was  ready  to 
reply,  not  one,,'^u^  '.fifty.' '  De  liot  mfata'ke'mp,  and  suppose  that  any 
overweening  confidence  in  my  literary*  po Vers  would  have  embold- 
ened me  to  make  this  reply ;  my  whole  strength  lay  in  the  fact  that 
I  could  not  recognize  anything  like  literary  effort  in  the'  matter.  If 
the  world  would  only  condescend  to  read  that  which  I  wrote  pre- 
cisely as  I  was  in  the  habit  of  talking,  nothing  could  be  easier  for 
me  than  to  occupy  them.  Not  alone  was  it  very  easy  to  me,  but  it 
was  intensely  interesting  and  amusing  to  myself  to  be  so  engaged. 

The  success  of  Harry  Lorrequer  had  been  freely  wafted  across  the 
German  Ocean,  but  even  in  its  mildest  accents  it  was  very  intoxica- 
ting incense  to  me ;  and  I  set  to  work  on  my  second  book  with  a 
thrill  of  hope  as  regards  the  world's  favor,  which — and  it  is  no  small 
thing  to  say  it — I  can  yet  recall. 

I  can  recall,  too,  and  I  am  afraid  more  vividly  still,  some  of  the 
difficulties  of  my  task  when  I  endeavored  to  form  anything  like  an 
accurate  or  precise  idea  of  some  campaigning  incident,  or  some  pas- 


PREFACE.  V 

sage  of  arm3,  from  the  narratives  of  two  distinct  and  separate  "  eye- 
witnesses." What  mistrust  I  conceived  for  all  eye-witnesses  from 
my  own  brief  experience  of  their  testimonies !  What  an  impulse 
did  it  lend  me  to  study  the  nature  and  the  temperament  of  the  nar- 
rator, as  indicative  of  the  peculiar  coloring  he  might  lend  his  narra- 
tive ;  and  how  it  taught  me  to  know  the  force  of  the  French  epigram 
that  has  declared  how  it  was  entirely  the  alternating  popularity  of 
Marshal  Soult  that  decided  whether  he  won  or  lost  the  battle  of 
Toulouse. 

While,  however,  I  was  sifting  these  evidences,  and  separating,  as 
well  as  I  might,  the  wheat  from  the  chaff,  I  was  in  a  measure  train- 
ing myself  for  what,  without  my  then  knowing  it,  was  to  become  my 
career  in  life.  This  was  not,  therefore,  altogether  without  a  certain 
degree  of  labor,  but  so  light  and  pleasant  withal,  so  full  of  pictur- 
esque peeps  at  character  and  humorous  views  of  human  nature,  that 
it  would  be  the  very  rankest  ingratitude  of  me  if  I  did  not  own  that 
I  gained  all  my  earlier  experiences  of  the  world  in  very  pleasant 
company — highly  enjoyable  at  the  time,  and  with  matter  for  charm- 
ing souvenirs  long  after. 

That  certain  traits  of  my  acquaintances  found  themselves  em- 
bodied in  some  of  the  characters  of  this  story,  I  do  not  seek  to  deny. 
The  principle  of  natural  selection  adapts  itself  to  novels  as  to 
nature,  and  it  would  have  demanded  an  effort  above  my  strength  to 
have  disabused  myself  at  the  desk  of  all  the  impressions  of  the 
dinner- table,  and  to  have  forgotten  features  which  interested  or 
amused  me. 

One  of  the  personages  of  my  tale  I  drew,  however,  with  very  little 
aid  from  fancy.  I  would  go  so  far  as  to  say  that  I  took  him  from  the 
life,  if  my  memory  did  not  confront  me  with  the  lamentable  in- 
feriority of  my  picture  to  the  great  original  it  was  meant  to  portray. 

With  the  exception  of  the  quality  of  courage,  I  never  met  a  man 
who  contained  within  himself  so  many  of  the  traits  of  Falstaff  as 
the  individual  who  furnished  me  with  Major  Monsoon.  But  the 
Major — I  must  call  him  so,  though  that  rank  was  far  beneath  his 
own — was  a  man  of  unquestionable  bravery.  His  powers  as  a  story- 
teller were  to  my  way  of  thinking  unrivalled  ;  the  peculiar  reflec- 
tions on  life  which  he  would  passingly  introduce — the  wise  apo- 
thegms— were  after  a  morality  so  essentially  of  his  own  invention, 
that  he  would  indulge  in  the  unsparing  exhibition  of  himself  in 
situations  such  as  other  men  would  never  have  confessed  to,  all 


vi  PREFACE. 

blended  up  with  a  racy  enjoyment  of  life,  dashed  occasionally  with 
sorrow  that  our  tenure  of  it  was  short  of  patriarchal.  All  these, 
accompanied  by  a  face  redolent  of  intense  humor,  and  a  voice 
whose  modulations  were  managed  with  the  skill  of  a  consummate 
artist, — all  these,  I  say,  were  above  me  to  convey,  nor,  indeed,  as  I 
re-read  any  of  the  adventures  in  which  he  figures,  am  I  other  than 
ashamed  at  the  weakness  of  my  drawing  and  the  poverty  of  my 
coloring. 

That  I  had  a  better  claim  to  personify  him  than  is  always  the  lot 
of  a  novelist — that  I  possessed,  so  to  say,  a  vested  interest  in  his 
life  and  adventures,  I  will  relate  a  .little  incident  in  proof;  and  my 
accuracy,  if  necessary,  can  be  attested  by  another  actor  in  the  scene 
who  yet  survives. 

I  was  living  a  bachelor  life  at  Brussels,  my  family  being  at 
Ostend  for  the  bathing  during  the  summer  of  1840.  The  city  was 
comparatively  empty,  all  the  so-called  society  being  absent  at  the 
various  spas  or  baths  of  Germany.  One  member  of  the  British 
Legation,  who  remained  at  his  post  to  represent  the  mission,  and 
myself,  making  common  cause  of  our  desolation  and  ennui,  spent 
much  of  our  time  together,  and  dined  tete-a-tete  every  day. 

It  chanced  that  one  evening,  as  we  were  hastening  through  the 
park  on  our  way  to  dinner,  we  espied  the  Major — for  as  Major  I 
must  speak  of  him — lounging  along  with  that  half-careless,  half- 
observant  air  we  had  both  of  us  remarked  as  indicating  a  desire  to 
be  somebody's,  anybody's  guest,  rather  than  surrender  himself  to 
the  homeliness  of  domestic  fare. 

"There's  that  confounded  old  Monsoon,"  cried  my  diplomatic 
friend.     "It's  all  up  if  he  sees  us,  and  I  can't  endure  him." 

Now,  I  must  remark  that  my  friend,  though  very  far  from  insen- 
sible to  the  humoristic  side  of  the  Major's  character,  was  not  always 
in  the  vein  to  enjoy  it,  and  when  so  indisposed,  he  could  invest  the 
object  of  his  dislike  with  something  little  short  of  antipathy. 
"Promise  me,"  said  he,  as  Monsoon  came  towards  us, — "promise 
me  you'll  not  ask  him  to  dinner."  Before  I  could  make  any  reply, 
the  Major  was  shaking  a  hand  of  each  of  us,  and  rapturously  expa- 
tiating over  his  good  luck  at  meeting  us.  "  Mrs.  M„"  said  he;  "  has 
got  a  dreary  party  of  old  ladies  to  dine  with  her,  and  I  have  come 
out  here  to  find  some  pleasant  fellow  to  join  me,  and  take  a  mutton 
chop  together." 

"  We're  behind  our  time,  Major,"  said  my  friend;  "sorry  to  leave 


PREFACE.  Vil 

you  so  abruptly,  but  must  push  on.  Eh,  Lorrequer?"  added  he, 
to  evoke  corroboration  on  my  part. 

"Harry  says  nothing  of  the  kind,"  replied  Monsoon;  "he  says, 
or  he's  going  to  say,  '  Major,  I  have  a  nice  bit  of  dinner  waiting  for 
me  at  home,  enough  for  two,  will  feed  three,  or  if  there  be  a  short- 
coming, nothing  easier  than  to  eke  out  the  deficiency  by  another 
bottle  of  Moulton ;  come  along  with  us,  then,  Monsoon,  and  we 
shall  be  all  the  merrier  for  your  company.'  " 

Repeating  his  last  words,  "  Come  along,  Monsoon,"  &c,  I  passed 
my  arm  within  his,  and  away  we  went.  For  a  moment  my  friend 
tried  to  get  free  and  leave  me,  but  I  held  him  fast,  and  carried  him 
along  in  spite  of  himself.  He  was,  however,  so  chagrined  and  pr6- 
voked,  that  till  the  moment  we  reached  my  door  he  never  uttered  a 
word,  nor  paid  the  slightest  attention  to  Monsoon,  who  talked  away 
in  a  vein  that  occasionally  made  gravity  all  but  impossible. 

Our  dinner  proceeded  drearily  enough.  The  diplomatist's  stiff- 
ness never  relaxed  for  a  moment,  and  my  own  awkwardness  damped 
all  my  attempts  at  conversation.  Not  so,  however,  Morisoon ;  he 
ate  heartily,  approved  of  everything,  and  pronounced  my  wine  to  be 
exquisite.  He  gave  us  a  perfect  discourse  on  sherry,  and  Spanish 
wines  in  general,  told  us  the  secret  of  the  Amontillado  flavor,  and 
explained  that  process  of  browning  by  boiling  down  wine  which 
some  are  so  fond  of  in  England.  At  last,  seeing,  perhaps,  that  the 
protection  had  little  charm  for  us,  with  his  accustomed  tact,  he 
diverged  into  anecdote.  "  I  was  once  fortunate  enough,"  said  he, 
"to  fall  upon  some  of  that  choice  sherry  from  the  St.  Lucas  Luen- 
tas  which  is  always  reserved  for  royalty.  It  was  a  pale  wine,  deli- 
cious in  the  drinking,  and  leaving  no  more  flavor  in  the  mouth  than 
a  faint  dryness,  that  seemed  to  say,  '  another  glass.'  Shall  I  tell 
you  how  I  came  by  it  ?"  And  scarcely  pausing  for  a  reply,  he  told 
the  story  of  having  robbed  his  own  convoy,  and  stolen  the  wine  he 
was  in  charge  of  for  safe  conveyance. 

I  wish  I  could  give  any,  even  the  weakest,  idea  of  how  he  narrated 
that  incident,  the  struggle  that  he  portrayed  between  duty  and 
temptation,  and  the  apologetic  tone  of  voice  in  which  he  explained 
that  the  frame  of  mind  that  succeeds  to  any  yielding  to  seductive 
influences  is  often  in  the  main  more  profitable  to  a  man  than  is  the 
vain-glorious  sense  of  having  resisted  a  temptation.  "  Meekness  is 
the  mother  of  all  the  virtues,"  said  he,  "  and  there  is  no  being  meek 
without  frailty."    The  story,  told  as  he  told  it,  was  too  much  for  the 


VI  li  PREFACE. 

diplomatist's  gravity ;  he  resisted  all  signs  of  attention  as  long  as  he 
was  able,  and  at  last  fairly  roared  out  with  laughter. 

As  soon  as  I  myself  recovered  from  the  effects  of  his  drollery,  I 
said,  "  Major,  I  have  a  proposition  to  make  you :  let  me  tell  the 
story  in  print,  and  I'll  give  you  five  naps." 

"  Are  you  serious,  Harry  ?"  asked  he.     "  Is  this  on  honor?" 

"  On  honor,  assuredly,"  I  replied. 

"  Let  me  have  the  money  down,  on  the  nail,  and  I'll  give  you 
leave  to  have  me  and  my  whole  life,  every  adventure  that  ever 
befell  me,  aye,  and,  if  you  like,  every  moral  reflection  that  my  expe- 
riences have  suggested." 

"  Done  !"  cried  I ;  "  I  agree." 

"  Not  so  fast,"  cried  the  diplomatist ;  "  we  must  make  a  protocol 
of  this ;  the  high  contracting  parties  must  know  what  they  give 
and  what  they  receive.     I'll  draw  out  the  treaty." 

He  did  so  at  full  length,  on  a  sheet  of  that  solemn  blue  tinted 
paper  so  dedicated  to  dispatch  purposes, — he  duly  set  forth  the  con- 
cession and  the  consideration.  We  each  signed  the  document,  he 
witnessed  and  sealed  it,  and  Monsoon  pocketed  my  five  napoleons, 
filling  a  bumper  to  any  success  the  bargain  might  bring  me,  and 
of  which  I  have  never  had  any  reason  to  express  deep  disappoint- 
ment. 

This  document,  along  with  my  university  degree,  my  commission 
in  a  militia  regiment,  and  a  vast  amount  of  letters  very  interesting 
to  me,  were  seized  by  the  Austrian  authorities  on  the  way  from 
Como  to  Florence  in  the  August  of  1847,  being  deemed  part  of  a 
treasonable  correspondence, — probably  purposely  allegorical  in  form, 
— and  never  restored  to  me.  I  fairly  own  that  I'd  give  all  the  rest 
willingly  to  repossess  myself  of  the  Monsoon  treaty,  not  a  little  for 
the  sake  of  that  quaint  old  autograph,  faintly  shaken  by  the  quiet 
laugh  with  which  he  wrote  it. 

That  I  did  not  entirely  fail  in  giving  my  Major  some  faint  resem- 
blance to  the  great  original  from  whom  I  copied  him,  I  may  mention 
that  he  was  speedily  recognized  in  print  by  the  Marquis  of  London- 
derry, the  well-known  Sir  Charles  Stuart  of  the  Peninsula  campaign. 
"  I  know  that  fellow  well,"  said  he ;  "  he  once  sent  me  a  challenge, 
and  I  had  to  make  him  a  very  humble  apology.  The  occasion  was 
this :  I  had  been  out  with  a  single  aide-de-camp,  to  make  a  recon- 
naissance in  front  of  Victor's  division  ;  and  to  avoid  attracting  any 
notice,  we  covered  over  our  uniform  with  two  common  gray  over- 


PREFACE.  ix 

coats  which  reached  to  the  feet,  and  effectually  concealed  our  rank 
as  officers.  Scarcely,  however,  had  we  topped  a  hill  which  com- 
manded the  view  of  the  French,  than  a  shower  of  shells  flew  over 
and  around  us.  Amazed  to  think  how  we  could  have  been  so  quickly 
noticed,  I  looked  around  me,  and  discovered,  quite  close  in  my  rear, 
your  friend  Monsoon  with  what  he  called  his  staff,  a  popinjay  set 
of  rascals,  dressed  out  in  green  and  gold,  and  with  more  plumes  and 
feathers  than  the  general  staff  ever  boasted.  Carried  away  by  mo- 
mentary passion  at  the  failure  of  my  reconnaissance,  I  burst  out 
with  some  insolent  allusion  to  the  harlequin  assembly  which  had 
drawn  the  French  lire  upon  us.  Monsoon  saluted  me  respectfully, 
and  retired  without  a  word ;  but  I  had  scarcely  reached  my  quarters 
when  a  'friend'  of  his  waited  on  me  with  a  message, — a  very  cate- 
gorical message  it  was  too, — '  it  must  be  a  meeting  or  an  ample 
apology.'  I  made  the  apology,  a  most  full  one,  for  the  Major  was 
right,  and  I  had  not  a  fraction  of  reason  to  sustain  me  in  my  con- 
duct, and  we  have  been  the  best  of  friends  ever  since." 

I  myself  had  heard  the  incident  before  this  from  Monsoon,  but 
told  amongst  other  adventures  whose  exact  veracity  I  was  rather 
disposed  to  question,  and  did  not  therefore  accord  it  all  the  faith 
that  was  its  due ;  and  I  admit  that  the  accidental  corroboration  of 
this  one  event  very  often  served  to  puzzle  me  afterwards,  when  I 
listened  to  stories  in  which  the  Major  seemed  a  second  Munchausen, 
but  might,  like  in  this  of  the  duel,  have  been  amongst  the  truest  and 
most  matter-of-fact  of  historians.  May  the  reader  be  not  less  em- 
barrassed than  myself  is  my  sincere,  if  not  very  courteous,  prayer. 

I  have  no  doubt  myself  that  often,  in  recounting  some  strange 
incident, — a  personal  experience  it  always  was, — he  was  himself 
more  amused  by  the  credulity  of  the  hearers,  and  the  amount  of 
interest  he  could  excite  in  them,  than  were  they  by  the  story.  He 
possessed  the  true  narrative  gusto,  and  there  was  a  marvellous  in- 
stinct in  the  way  in  which  he  would  vary  a  tale  to  suit  the  tastes  of 
an  audience ;  while  his  moralizings  were  almost  certain  to  take  the 
tone  of  a  humoristic  quiz  on  the  company. 

Though  fully  aware  that  I  was  availing  myself  of  the  contract 
that  delivered  him  into  my  hands,  and  dining  with  me  two  or  three 
days  a  week,  he  never  lapsed  into  any  allusion  to  his  appearance  in 
print,  and  the  story  had  been  already  some  weeks  published  before 
he  asked  me  to  lend  him  "that  last  thing — he  forgot  the  name  of 
it — I  was  writing." 


X  PREFACE. 

Of  Frank  Webber  I  have  said,  in  a  former  notice,  that  he  was  one 
of  my  earliest  friends,  my  chum  in  college,  and  in  the  very  cham- 
bers where  I  have  located  Charles  O'Malley,  in  Old  Trinity.  He 
was  a  man  of  the  highest  order  of  abilities,  and  with  a  memory  that 
never  forgot,  but  was  ruined  and  run  to  seed  by  the  idleness  that 
came  of  a  discursive,  uncertain  temperament.  Capable  of  anything, 
he  spent  his  youth  in  follies  and  eccentricities ;  every  one  of  which, 
however,  gave  indications  of  a  mind  inexhaustible  in  resources,  and 
abounding  in  devioes  and  contrivances  that  none  other  but  himself 
would  have  thought  of.  Poor  fellow,  he  died  young ;  and  perhaps 
it  is  better  it  should  have  been  so.  Had  he  lived  to  a  later  day,  he 
would  most  probably  have  been  found  a  foremost  leader  of  Fenian- 
ism,  and  from  what  I  knew  of  him,  I  can  say  he  would  have  been  a 
more  dangerous  enemy  to  English  rule  than  any  of  those  dealers  in 
the  petty  larceny  of  rebellion  we  have  lately  seen  amongst  us. 

I  have  said  that  of  Mickey  Free  I  had  not  one,  but  one  thousand, 
types.  Indeed,  I  am  not  quite  sure  that  in  my  last  visit  to  Dublin 
I  did  not  chance  on  a  living  specimen  of  the  "  Free  "  family,  much 
readier  in  repartee,  quicker  with  an  a  propos,  and  droller  in  illustra- 
tion than  my  own  Mickey.  This  fellow  was  "boots"  at  a  great 
hotel  in  Sackville  street ;  and  I  owe  to  him  more  amusement  and 
some  heartier  laughs  than  it  has  been  always  my  fortune  to  enjoy 
in  a  party  of  wits.  His  criticisms  on  my  sketches  of  Irish  character 
were  about  the  shrewdest  and  the  best  I  ever  listened  to ;  and  that 
I  am  not  bribed  to  this  opinion  by  any  flattery,  I  may  remark  that 
they  were  more  often  severe  than  complimentary,  and  that  he  hit 
every  blunder  of  image,  every  mistake  in  figure,  of  my  peasant  char- 
acters, with  an  acuteness  and  correctness  which  made  me  very  grate- 
ful to  know  that  his  daily  occupations  were  limited  to  blacking  boots, 
and  not  polishing  off"  authors. 

I  believe  I  have  now  done  with  my  confessions,  except  I  should 
like  to  own  that  this  story  was  the  means  of  according  me  a  more 
heartfelt  glow  of  satisfaction,  a  more  gratifying  sense  of  pride,  than 
anything  I  ever  have  or  ever  shall  write,  and  in  this  wise.  My 
brother,  at  that  time  the  rector  of  an  Irish  parish,  once  forwarded 
to  me  a  letter  from  a  lady  unknown  to  him,  but  who  had  heard  he 
was  the  brother  of  "  Harry  Lorrequer,"  and  who  addressed  him,  not 
knowing  where  a  letter  might  be  directed  to  myself.  The  letter  was 
the  grateful  expression  of  a  mother,  who  said,  "  I  am  the  widow  of 
a  field  officer,  and  with  an  only  son,  for  whom  I  obtained  a  presenta- 


PREFACE.  XI 

tion  to  Woolwich. ;  but  seeing  in  my  boy's  nature  certain  traits  of 
nervousness  and  timidity,  which  induced  me  to  hesitate  on  embark- 
ing him  in  the  career  of  a  soldier,  I  became  very  unhappy  and  un- 
certain which  course  to  decide  on. 

"  While  in  this  state  of  uncertainty,  I  chanced  to  make  him  a 
birthday  present  of  '  Charles  O'Malley,'  the  reading  of  which  seemed 
to  act  like  a  charm  on  his  whole  character,  inspiring  him  with  a 
passion  for  movement  and  adventure,  and  spiriting  him  to  an  eager 
desire  for  a  military  life.  Seeing  that  this  was  no  passing  enthu- 
siasm, but  a  decided  and  determined  bent,  I  accepted  the  cadetship 
for  him,  and  his  career  has  been  not  alone  distinguished  as  a  stu- 
dent, but  one  which  has  marked  him  out  for  an  almost  hare-brained 
courage,  and  for  a  dash  and  heroism  that  gave  high  promise  for  his 
future. 

"  Thank  your  brother  for  me,"  wrote  she,  "  a  mother's  thanks  for 
the  welfare  of  an  only  son,  and  say  how  I  wish  that  my  best  wishes 
for  him  and  his  could  recompense  him  for  what  I  owe  him." 

I  humbly  hope  that  it  may  not  be  imputed  to  me  as  unpardonable 
vanity — the  recording  of  this  incident.  It  gave  me  an  intense 
pleasure  when  I  heard  it ;  and  now  as  I  look  back  on  it,  it  invests 
this  story  for  myself  with  an  interest  which  nothing  else  that  I 
have  written  can  afford  me. 

I  have  now  but  to  repeat  what  I  have  declared  in  former  editions, 
my  sincere  gratitude  for  the  favor  the  public  still  continues  to 
bestow  on  me — a  favor  which  probably  associates  the  memory  of 
this  book  with  whatever  I  have  since  done  successfully,  and  compels 
me  to  remember  that  to  the  popularity  of  "  Charles  O'Malley".  I 
am  indebted  for  a  great  share  of  that  kindliness  in  criticism,  and 
that  geniality  in  judgment,  which  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
century  my  countrymen  have  graciously  bestowed  on  their  faithful 
friend  and  servant, 

CHAELES  LEVEK. 

Teieste,  1872. 


CONTENTS,  VOL.  I. 


CHAPTER  PAGB 

I.— Daly's  Club  House, 17 

II.— The  Escape,  .    . 21 

III.— Mr.  Blake, 26 

IV.— The  Hunt, 33 

V.— The  Drawing-Room,      39 

VI.— The  Dinner,  .    . 42 

VIL— The  Flight  from  Gurt-na-Morra,      51 

VIII.— The  Duel,  •    .    . 58 

IX.— The  Return, 64 

X.— The  Election, 68 

XL— An  Adventure, 75 

XII.— Mickey  Free, 79 

XIII.— The  Journey; 89 

XIV.— Dublin, 97 

XV.— Captain  Power,     . 104 

XVI.— The  Vice-Provost, 114 

X VIL— Trinity  College— A  Lecture, 118 

XVIIL— The  Invitation— The  Wager, 124 

XIX.— The  Ball, 127 

XX.— The  Last  Night  in  Trinity,     . 139 

XXL— The  Phosnix  Park, 147 

XXIL— The  Road, 154 

XXIIL— Cork, 160 

XXIV.— The  Adjutant's  Dinner, 165 

XXV.— The  Entanglement, 168 

XXVL— The  Preparation, 172 

XXVIL— The  Supper, 177 

XXVIIL— The  Voyage, 184 

XXIX.— The  Adjutant's  Story— Life  in  Derry,      ....  190 
XXX.— Fred  Power's  Adventure  in  Philipstown,    .    .    .198 

XXXL— The  Voyage, 207 

XXXIL— Mr.  Sparks's  Story, 210 

XXXIIL— The  Skipper, 219 

XXXIV.— The  Land, 232 

(xiii) 


xiv  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXXV.— Major  Monsoon, 236 

XXXVI.— The  Landing, 244 

XXXVII.— Lisbon, 253 

XXXVIIL— The  Rita  Nuova, 258 

XXXIX.— The  Villa, 263 

XL.— The  Dinner, 266 

XLL— The  Route, 270 

XLIL— The  Farewell, 272 

XLIIL— The  March, 276 

XLIV.— The  Bivouac, 283 

XLV—  The  Douro, 291 

XLVI.— The  Morning, 300 

XLVIL— The  Review, 303 

XLVIIL— The  Quarrel, 308 

XLIX.— The  Route,     . 312 

L.— The  Watch-Fire, 315 

LI.— The  March,    .    .    .    - 322 

LIL— The  Page, 324 

LIIL— Alvas, 330 

LIV.— The  Supper, 334 

LV.— The  Legion, 340 

LVL— The  Departure,     .    .    . 342 

LVIL— Cuesta, ' 350 

LVIIL— The  Letter, 352 

LIX.— Major  O'Shaughnessy, 355 

LX.— Preliminaries, 358 

LXL— All  Right, 360 

LXIL— The  Duel, 362 

LXIIL— News  from  Galway, 367 

LXIV.— An  Adventure  with  Sir  Arthur, 373 

LXV.— Talavera, • 375 


CONTENTS,  VOL.  II. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.— Night  after  Talavera, 383 

II.— The  Outpost, 38$ 

III.— The  Doctor's  Tale, 394 

IV.— The  Skirmish, 404 

V.— The  Lines  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo, 410 

VI.— The  Doctor, 416 

VII.— The  Coa, 419 

VIII.— The  Night  March, 426 

IX.— The  Journey, 430 

X.— The  Ghost, 436 

XI.— Lisbon, 442 

XII.— A  Pleasant  Predicament, 450 

XIII.— The  Dinner, 453 

XIV.— The  Letter, 457 

XV.— The  Villa, 463 

XVI.— The  Visit, 469 

XVIL— The  Confession, 473 

XVIII.— My  Charger, 479 

XIX.— Maurice, 483 

XX.— The  Masquerade, 488 

XXL— The  Lines, 497 

XXIL— The  Eetreat  of  the  French, 501 

XXIIL— Patrick's  Day  in  the  Peninsula, 504 

XXIV.— Fuentes  d'Onoro, 519 

XXV.— The  Battle  of  Fuentes  d'Onoro, 523 

XXVL— A  Rencontre, 532 

XXVIL— Almeida, 537 

XXVIIL— A  Night  on  the  Azava, 539 

XXIX.— Mike's  Mistake, 551 

XXX.— Major  Monsoon  in  Trouble, 558 

XXXI.— The  Confidence, 567 

XXXIL— The  Cantonment, 572 

XXXIIL— Mickey  Free's  Adventure, 576 

XXXIV.— The  San  Petro, 581 

(XV) 


XVI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXXV.— The  Count's  Letter, 589 

XXXVI.— The  Trenches, 593 

XXXVII.— The  Storming  op  Ciudad  Rodrigo, 598 

XXXVIII.— The  Rampart, 601 

XXXIX.— The  Despatch, 607 

XL.— The  Leave, 610 

XLL— London, 618 

XLIL— The  Bell:  at  Bristol, ,623 

XLIIL— Ireland, 631 

XLIV.— The  Return, 640 

XLV.— Home, 644 

XLVI. — An  Old  Acquaintance, 652 

XLVII.— A  Surprise, 659 

XLVIIL— New  Views, 669 

XLIX.— A  Recognition, 674 

L.— A  Mistake, 680 

LI.— Brussels, 689 

LIL— An  Old  Acquaintance, 698 

LIIL— The  Duchess  of  Richmond's  Ball, *    .706 

LIV.— Quatre  Bras,      . •     .717 

LV.— Waterloo, -     .733 

LVI. — Brussels, »     .748 

LVIL— Conclusion, r    .  754 


CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

®he  Jrish  Dragoon, 


CHAPTER  I. 

DALY'S  CLUB  HOUSE. 

THE  rain  was  dashing  in  torrents  against  the  window-panes, 
and  the  wind  sweeping  in  heavy  and  fitful  gusts  along  the 
dreary  and  deserted  streets,  as  a  party  of  three  persons  sat  over 
their  wine,  in  that  stately  old  pile  which  once  formed  the  resort  of 
the  Irish  members,  in  College  Green,  Dublin,  and  went  by  the  name 
of  Daly's  Club  House.  The  clatter  of  falling  tiles  and  chimney-pots, 
the  jarring  of  the  window-frames  and  howling  of  the  storm  without, 
seemed  little  to  affect  the  spirits  of  those  within,  as  they  drew  closer 
to  a  blazing  fire,  before  which  stood  a  small  table  covered  with  the 
remains  of  a  dessert,  and  an  abundant  supply  of  bottles,  whose 
characteristic  length  of  neck  indicated  the  rarest  wines  of  France 
and  Germany.  While  the  portly  magnum  of  claret — the  wine  par 
excellence  of  every  Irish  gentleman  of  the  day — passed  rapidly  from 
hand  to  hand,  the  conversation  did  not  languish,  and  many  a  deep 
and  hearty  laugh  followed  the  stories  which  every  now  and  then 
were  told,  as  some  reminiscence  of  early  days  was  recalled,  or  some 
trait  of  a  former  companion  remembered. 

One  of  the  party,  however,  was  apparently  engrossed  by  other 
thoughts  than  those  of  the  mirth  and  merriment  around;  for, 
in  the  midst  of  all,  he  would  turn  suddenly  from  the  others,  and 
devote  himself  to  a  number  of  scattered  sheets  of  paper,  upon 
which  he  had  written  some  lines,  but  whose  crossed  and  blotted 
sentences  attested  how  little  success  had  waited  upon  his  literary 
labors.  This  individual  was  a  short,  plethoric-looking,  white- 
haired  man  of  about  fifty,  with  a  deep,  round  voice,  and  a  chuck- 
ling, smothering  laugh,  which,  whenever  he  indulged,  not  only 
shook  his  own  ample  person,  but  generally  created  a  petty  earth- 
2  (17) 


18  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

quake  on  every  side  of  him.  For  the  present,  I  shall  not  stop  to 
particularize  him  more  closely;  but  when  I  add  tfeat  the  person  in 
question  was  a  well-known  member  of  the  Irish  House  of  Com- 
mons, whose  acute  undemanding  arid'  practical  good  sense  were 
veiled  under  an  affected  and  well-dissembled  habit  of  blundering, 
that  did  far  more  for  his  party  than  the  most  violent  and  pointed 
attacks  of  his  more  accurate  associates,  some  of  my  readers  may 
anticipate  me  in  pronouncing  him  to  be  Sir  Harry  Boyle.  Upon 
his  left  sat  a  figure  the  most  unlike  him  possible ;  he  was  a  tall, 
thin,  bony  man,  with  a  bolt-upright  air,  and  a  most  saturnine  ex- 
pression ;  his  eyes  were  covered  by  a  deep  green  shade,  which  fell 
far  over  his  face,  but  failed  to  conceal  a  blue  scar  that,  crossing  his 
cheek,  ended  in  the  angle  of  his  mouth,  and  imparted  to  that 
feature,  when  he  spoke,  an  apparently  abortive  attempt  to  extend 
towards  his  eyebrow  ;  his  upper  lip  was  covered  with  a  grizzly  and 
ill-trimmed  moustache,  which  added  much  to  the  ferocity  of  his 
look,  while  a  thin  and  pointed  beard  on  his  chin  gave  an  apparent 
length  to  the  whole  face  that  completed  its  rueful  character.  His 
dress  was  a  single-breasted,  tightly-buttoned  frock,  in  one  button- 
hole of  which  a  yellow  ribbon  was  fastened,  the  decoration  of  a 
foreign  service,  which  conferred  upon  its  wearer  the  title  of  Count  ; 
and  though  Billy  Considine,  as  he  was  familiarly  called  by  his 
friends,  was  a  thorough  Irishman  in  all  his  feelings  and  affections, 
yet  he  had  no  objection  to  the  designation  he  had  gained  in  the 
Austrian  army.  The  Count  was  certajnly  no  beauty,  but,  somehow, 
very  few  men  of  his  day  had  a  fancy  for  telling  him  so;  a  deadlier 
hand  and  a  steadier  eye  never  covered  his  man  in  the  Phoenix ;  and 
though  he  never  had  a  seat  in  the  House,  he  was  always  regarded 
as  one  of  the  government  party,  who  more  than  once  had  dampened 
the  ardor  of  an  opposition  member,  by  the  very  significant  threat 
of  "  setting  Billy  at  him."  The  third  figure  of  the  group  was  a 
large,  powerfully-built,  and  handsome  man,  older  than  either  of  the 
others,  but  not  betraying  in  his  voice  or  carriage  any  touch  of  time. 
He  was  attired  in  the  green  coat  and  buff  vest  which  formed  the 
livery  of  the  club ;  and  in  his  tall,  ample  forehead,  clear,  well-set 
eye,  and  still  handsome  mouth,  bore  evidence  that  no  great  flattery 
was  necessary  at  the  time  which  called  Godfrey  O'Malley  the  hand- 
somest man  in  Ireland. 

"  Upon  my  conscience,"  said  Sir  Harry,  throwing  down  his  pen 
with  an  air  of  ill-temper,  "I  can  make  nothing  of  it;  I  have  got 
into  such  an  infernal  habit  of  making  bulls,  that  I  can't  write  sense 
when  I  want  it." 

"  Come,  come,"  said  O'Malley,  "  try  again,  my  dear  fellow.  If 
you  can't  succeed,  I'm  sure  Billy  and  I  have  no  chance." 


DAL  Y'S  CL  UB  HO  USE.  19 

"  What  have  you  written  ?  Let  us  see,"  said  Considine,  drawing 
the  paper  towards  him,  and  holding  it  to  the  light.  "  Why,  what 
the  devil  is  all  this?  You  have  made  him  'drop  down  dead  after 
dinner  of  a  lingering  illness,  brought  on  by  the  debate  of  yester- 
day."' 
'     "  Oh,  impossible !" 

"  Well,  read  it  yourself — there  it  is ;  and,  as  if  to  make  the  thing 
less  credible,  you  talk  of  his  '  Bill  for  the  Better  Kecovery  of  Small 
Debts.'  I'm  sure,  O'Malley,  your  last  moments  were  not  employed 
in  that  manner." 

"  Come,  now,"  said  Sir  Harry,  "  I'll  set  all  to  rights  with  a  post- 
script. '  Any  one  who  questions  the  above  statement,  is  politely 
requested  to  call  on  Mr.  Considine,  16  Kildare  street,  who  will  feej. 
happy  to  afford  him  every  satisfaction  upon  Mr.  O'Malley 's  decease, 
or  upon  miscellaneous  matters.'  " 

"  Worse  and  worse,"  said  O'Malley.  "  Killing  another  man  will 
never  persuade  the  world  that  I  am  dead." 

"  But  we'll  wake  you,  and  have  a  glorious  funeral." 

"And  if  any  man  doubt  the  statement,  I'll  call  him  out,"  said  the 
Count. 

"  Or,  better  still,"  said  Sir  Harry,  "  O'Malley  has  his  action  at 
law  for  defamation." 

"  I  see  I'll  never  get  down  to  Galway  at  this  rate,"  said  O'Malley ; 
"  and  as  the  new  election  takes  place  on  Tuesday  week,  time  presses. 
There  are  more  writs  flying  after  me  this  instant  than  for  all  the 
government  boroughs." 

"  And  there  will  be  fewer  returns,  I  fear,"  said  Sir  Harry. 

"  Who  is  the  chief  creditor  ?"  asked  the  Count. 

"  Old  Stapleton,  the  attorney  in  Fleet  street,  has  most  of  the 
mortgages." 

"  Nothing  to  be  done  with  him  in  this  way  ?"  said  Considine,  bal- 
ancing the  cork-screw  like  a  hair  trigger. 

"  No  chance  of  it." 

"  May  be,"  said  Sir  Harry,  "  he  might  come  to  terms  if  I  were  to 
call  and  say,  You  are  anxious  to  close  accounts,  as  your  death  has 
just  taken  place.     You  know  what  I  mean." 

"  I  fear  so  should  he,  were  you  to  say  so.  No,  no,  Boyle,  just  try 
a  plain,  straightforward  paragraph  about  my  death.  -  We'll  have  it 
in  Falkner's  paper  to-morrow ;  on  Friday  the  funeral  can  take  place, 
and,  with  the  blessing  o'  God,  I'll  come  to  life  on  Saturday  at  Ath- 
lone,  in  time  to  canvass  the  market." 

"  I  think  it  wouldn't  be  bad  if  your  ghost  were  to  appear  to  old 
Timins  the  tanner,  in  Naas,  on  your  way  down;  you  know  he 
arrested  you  once  before." 


20  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

" 1  prefer  a  night's  sleep,"  said  O'Malley  ;  "  but  come,  finish  the 
squib  for  the  paper." 

"Stay  a  little,"  said  Sir  Harry,  musing;  "it  just  strikes  me  that 
if  ever  the  matter  gets  out,  I  may  be  in  some  confounded  scrape. 
Who  knows  if  it  is  not  a  breach  of  privilege  to  report  the  death  of 
a  member  ?  And  to  tell  you  the  truth,  I  dread  the  Sergeant  and  the 
Speaker's  warrant  with  a  very  lively  fear." 

"Why,  when  did  you  make  his  acquaintance?"  asked  the 
Count. 

"  Is  it  possible  you  never  heard  of  Boyle's  committal  ?"  said 
O'Malley  ;  "  you  surely  must  have  been  abroad  at  the  time ;  but  it's 
not  too  late  to  tell  it  yet." 

"  Well,  it's  about  two  years  since  old  Townsend  brought  in  his 
Enlistment  Bill,  and  the  whole  country  was  scoured  for  all  our 
voters,  who  were  scattered  here  and  there,  never  anticipating  ano- 
ther call  of  the  House,  and  supposing  that  the  session  was  just  over. 
Among  others,  up  came  our  friend  Harry,  here,  and  the  night  he 
arrived  they  made  him  a  '  Monk  of  the  Screw,'  and  very  soon  made 
him  forget  his  senatorial  dignities. 

"  On  the  evening  after  his  reaching  town,  the  bill  was  brought  in, 
and  at  two  in  the  morning  the  division  took  place.  A  vote  was  of 
too  much  consequence  not  to  look  after  it  closely,  and  a  Castle 
messenger  was  in  waiting  in  Exchequer  street,  who,  when  the  debate 
was  closing,  put  Harry,  with  three  others,  into  a  coach,  and  brought 
them  down  to  the  House.  Unfortunately,  however,  they  mistook 
their  friends,  voted  against  the  bill,  and,  amid  the  loudest  cheering 
of  the  opposition,  the  government  party  were  defeated.  The  rage 
of  the  ministers  knew  no  bounds,  and  looks  of  defiance  and  even 
threats  were  exchanged  between  the  ministers  and  the  deserters. 
Amid  all  this  poor  Harry  fell  fast  asleep,  and  dreamed  that  he  was 
once  more  in  Exchequer  street,  presiding  amongst  the  monks,  and 
mixing  another  tumbler.  At  length  he  awoke  and  looked  about 
him.  The  clerk  was  just  at  the  instant  reading  out,  in  his  usual 
routine  manner,  a  clause  of  the  new  bill,  and  the  remainder  of  the 
House  was  in  dead  silence.  Harry  again  looked  around  on  every 
side,  wondering  where  was  the  hot  water,  and  what  had  become  of 
the  whisky  bottle,  and  above  all,  why  the  company  were  so  ex- 
tremely dull  and  ungenial.  At  length,  with  a  half  shake,  he  roused 
up  a  little,  and  giving  a  look  of  unequivocal  contempt  on  every 
side,  called  out,  'Upon  my  soul,  you're  very  pleasant  compan- 
ions— but  I'll  give  you  a  chant  to  enliven  you.'  So  saying,  he 
cleared  his  throat  with  a  couple  of  short  coughs,  and  at  once  struck 
up,  with  the  voice  of  a  Stentor,  the  following  verse  of  a  popular 
ballad:— 


THE  ESCAPE.  21 

"  'And  they  nibbled  away,  both  night  and  day, 
Like  mice  in  a  round  of  Glo'ster; 
Great  rogues  they  were  all,  both  great  and  small, 
From  Flood  to  Leslie  Foster. 

" '  Great  rogues  all.' 

"  '  Chorus,  boys  I* 

"  If  he  was  not  joined  by  the  voices  of  his  friends  in  the  song,  it 
was  probably  because  such  a  roar  of  laughing  never  was  heard  since 
the  walls  were  roofed  over.  The  whole  House  rose  in  a  mass,  and 
my  friend  Harry  was  hurried  over  the  benches  by  the  Sergeant- 
at-Arms,  and  left  for  three  weeks  in  Newgate  to  practice  his 
melody." 

"  All  true,"  said  Sir  Harry,  "  and  worse  luck  to  them  for  not 
liking  music ;  but  come  now,  will  this  do  ? — '  It  is  our  melancholy 
duty  to  announce  the  death  of  Godfrey  O'Malley,  Esq.,  late  mem- 
ber for  the  county  of  Galway,  which  took  place  on  Friday  evening, 
at  Daly's  Club  House.  This  esteemed  gentleman's  family,  one  of 
the  oldest  in  Ireland,  and  among  whom  it  was  hereditary  not  to 
have  any  children " ' 

Here  a  burst  of  laughter  from  Considine  and  O'Malley  interrupted 
the  reader,  who  with  the  greatest  difficulty  could  be  persuaded  that 
Jae  was  again  bulling  it. 

"  The  devil  fly  away  with  it,"  said  he ;  "  I'll  never  succeed." 

"  Never  mind,"  said  O'Malley  ;  "  the  first  part  will  do  admirably ; 
and  let  us  now  turn  our  attention  to  other  matters." 

A  fresh  magnum  was  called  for,  and  over  its  inspiring  contents 
all  the  details  of  the  funeral  were  planned.  As  the  clock  struck 
four,  the  party  separated  for  the  night,  well  satisfied  with  the  result 
of  their  labors. 


CHAPTEE   II. 

THE   ESCAPE. 

WHEN  the  dissolution  of  Parliament  was  announced  the  fol- 
lowing morning  in  Dublin,  its  interest  in  certain  circles  was 
manifestly  increased  by  the  fact  that  Godfrey  O'Malley  was 
at  last  opeivto  arrest ;  for  as  in  olden  times  certain  gifted  individuals 
possessed  some  happy  immunity  against  death  by  fire  or  sword,  so  the 
worthy  O'Malley  seemed  to  enjoy  a  no  less  valuable  privilege,  and 
for  many  a  year  had  passed  among  the  myrmidons  of  the  law  as 
writ-proof.  Now,  however,  the  charm  seemed  to  have  yielded,  and 
pretty  much  with  the  same  feeling  as  a  storming  party  may  be  sup- 


22  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

posed  to  experience  on  the  day  that  a  breach  is  reported  as  practi- 
cable, did  the  honest  attorneys  retained  in  the  various  suits  against 
him  rally  round  each  other  that  morning  in  the  Four  Courts. 

Bonds,  mortgages,  post-obits,  promissory  notes, — in  fact,  every 
imaginable  species  of  invention  for  raising  the  O'Malley  exchequer 
for  the  preceding  thirty  years, — were  handed  about  on  all  sides, 
suggesting  to  the  mind  of  an  uninterested  observer  the  notion  that 
had  the  aforesaid  O'Malley  been  an  independent  and  absolute  mon- 
arch, instead  of  merely  being  the  member  for  Galway,  the  kingdom 
over  whose  destinies  he  had  been  called  to  preside  would  have  suf- 
fered not  a  little  from  a  depreciated  currency  and  an  extravagant 
issue  of  paper.  Be  that  as  it  might,  one  thing  was  clear :  the  whole 
estates  of  the  family  could  not  possibly  pay  one-fourth  of  the  debt, 
and  the  only  question  was  one  which  occasionally  arises  at  a  scanty 
dinner  on  a  mail-coach  road — who  was  to  be  the  lucky  individual  to 
carve  the  joint,  where  so  many  were  sure  to  go  off  hungry. 

It  was  now  a  trial  of  address  between  these  various  and  highly- 
gifted  gentlemen  who  should  first  pounce  upon  the  victim,  and  when 
the  skill  of  their  caste  is  taken  into  consideration,  who  will  doubt 
that  every  feasible  expedient  for  securing  him  was  resorted  to? 
While  writs  were  struck  against  him  in  Dublin,  emissaries  were 
despatched  to  the  various  surrounding  counties  to  procure  others  in* 
the  event  of  his  escape.  Ne  exeats  were  sworn,  and  water-bailiffs 
engaged  to  follow  him  on  the  high  seas ;  and  as  the  great  Nassau 
balloon  did  not  exist  in  those  days,  no  imaginable  mode  of  escape 
appeared  possible,  and  bets  were  offered  at  long  odds  that  within 
twenty-four  hours  the  late  member  would  be  enjoying  his  otium  cum 
dignitate  in  his  Majesty's  gaol  of  Newgate. 

Expectation  was  at  the  highest — confidence  hourly  increasing — 
success  all  but  certain — when,  in  the  midst  of  all  this  high-bounding 
hope,  the  dreadful  rumor  spread  that  O'Malley  was  no  more.  One 
had  seen  it  just  five  minutes  before  in  the  evening  edition  of  Falk- 
ner's  paper,  another  heard  it  in  the  courts,  a  third  overheard  the 
Chief  Justice  stating  it  to  the  Master  of  the  Eolls,  and,  lastly,  a 
breathless  witness  arrived  from  College  Green  with  the  news  that 
Daly's  Club  House  was  shut  up,  and  the  shutters  closed.  To  de- 
scribe the  consternation  the  intelligence  caused  on  every  side  is 
impossible ;  nothing  in  history  equals  it,  except,  perhaps,  the  en- 
trance of  the  French  army  into  Moscow,  deserted  and  forsaken  by 
its  former  inhabitants.  While  terror  and  dismay,  therefore,  spread 
amid  that  wide  and  respectable  body  who  formed  O'Malley's  cred- 
itors, the  preparations  for  his  funeral  were  going  on  with  every 
rapidity  ;  relays  of  horses  were  ordered  at  every  stage  of  the  journey, 
and  it  was  announced  that,  in  testimony  of  his  worth,  a  large  party 


THE  ESCAPE.  23 

of  his  friends  were  to  accompany  his  remains  to  Portumna  Abbey — 
a  test  much  more  indicative  of  resistance  in  the  event  of  any  at- 
tempt to  arrest  the  body  than  of  anything  like  reverence  for  their 
departed  friend. 

Such  was  the  state  of  matters  in  Dublin,  when  a  letter  reached 
me  one  morning  at  O'Malle^  Castle,  whose  contents  will  at  once 
explain  the  writer's  intention,  and  also  serve  to  introduce  my  un- 
worthy self  to  my  reader.     It  ran  thus  : — 

"  Dear  Charley  : — Your  uncle  Godfrey,  whose  debts  (God  par- 
don him)  are  more  numerous  than  the  hairs  of  his  wig,  was  obliged 
to  die  here  last  night.  We  did  the  thing  for  him  completely ;  and 
all  doubts  as  to  the  reality  of  the  event  are  silenced  by  the  circum- 
stantial detail  of  the  newspaper  '  that  he  was  confined  six  weeks  to 
his  bed  from  a  cold  he  caught,  ten  days  ago,  while  on  guard/  Ke- 
peat  this,  for  it's  better  we  had  all  the  same  story  till  he  comes  to 
life  again,  which,  maybe,  will  not  take  place  before  Tuesday  or 
Wednesday.  At  the  same  time,  canvass  the  county  for  him,  and 
say  he'll  be  with  his  friends  next  week,  and  up  in  Woodford  and 
the  ScarifF  barony.  Say  he  died  a  true  Catholic ;  it  will  serve  him 
on  the  hustings.  Meet  us  in  Athlone  on  Saturday,  and  bring  your 
uncle's  mare  with  you — he  says  he'd  rather  ride  home ;  and  tell 
Father  M'Shane  to  have  a  bit  of  dinner  ready  about  four  o'clock, 
for  the  corpse  can  get  nothing  after  he  leaves  Mountmellick.  No 
more  now,  from  yours,  ever, 

"Harry  Boyle. 

"  Daly's,  about  eight  in  the  evening. 
"  To  Charles  O'Maixey,  Esq., 
O'Malley  Castle,  Galway." 

When  this  not  over-clear  document  reached  me,  I  was  the  sole 
inhabitant  of  O'Malley  Castle,  a  very  ruinous  pile  of  incongruous 
masonry,  that  stood  in  a  wild  and  dreary  part  of  the  county  of  Gal- 
way, bordering  on  the  Shannon.  On  every  side  stretched  the  prop- 
erty of  my  uncle,  or  at  least  what  had  once  been  so ;  and,  indeed, 
so  numerous  were  its  present  claimants,  that  he  would  have  been  a 
subtle  lawyer  who  could  have  pronounced  upon  the  rightful  owner. 
The  demesne  around  the  castle  contained  some  well-grown  and 
handsome  timber,  and,  as  the  soil  was  undulating  and  fertile,  pre- 
sented many  features  of  beauty ;  beyond  it,  all  was  sterile,  bleak, 
and  barren.  Long  tracts  of  brown  heath-clad  mountain,  or  not  less 
unprofitable  valleys  of  tall  and  waving  fern,  were  all  that  the  eye 
could  discern,  except  where  the  broad  Shannon,  expanding  into  a 
tranquil  and  glassy  lake,  lay  still  and  motionless  beneath  the  dark 


24  CHARLES  0>M ALLEY. 

mountains — a  few  islands,  with  some  ruined  churches  and  a  round 
tower,  alone  freaking  the  dreary  waste  of  water. 

Here  it  was  that  I  had  passed  my  infancy  and  my  youth,  and 
here  I  now  stood,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  quite  unconscious  that 
the  world  contained  aught  fairer  and  brighter  than  that  gloomy 
valley,  with  its  rugged  frame  of  mountains. 

When  a  mere  child,  I  was  left  an  orphan  to  the  care  of  my  wor- 
thy uncle.  My  father,  whose  extravagance  had  well  sustained  the 
family  reputation,  had  squandered  a  large  and  handsome  property 
in  contesting  elections  for  his  native  county,  and  in  keeping  up  that 
system  of  unlimited  hospitality  for  which  Ireland  in  general,  and 
Galway  more  especially,  was  renowned.  The  result  was,  as  might 
be  expected,  ruin  and  beggary.  He  died,  leaving  every  one  of  his 
estates  encumbered  with  heavy  debts,  and  the  only  legacy  he  left  to 
his  brother  was  a  boy  of  four  years  of  age,  entreating  him,  with  his 
last  breath,  "  Be  anything  you  like  to  him,  Godfrey,  but  a  father,  or 
at  least  such  a  one  as  I  have  proved." 

Godfrey  O'Malley,  some  short  time  previous,  had  lost  his  wife, 
and  when  this  new  trust  was  committed  to  him,  he  resolved  never  to 
remarry,  but  to  rear  me  up  as  his  own  child,  and  the  inheritor  of 
his  estates.  How  weighty  and  onerous  an  obligation  this  latter 
might  prove,  the  reader  can  form  some  idea.  The  intention  was. 
however,  a  kind  one  ;  and  to  do  my  uncle  justice,  he  loved  me  with 
all  the  affection  of  a  warm  and  open  heart. 

From  my  earliest  years  his  whole  anxiety  was  to  fit  me  for  the 
part  of  a  country  gentleman,  as  he  regarded  that  character — viz.,  I 
rode  boldly  with  fox-hounds;  I  was  about  the  best  shot  within 
twenty  miles  of  us  ;  I  could  swim  the  Shannon  at  Holy  Island ;  I 
drove  four-in-hand  better  than  the  coachman  himself;  and  from 
finding  a  hare  to  hooking  a  salmon,  my  equal  could  not  be  found 
from  Kilaloe  to  Banagher.  These  were  the  staple  of  my  endow- 
ments. Besides  which,  the  parish  priest  had  taught  me  a  little 
Latin,  a  little  French,  and  a  little  geometry,  and  a  great  deal  of 
the  life  and  opinions  of  St.  Jago,  who  presided  over  a  holy  well  in 
the  neighborhood,  and  was  held  in  very  considerable  repute. 

When  I  add  to  this  portraiture  of  my  accomplishments  that  I  was 
nearly  six  feet  high,  with  more  than  a  common  share  of  activity  and 
strength  for  my  years,  and  no  inconsiderable  portion  of  good  looks, 
I  have  finished  my  sketch,  and  stand  before  my  reader. 

It  is  now  time  I  should  return  to  Sir  Harry's  letter,  which  so  com- 
pletely bewildered  me,  that  but  for  the  assistance  of  Father  Roach,  I 
should  have  been  totally  unable  to  make  out  the  writer's  intentions. 
By  his  advice,  I  immediately  set  out  for  Athlone,  where,  when  I 
arrived,  I  found  my  uncle  addressing  the  mob  from  the  top  of  the 


THE  ESCAPE.  25 

hearse,  and  recounting  his  miraculous  escape  as  a  new  claim  upon 
their  gratitude. 

"  There  was  nothing  else  for  it,  boys ;  the  Dublin  people  insisted 
on  my  being  their  member,  and  besieged  the  club-house.  I  refused — 
they  threatened — I  grew  obstinate — they  furious.  '  I'll  die  first/ 
said  I.  *  Galway  or  nothing  !'  "  "Hurrah  I"  from  the  mob.  "O'Mal- 
ley  forever  I"  "And  ye  see,  I  kept  my  word,  boys — I  did  die ;  I  died 
that  evening  at  a  quarter-past  eight.  There,  read  it  for  yourselves  ; 
there's  the  paper;  was  waked  and  carried  out,  and  here  I  am 
after  all,  ready  to  die  in  earnest  for  you — but  never  to  desert  you." 

The  cheers  here  were  deafening,  and  my  uncle  was  carried  through 
the  market,  down  to  the  mayor's  house,  who,  being  a  friend  of  the 
opposite  party,  was  complimented  with  three  groans ;  then  up  the 
Mall  to  the  chapel,  beside  which  Father  M'Shane  resided.  He  was" 
then  suffered  to  touch  the  earth  once  more,  when,  having  shaken 
hands  with  all  his  constituency  within  reach,  ne  entered  the  house, 
to  partake  of  the  kindest  welcome  and  best  reception  the  good  priest 
could  afford  him. 

My  uncle's  progress  homeward  was  a  triumph ;  the  real  secret  of 
his  escape  had  somehow  come  out,  and  his  popularity  rose  to  a  white 
heat.  "An'  it's  little  O'Malley  cares  for  the  law — bad  luck  to  it  ; 
it's  himself  can  laugh  at  judge  and  jury.  Arrest  him !  Nabock- 
lish — catch  a  weasel  asleep,"  &c.  Such  were  the  encomiums  that 
greeted  him  as  he  passed  on  towards  home,  while  shouts  of  joy  and 
blazing  bonfires  attested  that  his  success  was  regarded  as  a  national 
triumph. 

The  west  has  certainly  its  strong  features  of  identity.  Had  my 
uncle  possessed  the  claims  of  the  immortal  Howard, — had  he  united 
in  his  person  all  the  attributes  which  confer  a  lasting  and  an  en- 
nobling fame  upon  humanity, — he  might  have  passed  on  unnoticed 
and  unobserved ;  but  for  the  man  that  had  duped  a  judge  and 
escaped  the  sheriff,  nothing  was  sufficiently  flattering  to  mark  their 
approbation.  The  success  of  the  exploit  was  twofold;  the  news 
spread  far  and  near,  and  the  very  story  canvassed  the  county  better 
than  Billy  Davern  himself,  the  Athlone  attorney. 

This  was  the  prospect  now  before  us;  and,  however  little  my 
readers  may  sympathize  with  my  taste,  I  must  honestly  avow  that  I 
looked  forward  to  it  with  a  most  delighted  feeling.  O'Malley  Castle 
was  to  be  the  centre  of  operations,  and  filled  with  my  uncle's  sup- 
porters ;  while  I,  a  mere  stripling,  and  usually  treated  as  a  boy, 
was  to  be  entrusted  with  an  important  mission,  and  sent  off  to  can- 
vass a  distant  relation,  with  whom  my  uncle  was  not  upon  terms, 
and  who  might  possibly  be  approachable  by  a  younger  branch  of  the 
family,  with  whom  he  had  never  any  collision. 


26  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER     III. 

MR.     BLAKE. 

NOTHING  but  the  exigency  of  the  case  could  ever  have  per- 
suaded my  uncle  to  stoop  to  the  humiliation  of  canvassing  the 
individual  to  whom  I  was  now  about  to  proceed  as  envoy  ex- 
traordinary, with  full  powers  to  make  any  or  every  amende,  provided 
only  his  interest  and  that  of  his  followers  should  be  thereby  secured 
to  the  O'Malley  cause.  The  evening  before  I  set  out  was  devoted  to 
giving  me  all  the  necessary  instructions  how  I  was  to  proceed,  and 
what  difficulties  I  was  to  avoid. 

"  Say  your  uncle's  in  high  feather  with  the  government  party," 
said  Sir  Harry,  "  and  that  he  only  votes  against  them  as  a  ruse  de 
guerre,  as  the  French  call  it." 

"Insist  upon  it  that  I  am  sure  of  the  election  without  him,  but 
that  for  family  reasons  he  should  not  stand  aloof  from  me ;  that 
people  are  talking  of  it  in  the  country." 

"And  drop  a  hint,"  said  Considine,  "  that  O'Malley  is  greatly  im- 
proved in  his  shooting." 

"And  don't  get  drunk  too  early  in  the  evening,  for  Phil  Blake  has 
beautiful  claret,"  said  another. 

"And  be  sure  you  don't  make  love  to  the  red-headed  girls," 
added  a  third ;  "  he  has  four  of  them,  each  more  sinfully  ugly  than 
the  other." 

"  You'll  be  playing  whist,  too,"  said  Boyle ;  "  and  never  mind 
losing  a  few  pounds.  Mrs.  B. — long  life  to  her — has  a  playful  way 
of  turning  the  king." 

"  Charley  will  do  it  all  well,"  said  my  uncle ;  "  leave  him  alone. 
And  now  let  us  have  in  the  supper." 

It  was  only  on  the  following  morning,  as  the  tandem  came  round 
to  the  door,  that  I  began  to  feel  the  importance  of  my  mission,  and 
certain  misgivings  came  over  me  as  to  my  ability  to  fulfil  it.  Mr. 
Blake  and  his  family,  though  estranged  from  my  uncle  for  several 
years  past,  had  been  always  most  kind  and  good-natured  to  me ;  and 
although  I  could  not  with  propriety  have  cultivated  any  close  inti- 
macy with  them,  I  had  every  reason  to  suppose  that  they  entertained 
towards  me  nothing  but  sentiments  of  good  will.  The  head  of  the 
family  was  a  Galway  squire  of  the  oldest  and  most  genuine  stock ; 
a  great  sportsman,  a  negligent  farmer,  and  most  careless  father.  He 
looked  upon  a  fox  as  an  infinitely  more  precious  part  of  the  creation 
than  a  French  governess,  and  thought  that  riding  well  with  hounds 
was  a  far  better  gift  than  all  the  learning  of  a  Porson.  His  daugh- 
ters were  after  his  own  heart, — the  best-tempered,  least-educated, 


MR.  BLAKE.  27 

most  high-spirited,  gay,  dashing,  ugly  girls  in  the  country, — ready 
to  ride  over  a  four-foot  paling  without  a  saddle,  and  to  dance  the 
"  Wind  that  shakes  the  barley,"  for  four  consecutive  hours,  against 
all  the  officers  that  their  hard  fate,  and  the  Horse  Guards,  ever  con- 
demned to  Galway. 

The  mamma  was  only  remarkable  for  her  liking  for  whist,  and 
her  invariable  good  fortune  thereat — a  circumstance  the  world  were 
agreed  in  ascribing  less  to  the  blind  goddess  than  her  own  natural 
endowments. 

Lastly,  the  heir  of  the  house  was  a  stripling  of  about  my  own 
age,  whose  accomplishments  were  limited  to  selling  spavined  and 
broken-winded  horses  to  the  infantry  officers,  playing  a  safe  game 
at  billiards,  and  acting  as  jackal-general  to  his  sisters  at  balls,  pro-  L 
viding  them  with  a  sufficiency  of  partners,  and  making  a  strong  fight 
for  a  place  at  the  supper-table  for  his  mother.  These  fraternal  and 
filial  traits,  more  honored  at  home  than  abroad,  had  made  Mr.  Mat- 
thew Blake  a  rather  well-known  individual  in  the  neighborhood 
where  he  lived. 

Though  Mr.  Blake's  property  was  ample,  and,  strange  to  say  for 
his  county,  unencumbered,  the  whole  air  and  appearance  of  his 
house  and  grounds  betrayed  anything  rather  than  a  sufficiency  of 
means.  The  gate  lodge  was  a  miserable  mud  hovel,  with  a  thatched 
and  falling  roof;  the  gate  itself,  a  wooden  contrivance,  one  half  of 
which  was  boarded  and  the  other  railed ;  the  avenue  was  covered 
with  weeds,  and  deep  with  ruts,  and  the  clumps  of  young  planta- 
tion, which  had  been  planted  and  fenced  with  care,  were  now  open 
to  the  cattle,  and  either  totally  uprooted  or  denuded  of  their  bark, 
and  dying.  The  lawn,  a  handsome  one  of  some  forty  acres,  had 
been  devoted  to  an  exercise-ground  for  training  horses,  and  was  cut 
up  by  their  feet  beyond  all  semblance  of  its  original  destination ; 
and  the  house  itself,  a  large  and  venerable,  structure  of  above  a  cen- 
tury old,  displayed  every  variety  of  contrivance,  as  well  as  the  usual 
one  of  glass,  to  exclude  the  weather.  The  hall-door  hung  by  a 
single  hinge,  and  required  three  persons  each  morning  and  evening 
to  open  and  shut  it;  the  remainder  of  the  clay  it  lay  pensively  open  ; 
the  steps  which  led  to  it  were  broken  and  falling,  and  the  whole 
aspect  of  things  without  was  ruinous  in  the  extreme.  Within,  mat- 
ters were  somewhat  better,  for  though  the  furniture  was  old,  and 
none  of  it  clean,  yet  an  appearance  of  comfort  was  evident;  and  the 
large  grate,  blazing  with  its  pile  of  red-hot  turf,  the  deep-cushioned 
chairs,  the  old  black  mahogany  dinner-table,  and  the  soft  carpet, 
albeit  deep  with  dust,  were  not  to  be  despised  on  a  winter's  evening, 
after  a  hard  day's  run  with  the  "  Blazers."  Here  it  was,  however, 
that  Mr.  Philip  Blake  had  dispensed  his  hospitalities  for  above  fifty 


28  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

years,  and  his  father  before  him,  and  here,  with  a  retinue  of  servants 
as  gauche  and  ill-ordered  as  all  about  them,  was  he  accustomed  to 
invite  all  that  the  county  possessed  of  rank  and  wealth,  among  which 
the  officers  quartered  in  his  neighborhood  were  never  neglected,  the 
Misses  Blake  having  as  decided  a  taste  for  the  army  as  any  young 
ladies  of  the  west  of  Ireland.  And  while  the  Galway  squire,  with 
his  cords  and  tops,  was  detailing  the  last  news  from  Ballinasloe  in 
one  corner,  the  dandy  from  St.  James's  street  might  be  seen  dis- 
playing more  arts  of  seductive  flattery  in  another  than  his  most 
accurate  insouciance  would  permit  him  to  practise  in  the  elegant 
saloons  of  London  or  Paris :  and  the  same  man  who  would  have 
"  cut  his  brother,"  for  a  solecism  of  dress  or  equipage,  in  Bond 
street,  was  now  to  be  seen  quietly  domesticated,  eating  family  din- 
ners, rolling  silk  for  the  young  ladies,  going  down  the  middle  in  a 
country  dance,  and  even  descending  to  the  indignity  of  long  whist, 
at  "  tenpenny"  points,  with  only  the  miserable  consolation  that  the 
company  were  not  honest. 

It  was  upon  a  clear  frosty  morning,  when  a  bright  blue  sky  and  a 
sharp  but  bracing  air  seem  to  exercise  upon  the  feelings  a  sense  no 
less  pleasurable  than  the  balmiest  breeze  and  warmest  sun  of  sum- 
mer, that  I  whipped  my  leader  short  round,  and  entered  the  pre- 
cincts of  "  Gurt-na-Morra."  As  I  proceeded  along  the  avenue,  I 
was  struck  by  the  slight  traces  of  repairs  here  and  there  evident ;  a 
gate  or  two  that  formerly  had  been  parallel  to  the  horizon  had 
been  raised  to  the  perpendicular ;  some  ineffectual  efforts  at  paint 
were  also  perceptible  upon  the  palings ;  and,  in  short,  everything 
seemed  to  have  undergone  a  kind  of  attempt  at  improvement. 

When  I  reached  the  door,  instead  of  being  surrounded,  as  of  old, 
by  a  tribe  of  menials,  frieze-coated,  bare-headed,  and  bare-legged, 
my  presence  was  announced  by  a  tremendous  ringing  of  bells,  from 
the  hands  of  an  old  functionary,  in  a  very  formidable  livery,  who 
peeped  at  me  through  the  hall  window,  and  whom,  with  the  great- 
est difficulty,  I  recognized  as  my  quondam  acquaintance,  the  butler. 
His  wig  alone  would  have  graced  a  king's  counsel,  and  the  high 
collar  of  his  coat,  and  the  stiff  pillory  of  his  cravat,  denoted  an 
eternal  adieu  to  so  humble  a  vocation  as  drawing  a  cork.  Before  I 
had  time  for  any  conjecture  as  to  the  altered  circumstances  about, 
the  activity  of  my  friend  at  the  bell  had  surrounded  me  with  "  four 
others  worse  than  himself,"  at  least,  they  were  exactly  similarly 
attired ;  and,  probably,  from  the  novelty  of  their  costume,  and  the 
restraints  of  so  unusual  a  thing  as  dress,  were  as  perfectly  unable  to 
assist  themselves  or  others  as  the  Court  of  Aldermen  would  be  were 
they  to  rig  out  in  plate  armor  of  the  fourteenth  century.  How  much 
longer  I  might  have  gone  on  conjecturing  the  reasons  for  the  mas- 


MB.  BLAKE.  29 

querade  around,  I  cannot  say ;  but  my  servant,  an  Irish  disciple  of 
my  uncle's,  whispered  in  my  ear,  "  It's  a  red-breeches  day,  Master 
Charles — they'll  have  the  hoith  of  company  in  the  house."  From 
the  phrase,  it  needed  little  explanation  to  inform  me  that  it  was  one 
of  those  occasions  on  which  Mr.  Blake  attired  all  the  hangers-on  of 
his  house  in  livery,  and  that  great  preparations  were  in  progress  for 
a  more  than  usually  splendid  reception. 

In  the  next  moment  I  was  ushered  into  the  breakfast-room,  where 
a  party  of  above  a  dozen  persons  were  most  gayly  enjoying  all  the 
good  cheer  for  which  the  house  had  a  well-deserved  repute.  After 
the  usual  shaking  of  hands  and  hearty  greetings  were  over,  I  was 
introduced  in  all  form  to  Sir  George  Dash  wood,  a  tall  and  singu- 
larly handsome  man  of  about  fifty,  with  an  undress  military  frock 
and  ribbon.  His  reception  of  me  was  somewhat  strange,  for,  as 
they  mentioned  my  relationship  to  Godfrey  O'Malley,  he  smiled 
slightly,  and  whispered  something  to  Mr.  Blake,  who  replied,  "  Oh ! 

no,  no,  not  the  least.     A  mere  boy ;  and  besides "     What  he 

added  I  lost,  for  at  that  moment  Nora  Blake  was  presenting  me  to 
Miss  Dashwood. 

If  the  sweetest  blue  eyes  that  ever  beamed  beneath  a  forehead  of 
snowy  whiteness,  over  which  dark  brown  and  waving  hair  fell,  less 
in  curls  than  masses  of  locky  richness,  could  only  have  known  what 
wild  work  they  were  making  of  my  poor  heart,  Miss  Dashwood,  I 
trust,  would  have  looked  at  her  teacup  or  her  muffin  rather  than  at 
me,  as  she  actually  did  on  that  fatal  morning.  If  I  were  to  judge 
from  her  costume,  she  had  only  just  arrived,  and  the  morning  air 
had  left  upon  her  cheek  a  bloom  that  contributed  greatly  to  the 
effect  of  her  lovely  countenance.  Although  very  young,  her  form 
had  all  the  roundness  of  womanhood,  while  her  gay  and  sprightly 
manner  indicated  all  the  sans  g6ne  which  only  very  young  girls  pos- 
sess, and  which,  when  tempered  with  perfect  good  taste,  and  accom- 
panied by  beauty  and  no  small  share  of  talent,  forms  an  irresistible 
power  of  attraction. 

Beside  her  sat  a  tall,  handsome  man  of  about  five-and-thirty,  or 
perhaps  forty  years  of  age,  with  a  most  soldierly  air,  who,  as  I  was 
presented  to  him,  scarcely  turned  his  head,  and  gave  me  a  half-nod 
of  very  unequivocal  coldness.  There  are  moments  in  life  in  which 
the  heart  is,  as  it  were,  laid  bare  to  any  chance  or  casual  impression 
with  a  wondrous  sensibility  of  pleasure  or  its  opposite.  This  to  me 
was  one  of  those ;  and  as  I  turned  from  the  lovely  girl,  who  had 
received  me  with  marked  courtesy,  to  the  cold  air  and  repelling 
hauteur  of  the  dark-browed  captain,  the  blood  rushed  throbbing  to 
my  forehead ;  and  as  I  walked  to  my  place  at  the  table,  I  eagerly 
sought  his  eye,  to  return  him  a  look  of  defiance  and  disdain,  proud 


30  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

and  contemptuous  as  his  own.  Captain  Hammersley,  however,  took 
no  further  notice  of  me,  but  continued  to  recount,  for  the  amuse- 
ment of  those  about  him,  several  excellent  stories  of  his  military 
career,  which,  I  confess,  were  heard  with  every  test  of  delight  by  all 
save  me.  One  thing  galled  me  particularly, — and  how  easy  is  it, 
when  you  have  begun  by  disliking  a  person,  to  supply  food  for  your 
antipathy, — all  his  allusions  to  his  military  life  were  coupled  with 
half-hinted  and  ill-concealed  sneers  at  civilians  of  every  kind,  ins 
though  every  man  not  a  soldier  were  absolutely  unfit  for  common 
intercourse  with  the  world— still  more  for  any  favorable  reception 
in  ladies'  society. 

The  young  ladies  of  the  family  were  a  well-chosen  auditory,  for 
their  admiration  of  the  army  extended  from  the  Life  Guards  to  the 
Veteran  Battalion,  the  Sappers  and  Miners  included ;  and  as  Miss 
Dashwood  was  the  daughter  of  a  soldier,  she,  of  course,  coincided 
in  many  if  not  all  of  his  opinions.  I  turned  towards  my  neighbor, 
a  Clare  gentleman,  and  tried  to  engage  him  in  conversation,  but  he 
was  breathlessly  attending  to  the  Captain.  On  my  left  sat  Matthew 
Blake,  whose  eyes  were  firmly  riveted  upon  the  same  person,  and 
heard  his  marvels  with  an  interest  scarcely  inferior  to  that  of  his 
sisters.  Annoyed  and  in  ill-temper,  I  ate  my  breakfast  in  silence, 
and  resolved  that  the  first  moment  I  could  obtain  a  hearing  from 
Mr.  Blake,  I  would  open  my  negotiation,  and  take  my  leave  at  once 
of  Gurt-na-Morra. 

We  all  assembled  in  a  large  room,  called,  by  courtesy,  the  library, 
when  breakfast  was  over ;  and  then  it  was  that  Mr.  Blake,  taking 
me  aside,  whispered,  "  Charley,  it's  right  I  should  inform  you  that 
Sir  George  Pashwood  there  is  the  Commander  of  the  Forces,  and  is 

come  down  here  at  this  moment  to "  What  for,  or  how  it  should 

concern  me,  I  was  not  to  learn ;  for  at  that  critical  instant  my  in- 
formant's attention  was  called  off  by  Captain  Hammersley  asking  if 
the  hounds  were  to  hunt  that  day. 

"  My  friend  Charley  here  is  the  best  authority  upon  that  matter," 
said  Mr.  Blake,  turning  towards  me. 

"  They  are  to  try  the  priest's  meadows,"  said  I,  with  an  air  of 
some  importance  ;  "  but,  if  your  guests  desire  a  day's  sport,  I'll  send 
word  over  to  Brackely  to  bring  the  dogs  over  here,  and  we  are  sure 
to  find  a  fox  in  your  cover." 

"  Oh,  then,  by  all  means,"  said  the  Captain,  turning  towards 
Mr.  Blake,  and  addressing  himself  to  him — "  by  all  means ;  and 
Miss  Dashwood,  I'm  sure,  would  like  to  see  the  hounds  throw  off." 

Whatever  chagrin  the  first  part  of  his  speech  caused  me,  the  latter 
sent  my  heart  a-throbbing ;  and  I  hastened  from  the  room  to  des- 
patch a  messenger  to  the  huntsman  to  come  over  to  Gurt-na-Morra, 


MR.  BLAKE.  31 

and  also  another  to  O'Malley  Castle,  to  bring  my  best  horse  and  my 
riding  equipments  as  quickly  as  possible. 

"  Matthew,  who  is  this  Captain  V  said  I,  as  young  Blake  met  me 
in  the  hall. 

"Oh!  he  is  the  aide-de-camp  of  General  Dashwood.  A  nice 
fellow,  isn't  he?" 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  may  think,"  said  I,  "  but  I  take  him  for 
the  most  impertinent,  impudent,  supercilious- " 

The  rest  of  my  civil  speech  was  cut  short  by  the  appearance  of 
the  very  individual  in  question,  who,  with  his  hands  in  his  pockets 
and  a  cigar  in  his  mouth,  sauntered  forth  down  the  steps,  taking  no 
more  notice  of  Matthew  Blake  and  myself  than  the  two  fox-terriers 
that  followed  at  his  heels. 

However  anxious  I  might  be  to  open  negotiations  on  the  subject 
of  my  mission,  for  the  present  the  thing  was  impossible ;  for  I  found 
that  Sir  George  Dashwood  was  closeted  closely  with  Mr.  Blake,  and 
resolved  to  wait  till  evening,  when  chance  might  afford  me  the 
opportunity  I  desired. 

As  the  ladies  had  retired  to  dress  for  the  hunt,  and  as  I  felt  no 
peculiar  desire  to  ally  myself  with  the  unsocial  Captain,  I  accom- 
panied Matthew  to  the  stable  to  look  after  the  cattle,  and  make  pre- 
parations for  the  coming  sport. 

"There's  Captain  Hammersley's  mare,"  said  Matthew,  as  he 
pointed  to  a  highly-bred  but  powerful  English  hunter  ;  "  she  came 
last  night,  for  as  he  expected  some  sport,  he  sent  his  horses  from 
Dublin  on  purpose.     The  others  will  be  here  to-day." 

"What  is  his  regiment?"  said  I,  with  an  appearance  of  careless- 
ness, but  in  reality  feeling  curious  to  know  if  the  Captain  was  a 
cavalry  or  infantry  officer. 

"The  — th  Light  Dragoons,"  said  Matthew. 

"  You  never  saw  him  ride  ?"  said  I. 

"  But  his  groom  there  says  he  leads  the  way  in  his  own  country." 

"And  where  may  that  be  ?" 

"  In  Leicestershire,  no  less,"  said  Matthew. 

"  Does  he  know  Galway  ?'" 

"  Never  was  in  it  before ;  it's  only  this  minute  he  asked  Moses 
Daly  if  the  ox-fences  were  high  here." 

"  Ox-fences  !  then  he  does  not  know  what  a  wall  is  ?" 

"  Devil  a  bit ;  but  we'll  teach  him." 

"  That  we  will,"  said  I,  with  as  bitter  a  resolution  to  impart  the 
instruction  as  ever  schoolmaster  did  to  whip  Latin  grammar  into 
one  of  the  great  unbreeched. 

"But  I  had  better  send  the  horses  down  to  the  Mill,"  said 
Matthew ;  "  we'll  draw  that  cover  first." 


32  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

So  saying,  he  turned  towards  the  stable,  while  I  sauntered  alone 
towards  the  road  by  which  I  expected  the  huntsman.  I  had  not 
walked  half  a  mile  before  I  heard  the  yelping  of  the  dogs,  and  a 
little  farther  on  I  saw  old  Brackely  coming  along  at  a  brisk  trot, 
cutting  the  hounds  on  each  side,  and  calling  after  the  stragglers. 

-"  Did  you  see  my  horse  on  the  road,  Brackely  ?"  said  I. 

"  I  did,  Misther  Charles,  and,  troth,  I'm  sorry  to  see  him ;  sure 
yerself  knows  better  than  to  take  out  the  Badger,  the  best  steeple- 
chaser in  Ireland,  in  such  a  country  as  this ;  nothing  but  awkward 
stone- fences,  and  not  a  foot  of  sure  ground  in  the  whole  of  it." 

"  I  know  it  well,  Brackely ;  but  yet  I  have  my  own  reasons  for 
it" 

"  Well,  maybe  you  have  ;  what  cover  will  your  honor  try  first?" 

"  They  talk  of  the  Mill,"  said  I ;  "  but  I'd  much  rather  try  'Mor- 
ran-a-Gowl.'  " 

"  Morran-a-Gowl !     Do  you  want  to  break  your  neck  entirely  ?" 

"  No,  Brackely,  not  mine." 

"  Whose  then,  alannah  ?" 

"An  English  captain's — the  devil  fly  away  with  him ;  he's  come 
down  here  to-day,  and  from  all  I  can  see  is  a  most  impudent  fellow  ; 
so,  Brackely " 

"  I  understand.  Well,  leave  it  to  me,  and  though  I  don't  like  the 
only  deer-park  wall  on  the  hill,  we'll  try  it  this  morning  with  the 
blessing ;  I'll  take  him  down  by  Woodford,  over  the  '  Devil's  Mouth/ 
— it's  eighteen  feet  wide  this  minute  with  the  late  rains — into  the 
four  callows ;  then  over  the  stone  walls,  down  to  Dangan ;  then  take 
a  short  cut  up  the  hill,  blow  him  a  bit,  and  give  him  the  park  wall 
at  the  top.  You  must  come  in  then  fresh,  and  give  him  the  whole 
run  home  over  Sleibhmich  ;  the  Badger  knows' it  all,  and  takes  the 
road  always  in  a  fly, — a  mighty  distressing  thing  for  the  horse  that 
follows,  more  particularly  if  he  does  not  understand  a  stony  coun- 
try. Well,  if  he  lives  through  this,  give  him  the  sunk  fence  and  the 
stone  wall  at  Mr.  Blake's  clover-field,  for  the  hounds  will  run  into 
the  fox  about  there  ;  and  though  we  never  ride  that  leap  since  Mr. 
Malone  broke  his  neck  at  it,  last  October,  yet,  upon  an  occasion  like 
this,  and  for  the  honor  of  Galway " 

"  To  be  sure,  Brackely,  and  here's  a  guinea  for  you,  and  now  trot 
on  towards  the  house ;  they  must  not  see  us  together,  or  they  might 
suspect  something.  But,  Brackely,"  said  I,  calling  out  after  him, 
"  if  he  rides  at  all  fair,  what's  to  be  done?" 

"  Troth,  then,  myself  doesn't  know;  there  is  nothing  so  bad  west 
of  Athlone ;  have  ye  a  great  spite  agin  him  ?" 

"  I  have,"  said  I,  fiercely. 

"  Could  ye  coax  a  fight  out  of  him?" 


THE  HUNT.  33 

"  That's  true,"  said  I ;  "  and  now  ride  on  as  fast  as  you  can." 
Brackely's  last  words  imparted  a  lightness  to  my  heart  and  my 

step,  and  I  strode  along  a  very  different  man  from  what  I  had  left 

the  house  half  an  hour  previously. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE  HUNT. 

ALTHOUGH  we  had  not  the  advantages  of  a  "  southerly  wind 
and  cloudy  sky,"  the  day,  towards  noon,  became  strongly 
overcast,  and  promised  to  afford  us  good  scenting  weather, 
and  as  we  assembled  at  the  meet,  mutual  congratulations  were  ex- 
changed upon  the  improved  appearance  of  the  day.  Young  Blake 
had  provided  Miss  Dashwood  with  a  quiet  and  well-trained  horse, 
and  his  sisters  were  all  mounted,  as  usual,  upon  their  own  animals, 
giving  to  our  turn-out  quite  a  gay  and  lively  aspect.  I  myself  came 
to  cover  upon  a  hackney,  having  sent  Badger  with  a  groom,  and 
longed  ardently  for  the  moment  when,  casting  the  skin  of  my  great- 
coat and  overalls,  I  should  appear  before  the  world  in  my  well-ap- 
pointed "  cords  and  tops."  Captain  Hammersley  had  not  as  yet 
made  his  appearance,  and  many  conjectures  were  afloat  as  to  whether 
"  he  might  have  missed  the  road  or  changed  his  mind,"  or,  "  forgot 
all  about  it,"  as  Miss  Dashwood  hinted. 

"  Who,  pray,  pitched  upon  this  cover?"  said  Caroline  Blake,  as 
she  looked  with  a  practised  eye  over  the  country  on  either  side. 

"  There  is  no  chance  of  a  fox  late  in  the  day  at  the  Mill,"  said 
the  huntsman,  inventing  a  lie  for  the  occasion. 

"  Then  of  course  you  never  intend  us  to  see  much  of  the  sport,  for 
after  you  break  cover,  you  are  entirely  lost  to  us." 

"  I  thought  you  always  followed  the  hounds,"  said  Miss  Dash- 
wood, timidly. 

"Oh,  to  be  sure  we  do,  in  any  common  country ;  but  here  it  is  out 
of  the  question  ;  the  fences  are  too  large  for  any  one,  and,  if  I  am 
not  mistaken,  these  gentlemen  will  not  ride  far  over  this.  There, 
look  yonder,  where  the  river  is  rushing  down  the  hill — that  stream, 
widening  as  it  advances,  crosses  the  cover  nearly  midway.  Well, 
they  must  clear  that ;  and  then  you  may  see  these  walls  of  large 
loose  stones,  nearly  five  feet  in  height ;  that  is  the  usual  course  the 
fox  takes,  unless  he  heads  towards  the  hills,  and  goes  towards  Dan- 
gan,  and  then  there's  an  end  of  it ;  for  the  deer-park  wall  is  usually 
a  pull-up  to  every  one,  except,  perhaps,  to  our  friend  Charley 
3 


34  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

yonder,  who  has  tried  his  fortune  against  drowning  more  than  once 
there."        M 

"  Look,  here  he  comes,"  said  Matthew  Blake,  "  and  looking  splen- 
didly too — a  little  too  much  in  flesh,  perhaps,  if  anything." 

"  Captain  Hammersley  !"  said  the  four  Misses  Blake,  in  a  breath  ; 
"  where  is  he  ?" 

"  No,  it's  the  Badger  I'm  speaking  of,"  said  Matthew,  laughing, 
and  pointing  with  his  finger  towards  a  corner  of  the  field  where  my 
servant  was  leisurely  throwing  down  a  wall  about  two  feet  high  to 
let  him  pass. 

"  Oh,  how  handsome ! — what  a  charger  for  a  dragoon !"  said  Miss 
Dashwood. 

Any  other  mode  of  praising  my  steed  would  have  been  much 
more  acceptable.  The  word  dragoon  was  a  thorn  in  my  tenderest 
part,  that  rankled  and  lacerated  at  every  stir.  In  a  moment  I  was 
in  the  saddle,  and  scarcely  seated,  when  at  once  all  the  mauvais  honte 
of  boyhood  left  me,  and  I  felt  every  inch  a  man.  I  often  look  back 
to  that  moment  of  my  life,  and,  comparing  it  with  many  similar 
ones,  cannot  help  acknowledging  how  purely  is  the  self-possession 
which  so  often  wins  success  the  result  of  some  light  and  trivial  asso- 
ciation. My  confidence  in  my  horsemanship  suggested  moral  cour- 
age of  a  very  different  kind,  and  I  felt  that  Charles  O'Malley 
curveting  upon  a  thorough-bred  and  the  same  man  ambling  upon 
a  shelty  were  two  and  very  dissimilar  individuals. 

"  No  chance  of  the  Captain,"  said  Matthew,  who  had  returned 
from  a  reconnaissance  upon  the  road  ;  "  and  after  all  it's  a  pity,  for 
the  day  is  getting  quite  favorable." 

While  the  young  ladies  formed  pickets  to  look  out  for  the  gallant 
militaire,  I  seized  the  opportunity  of  prosecuting  my  acquaintance 
with  Miss  Dashwood  ;  and  even  in  the  few  and  passing  observations 
that  fell  from  her,  learned  how  very  different  an  order  of  being  she 
was  from  all  I  had  hitherto  seen  of  country  belles.  A  mixture  of 
courtesy  with  naivete— &  wish  to  please,  with  a  certain  feminine  gen- 
tleness, that  always  flatters  a  man,  and  still  jnore  a  boy  that  fain 
would  be  one— gained  momentarily  more  and  more  upon  me,  and 
put  me  also  on  my  mettle  to  prove  to  my  fair  companion  that  I  was 
not  altogether  a  mere  uncultivated  and  unthinking  creature,  like  the 
remainder  of  those  about  me. 

"  Here  he  is,  at  last,"  said  Helen  Blake,  as  she  cantered  across  a 
field,  waving  her  handkerchief  as  a  signal  to  the  Captain,  who  was 
now  seen  approaching  at  a  brisk  trot. 

As  he  came  along,  a  small  fence  intervened  ;  he  pressed  his  horse 
a  little,  and,  as  he  kissed  hands  to  the  fair  Helen,  cleared  it  in  a 
bound,  and  was  in  an  inrtant  in  the  midst  of  us. 


THE  HUNT.  35 

"  He  sits  his  horse  like  a  man,  Misther  Charles,"  said  the  old 
huntsman ;  "  troth,  we  must  give  him  the  worst  bit  of  it." 

Captain  Hammersley  was,  despite  all  the  critical  acumen  with 
which  I  canvassed  him,  the  very  beau  ideal  of  a  gentleman  rider  ; 
indeed,  although  a  very  heavy  man,  his  powerful  English  thorough- 
bred, showing  not  less  bone  than  blood,  took  away  all  semblance  of 
overweight;  his  saddle,  well  fitting  and  well  placed;  his  large  and 
broad-reined  snaffle ;  his  own  costume  of  black  coat,  leathers  and 
tops,  was  in  perfect  keeping,  and  even  to  his  heavy-handled  hunt- 
ing-whip I  could  find  nothing  to  cavil  at.  As  he  rode  up,  he  paid 
his  respects  to  the  ladies  in  his  usual  free-and-easy  manner,  ex- 
pressed some  surprise,  but  no  regret,  at  hearing  that  he  was  late, 
and  never  deigning  any  notice  of  Matthew  or  myself,  took  hi* 
place  beside  Miss  Dashwood,  with  whom  he  conversed  in  a  low 
and  under  tone. 

"  There  they  go,"  said  Matthew,  as  five  or  six  dogs,  with  their 
heads  up,  ran  yelping  along  a  furrow,  then  stopped,  howled  agajn, 
and  once  more  set  off  together.  In  an  instant  all  was  commotion  in 
the  little  valley  below  us.  The  huntsman,  with  his  hand  to  his 
mouth,  was  calling  off  the  stragglers,  and  the  whipper-in  following 
up  the  leading  dogs  with  the  rest  of  the  pack.  "  They've  found ! — 
they're  away !"  said  Matthew ;  and  as  he  spoke,  a  great  yell  burst 
from  the  valley,  and  in  an  instant  the  whole  pack  were  off  at  full 
speed.  Rather  more  intent  at  that  moment  upon  showing  off  my 
horsemanship  than  anything  else,  I  dashed  spurs  into  Badger's  sides, 
and  turned  him  towards  a  rasping  ditch  before  me.  Over  we  went, 
hurling  down  behind  us  a  rotten  bank  of  clay  and  small  stones, 
showing  how  little  safety  there  had  been  in  topping  instead  of  clear- 
ing it  at  a  bound.  Before  I  was  well  seated  again,  the  Captain  was 
beside  me.  "  Now  for  it,  then,"  said  I ;  and  away  we  went.  What 
might  be  the  nature  of  his  feelings  I  cannot  pretend  to  state,  but 
my  own  were  a  strange  melange  of  wild,  boyish  enthusiasm,  revenge, 
and  recklessness.  For  my  own  neck  I  cared  little — nothing;  and  as 
I  led  the  way  by  half  a  length,  I  muttered  to  myself,  "  Let  him  fol- 
low me  fairly  this  day,  and  I  ask  no  more." 

The  dogs  had  got  somewhat  the  start  of  us,  and  as  they  were  in 
full  cry,  and  going  fast,  we  were  a  little  behind.  A  thought  there- 
fore struck  me  that,  by  appearing  to  take  a  short  cut  upon  the 
hounds,  I  should  come  down  upon  the  river  where  its  breadth  was 
greatest,  and  thus,  at  one  coup,  might  try  my  friend's  mettle  and  his 
horse's  performance  at  the  same  time.  On  we  went,  our  speed  in- 
creasing, till  the  roar  of  the  river  we  were  now  approaching  was 
plainly  audible.  I  looked  half  around,  and  now  perceived  the  Cap- 
tain was  standing  in  his  stirrups,  as  if  to  obtain  a  view  of  what  was 


3G  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

before  him ;  otherwise  his  countenance  was  calm  and  unmoved,  and 
not  a  muscle  betrayed  that  he  was  not  cantering  on  a  parade.  I 
fixed  myself  firm  in  my  seat,  shook  my  horse  a  little  together,  and 
with  a  shout  whose  import  every  Galway  hunter  well  knows,  rushed 
him  at  the  river.  I  saw  the  water  dashing  among  the  large  stones, 
I  heard  its  splash,  I  felt  a  bound  like  the  ricochet  of  a  shot,  and  we 
were  over,  but  so  narrowly,  that  the  bank  had  yielded  beneath  his 
hind  legs,  and  it  needed  a  bold  effort  of  the  noble  animal  to  regain 
his  footing.  Scarcely  was  he  once  more  firm,  when  Hammersley 
flew  by  me,  taking  the  lead,  and  sitting  quietly  in  his  saddle,  as  if 
racing.  I  know  of  little  in  all  my  after-life  like  the  agony  of  that 
moment ;  for  although  I  was  far,  very  far,  from  wishing  real  ill  to 
him,  yet  I  would  gladly  have  broken  my  leg  or  my  arm  if  he  could 
not  have  been  able  to  follow  me.  And  now,  there  he  was,  actually  a 
length  and  a  half  in  advance !  Worse  than  all,  Miss  Dashwood 
must  have  witnessed  the  whole,  and  doubtless  his  leap  over  the  river 
wag  better  and  bolder  than  mine.  One  consolation  yet  remained, 
and  while  I  whispered  it  to  myself,  I  felt  comforted  again.  "  His  is 
an  English  mare — they  understand  these  leaps,  but  what  can  he 
make  of  a  Galway  wall?"  The  question  was  soon  to  be  solved. 
Before  us,  about  three  fields,  were  the  hounds  still  in  full  cry ;  a  large 
stone  wall  lay  between,  and  to  it  we  both  directed  our  course  to- 
gether. "  Ha !"  thought  I,  "  he  is  floored  at  last/'  as  I  perceived 
that  the  Captain  held  his  horse  rather  more  in  hand,  and  suffered 
me  to  lead.  "  Now,  then,  for  it !"  So  saying,  I  rode  at  the  largest 
part  I  could  find,  well  knowing  that  Badger's  powers  were  here  in 
their  element.  One  spring,  one  plunge,  and  away  we  were,  gal- 
loping along  at  the  other  side.  Not  so  the  Captain  ;  his  horse  had 
refused  the  fence,  and  he  was  now  taking  a  circuit  of  the  field  for 
another  trial  of  it. 

"  Pounded,  by  Jove !"  said  I,  as  I  turned  round  in  my  saddle  to 
observe  him.  Once  more  she  came  at  it,  and  once  more  baulked, 
rearing  up  at  the  same  time,  almost  so  as  to  fall  backward. 

My  triumph  was  complete,  and  I  again  was  about  to  follow  the 
hounds,  when,  throwing  a  look  back,  I  saw  Hammersley  clearing  the 
wall  in  a  most  splendid  manner,  and  taking  a  stretch  of  at  least 
thirteen  feet  beyond  it.  Once  more  he  was  on  my  flanks,  and  the, 
contest  renewed.  Whatever  might  be  the  sentiments  of  the  riders 
(mine  I  confess  to),  between  the  horses  it  now  became  a  tremendous 
struggle.  The  English  mare,  though  evidently  superior  in  stride 
and  strength,  was  slightly  overweighted,  and  had  not,  besides,  that 
cat-like  activity  an  Irish  horse  possesses  ;  so  that  the  advantages  and 
disadvantages  on  either  side  were  about  equalized.  For  about  half 
an  hour  now  the  pace  was  awful.     We  rode  side  by  side,  taking  our 


THE  BUNT.  37 

leaps  exactly  at  the  same  instant,  and  not  four  feet  apart.  The 
hounds  were  still  considerably  in  advance,  and  were  heading  towards 
the  Shannon,  when  suddenly  the  fox  doubled,  took  the  hill-side,  and 
made  for  Dangan.  "  Now,  then,  comes  the  trial  of  strength,"  I 
said,  half-aloud,  as  I  threw  my  eye  up  a  steep  and  rugged  mountain, 
covered  with  wild  furze  and  tall  heath,  around  the  crest  of  which 
ran,  in  a  zig-zag  direction,  a  broken  and  dilapidated  wall,  once  the 
enclosure  of  a  deer-park.  This  wall,  which  varied  from  four  to  six 
feet  in  height,  was  of  solid  masonry,  and  would  in  the  most  favor- 
able ground  have  been  a  bold  leap.  Here,  at  the  summit  of  a 
mountain,  with  not  a  yard  of- footing,  it  was  absolutely  despera- 
tion. 

By  the  time  that  we  reached  the  foot  of  the  hill,  the  fox,  followed 
closely  by  the  hounds,  had  passed  through  a  breach  in  the  wall, 
while  Matthew  Blake  with  the  huntsmen  and  whipper-in,  was 
riding  along  in  search  of  a  gap  to  lead  the  horses  through.  Before 
I  put  spurs  to  Badger,  to  face  the  hill,  I  turned  one  look  towards 
Hammersley.  There  was  a  slight  curl,  half-smile,  half-sneer,  upon 
his  lip,  that  actually  maddened  me,  and  had  a  precipice  yawned 
beneath  my  feet,  I  should  have  dashed  at  it  after  that.  The  ascent 
was  so  steep  that  I  was  obliged  to  take  the  hill  in  a  slanting  direc- 
tion, and  even  thus,  the  loose  footing  rendered  it  dangerous  in  the 
extreme. 

At  length  I  reached  the  crest,  where  the  wall,  more  than  five  feet 
in  height,  stood  frowning  above  and  seeming  to  defy  me.  I  turned 
my  horse  full  round,  so  that  his  very  chest  almost  touched  the 
stones,  and,  with  a  bold  cut  of  the  whip  and  a  loud  halloo,  the  gal- 
lant animal  rose,  as  if  rearing,  pawed  for  an  instant  to  regain  his 
balance,  and  then,  with  a  frightful  struggle,  fell  backwards,  and 
rolled  from  top  to  bottom  of  the  hill,  carrying  me  along  with  him. 
The  last  object  that  crossed  my  sight,  as  I  lay  bruised  and  motion- 
less, was  the  Captain,  as  he  took  the  wall  in  a  flying  leap,  and  dis- 
appeared at  the  other  side.  After  a  few  scrambling  efforts  to  rise, 
Badger  regained  his  legs  and  stood  beside  me ;  but  such  was  the 
shock  and  concussion  of  my  fall,  that  all  the  objects  around  seemed 
wavering  and  floating  before  me,  while  showers  of  bright  sparks  fell 
in  myriads  before  my  eyes.  I  tried  to  rise,  but  fell  back  helpless. 
Cold  perspiration  broke  over  my  forehead,  and  I  fainted.  From 
that  moment  I  can  remember  nothing,  till  I  felt  myself  galloping 
along  at  full  speed  upon  a  level  table-land,  with  the  hounds  about 
three  fields  in  advance,  Hammersley  riding  foremost,  and  taking  all 
his  leaps  coolly  as  ever.  As  I  swayed  to  either  side  upon  my  saddle, 
from  weakness,  I  was  lost  to  all  thought  or  recollection,  save  a  flick- 
ering memory  of  some  plan  of  vengeance,  which  still  urged  me 


38  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

forward.  The  chase  had  now  lasted  above  an  hour,  and  both  hounds 
and  horses  began  to  feel  the  pace  at  which  they  were  going.  As  for 
me,  I  rode  mechanically;  I  neither  knew  nor  cared  for  the  dangers 
before  me.  My  eye  rested  on  but  one  object;  my  whole  being  was 
concentrated  upon  one  vague  and  undefined  sense  of  revenge.  At 
this  instant  the  huntsman  came  alongside  of  me. 

"Are  you  hurted,  Misther  Charles  ?  Did  you  fall  ?  Your  cheek 
is  all  blood,  and  your  coat  is  torn  in  two ;  and,  Mother  o'  God,  his 
boot  is  ground  to  powder  ;  he  does  not  hear  me.  Oh,  pull  up — pull 
up,  for  the  love  of  the  Virgin  ;  there's  the  clover-field,  and  the  sunk 
fence  before  you,  and  you'll  be  killed  on  the  spot." 

"  Where  ?"  cried  I,  with  the  cry  of  a  madman ;  "  where's  the 
clover-field? — where's  the  sunk  fence?  Ha!  I  see  it — I  see  it 
now." 

So  saying,  I  dashed  the  rowels  into  my  horse's  flanks,  and  in  an 
instant  was  beyond  the  reach  of  the  poor  fellow's  remonstrances. 
Another  moment,  I  was  beside  the  Captain.  He  turned  round  as  I 
came  up  ;  the  same  smile  was  upon  his  mouth.  I  could  have  struck 
him.  About  three  hundred  yards  before  us  lay  the  sunk  fence ;  its 
breadth  was  about  twenty  feet,  and  a  wall  of  close  brickwork  formed 
its  face.  Over  this  the  hounds  were  now  clambering ;  some  suc- 
ceeded in  crossing,  but  by  far  the  greater  number  fell  back  howling 
into  the  ditch. 

I  turned  towards  Hammersley.  He  was  standing  high  in  his 
stirrups,  and,  as  he  looked  towards  the  yawning  fence,  down  which 
the  dogs  were  tumbling  in  masses,  I  thought  (perhaps  it  was  but  a 
thought)  that  his  cheek  was  paler.  I  looked  again ;  he  was  pulling 
at  his  horse  ;  ha !  it  was  true,  then — he  would  not  face  it.  I  turned 
round  in  my  saddle,  looked  him  full  in  the  face,  and,  as  I  pointed 
with  my  whip  to  the  leap,  called  out  in  a  voice  hoarse  with  passion, 
"  Come  on !"  I  saw  no  more.  All  objects  were  lost  to  me  from 
that  moment.  When  next  my  senses  cleared,  I  was  standing  amid 
the  dogs,  where  they  had  just  killed.  Badger  stood  blown  and 
trembling  beside  me,  his  head  drooping,  and  his  flanks  gored  with 
spur  marks.  I  looked  about,  but  all  consciousness  of  the  past  had 
fled ;  the  concussion  of  my  fall  had  shaken  my  intellect,  and  I  was 
like  one  but  half  awake.  One  glimpse,  short  and  fleeting,  of  what 
was  taking  place,  shot  through  my  brain,  as  old  Brackely  whispered 
to  me,  "  By  my  soul,  ye  did  for  the  Captain  there."  I  turned  a 
vague  look  upon  him,  and  my  eyes  fell  upon  the  figure  of  a  man 
that  lay  stretched  and  bleeding  upon  a  door  before  me.  His  pale 
face  was  crossed  with  a  purple  stream  of  blood,  that  trickled  from 
a  wound  beside  his  eyebrow ;  his  arms  lay  motionless  and  heavily  at 
either  side.     I  knew  him  not.     A  loud  report  of  a  pistol  aroused  me 


THE  BRA  WING-BOOM.  39 

from  my  stupor ;  I  looked  back.  I  saw  a  crowd  that  broke  sud- 
denly asunder,  and  fled  right  and  left.  I  heard  a  heavy  crash 
upon  the  ground  ;  I  pointed  with  my  finger,  for  I  could  not  utter  a 
word. 

"  It  is  the  English  mare,  yer  honor ;  she  was  a  beauty  this  morn- 
ing, but  she's  broke  her  shoulder-bone,  and  both  her  legs,  and  it  was 
best  to  put  her  out  of  pain." 


CHAPTER    V. 

THE    DRAWING-ROOM. 

ON  the  fourth  day  following  the  adventure  detailed  in  the  last 
chapter,  I  made  my  appearance  in  the  drawing-room,  my 
cheek  well  blanched  by  copious  bleeding,  and  my  step  totter- 
ing and  uncertain.  On  entering  the  room,  I  looked  about  in  vain 
for  some  one  who  might  give  me  an  insight  into  the  occurrences  of 
the  four  preceding  days,  but  no  one  was  to  be  met  with.  The  ladies, 
I  learned,  were  out  riding ;  Matthew  was  buying  a  new  setter ;  Mr. 
Blake  was  canvassing ;  and  Captain  Hammersley  was  in  bed.  Where 
was  Miss  Dashwood  ? — in  her  room :  and  Sir  George  ? — he  was  with 
Mr.  Blake. 

"  What !  canvassing  too  ?" 

"Troth,  that  same  was  possible,"  was  the  intelligent  reply  of  the 
old  butler,  at  which  I  could  not  help  smiling.  I  sat  down,  therefore, 
in  the  easiest  chair  I  could  find,  and,  unfolding  the  county  paper, 
resolved  upon  learning  how  matters  were  going  on  in  the  political 
world.  But,  somehow,  whether  the  editor  was  not  brilliant,  or  the 
fire  was  hot,  or  that  my  own  dreams  were  pleasanter  to  indulge  in 
than  his  fancies,  I  fell  sound  asleep. 

How  differently  is  the  mind  attuned  to  the  active  busy  world  of 
thought  and  action,  when  awakened  from  sleep  by  any  sudden  and 
rude  summons  to  arise  and  be  stirring,  and  when  called  into  exist- 
ence by  the  sweet  and  silvery  notes  of  softest  music,  stealing  over, 
the  senses,  and  while  they  impart  awakening  thoughts  of  bliss  and 
beauty,  scarcely  dissipating  the  dreary  influence  of  slumber !  Such 
was  my  first  thought  as,  with  closed  lids,  the  thrilling  chords  of  a 
harp  broke  upon  my  sleep,  and  aroused  me  to  a  feeling  of  unutter- 
able pleasure.  I  turned  gently  round  in  my  chair,  and  beheld  Miss 
Dashwood.  She  was  seated  in  a  recess  of  an  old-fashioned  window  ; 
the  pale  yellow  glow  of  a  wintry  sun  at  evening  fell  upon  her 
beautiful  hair,  and  tinged  it  with  such  a  light  as  I  have  often  since 


40  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

then  seen  in  Eembrandt's  pictures ;  her  head  leaned  upon  the  harp, 
and,  as  she  struck  its  chords  at  random,  I  saw  that  her  mind  was  far 
away  from  all  around  her.  As  I  looked,  she  suddenly  started  from 
her  leaning  attitude,  and,  parting  back  the  curls  from  her  brow,  she 
preluded  a  few  chords,  and  then  sighed  forth,  rather  than  sung,  that 
most  beautiful  of  Moore's  Melodies, — 

"  She  is  far  from  the  land  where  her  young  hero  sleeps." 

Never  before  had  such  pathos,  such  deep  utterance  of  feeling,  met 
my  astonished  sense.  I  listened  breathlessly  as  the  tears  fell  one  by 
one  down  my  cheek ;  my  bosom  heaved  and  fell ;  and  when  she 
ceased,  I  hid  my  head  between  my  hands  and  sobbed  aloud.  In 
an  instant  she  was  beside  me,  and  placing  her  hand  upon  my  shoul- 
der, said, — 

"Poor  dear  boy!  I  never  suspected  you  of  being  there,  or  I 
should  not  have  sung  that  mournful  air." 

I  started  and  looked  up,  and  from  what  I  know  not,  but  she  sud- 
denly crimsoned  to  her  very  forehead,  while  she  added,  in  a  less 
assured  tone, — 

"  I  hope,  Mr.  O'Malley,  that  you  are  much  better,  and  I  trust 
there  is  no  imprudence  in  your  being  here." 

"  For  the  latter  I  shall  not  answer,"  said  I,  with  a  sickly  smile ; 
u:  but  already  I  feel  your  music  has  done  me  service." 

"  Then  let  me  sing  more  for  you." 

"  If  I  am  to  have  a  choice,  I  should  say,  sit  down,  and  let  me 
hear  you  talk  to  me.  My  illness  and  the  doctor  together  have 
made  wild  work  of  my  poor  brain  ;  but,  if  you  will  talk  to  me " 

"  Well,  then,  what  shall  it  be  about  ?  Shall  I  tell  you  a  fairy  tale  ?" 

"  I  need  it  not ;  I  feel  I  am  in  one  this  instant." 

"  Well,  then,  what  say  you  to  a  legend,  for  I  am  rich  in  my  stores 
of  them?" 

"The  O'Malleys  have  their  chronicles,  wild  and  barbarous 
enough,  without  the  aid  of  Thor  and  Woden." 

"  Then,  shall  we  chat  of  every-day  matters  ?  Should  you  like  to 
hear  how  the  election  and  the  canvass  go  on  ?" 

"  Yes,  of  all  things." 

"  Well,  then,  most  favorably.  Two  baronies,  with  most  unspeak- 
able names,  have  declared  for  us,  and  confidence  is  rapidly  increas- 
ing among  our  party.  This  I  learned  by  chance  yesterday;  for 
papa  never  permits  us  to  know  anything  of  these  matters — not  even 
the  names  of  the  candidates." 

"Well,  that  was  the  very  point  I  was  coming  to,  for  the  govern- 
ment were  about  to  send  down  some  one  just  as  I  left  home,  and  I 
am  most  anxious  to  learn  who  it  is." 


THE  BRA  WING-ROOM.  41 

"  Then  am  I  utterly  valueless ;  for  I  really  can't  say  what  party 
the  government  espouses,  and  only  know  of  our  own." 

"Quite  enough  for  me  that  you  wish  it  success,"  said  I  gal- 
lantly. "  Perhaps  you  can  tell  me  if  my  uncle  has  heard  of  my 
accident?" 

"  Oh  yes  ;  but  somehow  he  has  not  been  here  himself,  but  sent  a 
friend — a  Mr.  Considine,  I  think ;  a  very  strange  person  he  seemed. 
He  demanded  to  see  papa,  and,  it  seems,  asked  him  if  your  misfor- 
tune had  been  a  thing  of  his  contrivance,  and  whether  he  was 
ready  to  explain  his  conduct  about  it ;  and,  in  fact,  I  believe  he  is 
mad." 

"  Heaven  confound  him  I"    I  muttered  between  my  teeth. 

"And  then  he  wished  to  have  an  interview  with  Captain  Ham- 
mersley ;  however,  he  is  too  ill ;  but  as  the  doctor  hoped  he  might 
be  down  stairs  in  a  week,  Mr.  Considine  kindly  hinted  that  he 
should  wait." 

"  Oh,  then,  do  tell  me  how  the  Captain  is." 

"  Very  much  bruised,  very  much  disfigured,  they  say,"  said  she, 
half  smiling ;  "  but  not  so  much  hurt  in  body  as  in  mind." 

"As  how,  may  I  ask  ?"  said  I,  with  an  appearance  of  innocence. 
„"  I  don't  exactly  understand  it ;  but  it  would  appear  that  there 
was  something  like  rivalry  among  you  gentlemen  chasseurs  on  that 
luckless  morning,  and  that  while  you  paid  the  penalty  of  a  broken 
head,  he  was  destined  to  lose  his  horse  and  break  his  arm." 

"I  certainly  am  sorry — most  sincerely  sorry — for  any  share  I 
might  have  had  in  the  catastrophe ;  and  my  greatest  regret,  I  con- 
fess, arises  from  the  fact  that  I  should  cause  you  unhappiness." 

"Me — pray  explain  ?" 

"  Why,  as  Captain  Hammersley " 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,  you  are  too  young  now  to  make  me  suspect  you 
have  an  intention  to  offend ;  but  I  caution  you,  never  repeat  this." 

I  saw  that  I  had  transgressed,  but  how,  I  most  honestly  confess, 
I  could  not  guess ;  for  though  I  certainly  was  the  senior  of  my  fair 
companion  in  years,  I  was  most  lamentably  her  junior  in  tact  and 
discretion. 

The  gray  dusk  of  evening  had  long  fallen  as  we  continued  to  chat 
together  beside  the  blazing  wood  embers ;  she  evidently  amusing 
herself  with  the  original  notions  of  an  untutored,  unlettered  boy, 
and  I  drinking  deep  those  draughts  of  love  that  nerved  my  heart 
through  many  a  breach  and  battle-field. 

Our  colloquy  was  at  length  interrupted  by  the  entrance  of  Sir 
George,  who  shook  me  most  cordially  by  the  hand,  and  made  the 
kindest  inquiries  about  my  health. 

"  They  tell  me  you  are  to  be  a  lawyer,  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  he, 


42  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  and,  if  so,  I  must  advise  you  to  take  better  care  of  your  head- 
piece." 

"A  lawyer,  papa ;  oh  dear  me !  I  should  never  have  thought  of 
his  being  anything  so  stupid." 

"  Why,  silly  girl,  what  would  you  have  a  man  be  ?" 

"A  dragoon,  to  be  sure,  papa,"  said  the  fond  girl,  as  she  pressed 
her  arm  around  his  manly  figure,  and  looked  up  in  his  face  with  an 
expression  of  mingled  pride  and  affection. 

That  word  sealed  my  destiny. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE  DINNER. 

WHEN  I  retired  to  my  room  to  dress  for  dinner,  I  found  my 
servant  waiting  with  a  note  from  my  uncle,  to  which  he 
informed  me  the  messenger  expected  an  answer. 
I  broke  the  seal  and  read : 

"Dear  Charley  : — Do  not  lose  a  moment  in  securing  old  Blake 
— if  you  have  not  already  done  so — as  information  has  just  reached 
me  that  the  government  party  has  promised  a  coronetcy  to  young 
Matthew  if  he  can  bring  over  his  father.  And  these  are  the  people 
I  have  been  voting  with — a  few  private  cases  excepted — for  thirty 
odd  years ! 

"  I  am  very  sorry  for  your  accident.  Considine  informs  me  that 
it  will  need  explanation  at  a  later  period.  He  has  been  in  Athlone 
since  Tuesday,  in  hopes  to  catch  the  new  candidate  on  his  way 
down,  and  get  him  into  a  little  private  quarrel  before  the  day  ;  if  he 
succeed,  it  will  save  the  county  much  expense,  and  conduce  greatly 
to  the  peace  and  happiness  of  all  parties.  But  '  these  things/  as 
Father  Roach  says,  '  are  in  the  hands  of  Providence.'  You  must 
also  persuade  old  Blake  to  write  a  few  lines  to  Simon  Mallock 
about  the  Coolnamuck  mortgage.  We  can  give  him  no  satisfaction 
at  present,  at  least  such  as  he  looks  for ;  and  don't  be  philandering 
any  longer  where  you  are,  when  your  health  permits  a  change  of 
quarters. 

"Your  affectionate  uncle, 

"Godfrey  O'Malley. 

"P.S. — I  have  just  heard  from  Considine;  he  was  out  this  morn- 
ing, and  shot  a  fellow  in  the  knee,  but  finds  that  after  all  he  was 


THE  DINNER.  43 

not  the   candidate,  but  a  tourist  that  was  writing  a  book  about 
Connemara. 

"P.S.  No.  2. — Bear  the  mortgage  in  mind,  for  old  Mallock  is  a 
spiteful  fellow,  and  has  a  grudge  against  me  since  I  horsewhipped 
his  son  in  Banagher.     Oh,  the  world,  the  world  ! — G.  O'M." 

Until  I  read  this  very  clear  epistle  to  the  end,  I  had  no  very  pre- 
cise conception  how  completely  I  had  forgotten  all  my  uncle's 
interests,  and  neglected  all  his  injunctions.  Already  five  days  had 
elapsed,  and  I  had  not  as  much  as  mooted  the  question  to  Mr.  Blake, 
and  probably  all  this  time  my  uncle  was  calculating  on  the  thing  as 
concluded ;  but,  with  one  hole  in  my  head  and  some  half-dozen  in 
my  heart,  my  memory  was  none  of  the  best. 

Snatching  up  the  letter,  therefore,  I  resolved  to  lose  no  more 
time,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  Mr.  Blake's  room,  expecting  that  I 
should,  as  the  event  proved,  find  him  engaged  in  the  very  laborious 
duty  of  making  his  toilet. 

"  Come  in,  Charley,"  said  he,  as  I  tapped  gently  at  the  door;  "  it's 
only  Charley,  my  darling ;  Mrs.  B.  won't  mind  you." 

"  Not  the  least  in  life,"  responded  Mrs.  B.,  disposing  at  the  same 
time  a  pair  of  her  husband's  corduroys,  tippet  fashion,  across  her 
ample  shoulders,  which  before  were  displayed  in  the  plenitude  and 
breadth  of  coloring  we  find  in  a  Rubens.  "  Sit  down,  Charley,  and 
tell  us  what's  the  matter." 

As  until  this  moment  I  was  in  perfect  ignorance  of  the  Adam  and 
Eve-like  simplicity  in  which  the  private  economy  of  Mr.  Blake's 
household  was  conducted,  I  would  have  gladly  retired  from  what  I 
found  to  be  a  mutual  territory  of  dressing-room,  had  not  Mr.  Blake's 
injunctions  been  issued  somewhat  like  an  order  to  remain. 

"  It's  only  a  letter,  sir,"  said  I,  stuttering,  "  from  my  uncle,  about 
the  election.  He  says  that,  as  his  majority  is  now  certain,  he  should 
feel  better  pleased  in  going  to  the  poll  with  all  the  family,  you  know, 
sir,  along  with  him.  He  wishes  me  just  to  sound  your  intentions — 
to  male  out  how  you  feel  disposed  towards  him  ;  and — and,  faith, 
as  I  am  but  a  poor  diplomatist,  I  thought  the  best  way  was  to  come 
straight  to  the  point  and  tell  you  so." 

"  I  perceive,"  said  Mr.  Blake,  giving  his  chin  at  the  moment  an 
awful  gash  with  the  razor, — "  I  perceive  ;  go  on." 

"  Well,  sir,  I  have  little  more  to  say ;  my  uncle  knows  what 
influence  you  have  in  Scariff,  and  expects  you'll  do  what  you  can 
there." 

"Anything  more?"  said  Mr.  Blake,  with  a  very  dry  and  quizzical 
expression  I  didn't  half  like — "anything  more?" 

44  Oh,  yes,  you  are  to  write  a  line  to  old  Mallock." 


44  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  I  understand ;  about  Coolnamuck,  isn't  it  ?" 

"  Exactly  ;  I  believe  that's  all." 

"  Well  now,  Charley,  you  may  go  down  stairs,  and  we'll  talk  it 
over  after  dinner." 

"  Yes,  Charley,  dear,  go  down,  for  I'm  going  to  draw  on  my 
stockings,"  said  the  fair  Mrs.  Blake,  with  a  .look  of  very  modest 
consciousness. 

When  I  had  left  the  room,  I  couldn't  help  muttering  a  "  Thank 
God !"  for  the  success  of  a  mission  I  more  than  once  feared  for,  and 
hastened  to  despatch  a  note  to  my  uncle,  assuring  him  of  the  Blake 
interest,  and  adding  that,  for  propriety  sake,  I  should  defer  my  de- 
parture for  a  day  or  two  longer. 

This  done,  with  a  heart  lightened  of  its  load,  and  in  high  spirits 
at  my  cleverness,  I  descended  to  the  drawing-room.  Here  a  very 
large  party  were  already  assembled,  and  at  every  opening  of  the 
door  a  new  relay  of  Blakes,  Burkes,  and  Bodkins  was  introduced. 
In  the  absence  of  the  host,  Sir  George  Dashwood  was  "  making  the 
agreeable"  to  the  guests,  and  shook  hands  with  every  new  arrival 
with  all  the  warmth  and  cordiality  of  old  friendship.  While  thus 
he  inquired  for  various  absent  individuals,  and  asked  most  affec- 
tionately  for  sundry  aunts  and  uncles  not  forthcoming,  a  slight 
incident  occurred,  which,  by  its  ludicrous  turn,  served  to  shorten 
the  long  half-hour  before  dinner.  An  individual  of  the  party,  a 
Mr.  Blake,  had,  from  certain  peculiarities  of  face,  obtained  in  his 
boyhood  the  sobriquet  of  "  Shave-the-wind."  This  hatchet-like 
conformation  had  grown  with  his  growth,  and  perpetuated  upon 
him  a  nickname,  by  which  alone  was  he  ever  spoken  of  among  his 
friends  and  acquaintances ;  the  only  difference  being  that,  as  he 
came  to  man's  estate,  brevity,  that  soul  of  wit,  had  curtailed  the 
epithet  to  mere  "  Shave."  Now,  Sir  George  had  been  hearing  fre- 
quent reference  made  to  him  always  by  this  name,  heard  him  ever 
so  addressed,  and  perceived  him  to  reply  to  it ;  so  that,  when  he 
was  himself  asked  by  some  one  what  sport  he  had  found  that  day 
among  the  woodcocks,  he  answered  at  once,  with  a  bow  of  very 
grateful  acknowledgment,  "Excellent,  indeed,  but  entirely  owing 
to  where  I  was  placed  in  the  copse ;  had  it  not  been  for  Mr.  Shave 
there " 

I  need  not  say  that  the  remainder  of  his  speech,  being  heard  on 
all  sides,  caused  one  universal  shout  of  laughter,  in  which,  to  do 
him  justice,  the  excellent  Shave  himself  heartily  joined.  Scarcely 
were  the  sounds  of  mirth  lulled  into  an  apparent  calm,  when  the 
door  opened,  and  the  hostess  appeared.  Mrs.  Blake  advanced  in  all 
the  plenitude  of  her  charms,  arrayed  in  crimson  satin,  sorely  injured 
in  its  freshness  by  a  patch  of  grease  upon  the  front,  about  the  same 


TEE  DINNER.  45 

size  and  shape  as  the  continent  of  Europe  in  Arrowsmith's  Atlas  ; 
a  swansdown  tippet  covered  her  shoulders  !  massive  bracelets  orna- 
mented her  wrists ;  while  from  her  ears  descended  two  Irish  diamond 
ear-rings,  rivalling  in  magnitude  and  value  the  glass  pendants  of  a 
lustre.  Her  reception  of  her  guests  made  ample  amends,  in  warmth 
and  cordiality,  for  any  deficiency  of  elegance ;  and  as  she  disposed 
her  ample  proportions  upon  the  sofa,  and  looked  around  upon  the 
company,  she  appeared  the  very  impersonation  of  hospitality. 

After  several  openings  and  shuttings  of  the  drawing-room  door, 
accompanied  by  the  appearance  of  old  Simon  the  butler,  who 
counted  the  party  at  least  five  times  before  he  was  certain  that  the 
score  was  correct,  dinner  was  at  length  announced.  Now  came  a 
moment  of  difficulty,  and  one  which,  as  testing  Mr.  Blake's  tact,  he 
would  gladly  have  seen  devolve  upon  some  other  shoulders  ;  for  he 
well  knew  that  the  marshalling  a  room  full  of  mandarins,  blue, 
green,  and  yellow,  was  "  cakes  and  gingerbread"  to  ushering  a  Gal- 
way  party  in  to  dinner. 

First,  then,  was  Mr.  Miles  Bodkin,  whose  grandfather  would  have 
been  a  lord  if  Cromwell  had  not  hanged  him  one  fine  morning. 
Then  Mrs.  Mosey  Blake's  first  husband  was  promised  the  title  of 
Kilmacud  if  it  was  ever  restored,  whereas  Mrs.  French  of  Knock- 
tumnor's  mother  was  then  at  law  for  a  title ;  and,  lastly,  Mrs.  Joe 
Burke  was  fourth  cousin  to  Lord  Clanricarde,  as  is  or  will  be  every 
Burke  from  this  to  the  day  of  judgment.  Now,  luckily  for  her  pros- 
pects, the  lord  was  alive ;  and  Mr.  Blake,  remembering  a  very  sage 
adage  about  "  dead  lions,"  &c,  solved  the  difficulty  at  once  by 
gracefully  tucking  the  lady  under  his  arm  and  leading  the  way.  The 
others  soon  followed,  the  priest  of  Portumna  and  my  unworthy  self 
bringing  up  the  rear. 

When,  many  a  year  afterwards,  the  hard  ground  of  a  mountain 
bivouac,  with  its  pitiful  portion  of  pickled  cork-tree,  yclept  mess- 
beef,  and  that  pyroligneous  aquafortis  they  call  corn-brandy,  have 
been  my  hard  fare,  I  often  looked  back  to  that  day's  dinner  with  a 
most  heart-yearning  sensation :  a  turbot  as  big  as  the  Waterloo 
shield — a  sirloin  that  seemed  cut  from  the  sides  of  a  rhinoceros — a 
sauce-boat  that  contained  an  oyster-bed.  There  was  a  turkey  which 
singly  would  have  formed  the  main  army  of  a  French  dinner,  doing 
mere  outpost  duty,  flanked  by  a  picket  of  ham  and  a  detached 
squadron  of  chickens,  carefully  ambushed  in  a  forest  of  greens ; 
potatoes,  not  disguised  d  la  maitre  tfhotel  and  tortured  to  resemble 
bad  macaroni,  but  piled  like  shot  in  an  ordnance-yard,  were  posted 
at  different  quarters ;  while  massive  decanters  of  port  and  sherry 
stood  proudly  up  like  standard-bearers  amid  the  goodly  array.  This 
was  none  of  your  austere  "great  dinners,"  where  a  cold  and  chilling 


40  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

plateau  of  artificial  nonsense  cuts  off  one-half  of  the  table  from  in- 
tercourse with  the  other — when  whispered  sentences  constitute  the 
conversation,  and  all  the  friendly  recognition  of  wine-drinking, 
which  renews  acquaintance  and  cements  an  intimacy,  is  replaced  by 
the  ceremonious  filling  of  your  glass  by  a  lacquey — where  smiles  go 
current  in  lieu  of  kind  speeches,  and  epigram  and  smartness  form 
the  substitute  for  the  broad  jest  and  merry  story.  Far  from  it. 
Here  the  company  ate,  drank,  talked,  laughed,  did  all  but  sing,  and 
certainly  enjoyed  themselves  heartily.  As  for  me,  I  was  little  more 
than  a  listener,  and  such  was  the  crash  of  plates,  the  jingle  of 
glasses,  and  the  clatter  of  voices,  that  fragments  only  of  what  was 
passing  around  reached  me,  giving  to  the  conversation  of  the  party 
a  character  occasionally  somewhat  incongruous.  Thus  such  sen- 
tences as  the  following  ran  foul  of  each  other  every  instant : 

"  No  better  land  in  Galway" — "  where  could  you  find  such  facili- 
ties"— "  for  shooting  Mr.  Jones  on  his  way  home" — "  the  truth,  the 
whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth" — "  kiss" — "  Miss  Blake, 
she's  the  girl  with  the  foot  and  ankle" — "  Daly  has  never  had  wool 
on  his  sheep" — "  how  could  he" — "  what  does  he  pay  for  the  moun- 
tain"— "  four  and  tenpence  a  yard" — "  not  a  penny  less" — "  all  the 
cabbage-stalks  and  potato-skins" — "with  some  bog  stuff  through  it" 
— "  that's  the  thing  to" — "  make  soup,  with  a  red  herring  in  it  in- 
stead of  salt" — "  and  when  he  proposed  for  my  niece,  ma'am,  says 
he" — "  mix  a  strong  tumbler,  and  I'll  make  a  shake-down  for  you  on 
the  floor" — "  and  may  the  Lord  have  mercy  on  your  soul" — "  and 
now,  down  the  middle  and  up  again" — "  Captain  Magan,  my  dear, 
he  is  the  man" — "  to  shave  a  pig  properly" — V  it's  not  money  I'm 
looking  for,  says  he,  the  girl  of  my  heart" — "  if  she  had  not  a  wind- 
gall  and  two  spavins" — "  I'd  have  given  her  the  rites  of  the  Church, 
of  coorse,"  said  Father  Eoach,  bringing  up  the  rear  of  this  ill-as- 
sorted jargon. 

Such  were  the  scattered  links  of  conversation  I  was  condemned  to 
listen  to,  till  a  general  rise  on  the  part  of  the  ladies  left  us  alone  to 
discuss  our  wine,  and  enter  in  good  earnest  upon  the  more  serious 
duties  of  the  evening. 

Scarcely  was  the  door  closed  when  one  of  the  company,  seizing 
the  bell-rope,  said,  "  With  your  leave,  Blake,  we'll  have  the  '  dew' 
now." 

"  Good  claret — no  better,"  said  another ;  "  but  it  sits  mighty  cold 
on  the  stomach." 

"There's  nothing  like  the  groceries,  after  all — eh,  Sir  George?" 
said  an  old  Galway  squire  to  the  English  general,  who  acceded  to 
the  fact,  which  he  understood  in  a  very  different  sense. 

"  Oh,  punch,  you  are  my  darlin',"  hummed  another,  as  a  large 


THE  DINNER.  47 

square  half-gallon  decanter  of  whisky  was  placed  on  the  table,  the 
various  decanters  of  wine  being  now  ignominiously  sent  down  to 
the  end  of  the  board,  without  any  evidence  of  regret  on  any  face 
save  Sir  George  Dash  wood's,  who  mixed  his  tumbler  with  a  very 
rebellious  conscience. 

Whatever  were  the  noise  and  clamor  of  the  company  before,  they 
were  nothing  to  what  now  ensued.  As  one  party  was  discussing 
the  approaching  contest,  another  was  planning  a  steeple-chase ; 
while  two  individuals,  unhappily  removed  from  each  other  the 
entire  length  of  the  table,  were  what  is  called  "  challenging  each 
other's  effects"  in  a  very  remarkable  manner,  the  process  so  styled 
being  an  exchange  of  property,  when  each  party,  setting  an  imag- 
inary value  upon  some  article,  barters  it  for  another,  the  amount  of 
boot  paid  and  received  being  determined  by  a  third  person,  who  is 
the  umpire.  Thus  a  gold  breastpin  was  swopped,  as  the  phrase  is, 
against  a  horse ;  then  a  pair  of  boots,  a  Kerry  bull,  &c. — every 
imaginable  species  of  property  coming  into  the  market.  Sometimes, 
as  matters  of  very  dubious  value  turned  up,  great  laughter  was  the 
result.  In  this  very  national  pastime,  a  Mr.  Miles  Bodkin,  a  noted 
fire-eater  of  the  west,  was  a  great  proficient,  and,  it  is  said,  once  so 
completely  succeeded  in  despoiling  an  uninitiated  hand,  that  after 
winning  in  succession  his  horse,  gig,  harness,  &c,  he  proceeded 
seriatim  to  his  watch,  ring,  clothes,  and  portmanteau,  and  actually 
concluded  by  winning  all  he  possessed,  and  kindly  lent  him  a  card- 
cloth  to  cover  him  on  his  way  to  the  hotel.  His  success  on  the 
present  occasion  was  considerable,  and  his  spirits  proportionate. 
The  decanter  had  thrice  been  replenished,  and  the  flushed  faces  and 
thickened  utterances  of  the  guests  evinced  that  from  the  cold  prop- 
erties of  the  claret  there  was  but  little  to  dread.  As  for  Mr.  Bodkin, 
his  manner  was  incapable  of  any  higher  flight,  when  under  the  in- 
fluence of  whisky,  than  what  it  evinced  on  common  occasions ;  and 
as  he  sat  at  the  end  of  the  table,  fronting  Mr.  Blake,  he  assumed  all 
the  dignity  of  the  ruler  of  the  feast,  with  an  energy  no  one  seemed 
disposed  to  question.  In  answer  to  some  observations  of  Sir  George, 
he  was  led  into  something  like  an  oration  upon  the  peculiar  excel- 
lencies of  his  native  country,  which  ended  in  a  declaration  that 
there  was  nothing  like  Galway. 

"  Why  don't  you  give  us  a  song,  Miles  ?  and  maybe  the  general 
would  learn  more  from  it  than  all  your  speech-making." 

"  To  be  sure,"  cried  out  several  voices  together ;  "  to  be  sure. 
Let  us  hear  '  The  Man  for  Galway !' " 

Sir  George  having  joined  most  warmly  in  the  request,  Mr.  Bodkin 
filled  up  his  glass  to  the  brim,  bespoke  a  chorus  to  his  chant,  and, 
clearing  his  voice  with  a  deep  hem,  began  the  following  ditty,  to  the 


48  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

air  which  Moore  has  since  rendered  immortal,  by  the  beautiful 
song,  "  Wreathe  the  Bowl,"  &c.  And  although  the  words  are  well 
known  in  the  west,  for  the  information  of  less  favored  regions,  I 
here  transcribe 

"  THE  MAN  FOR  GALWAY. 

"  To  drink  a  toast, 
A  proctor  roast, 

Or  bailiff  as  the  case  is, 
To  kiss  your  wife, 
Or  take  your  life 

At  ten  or  fifteen  paces ; 
To  keep  game  cocks — to  hunt  the  fox, 

To  drink  in  punch  the  Solway, 
With  debts  galore,  but  fun  far  more ; 

Oh,  that's  'the  man  for  Galway.' 

"Chorus— With  debts,  &c. 

"The  King  of  Oude 
Is  mighty  proud, 

And  so  were  onst  the  Caysars — (Caesars) 
But  ould  Giles  Eyre 
Would  make  them  stare, 

Av  he  had  them  with  the  Blazers. 
To  the  devil  I  fling  ould  Runjeet  Sing, 

He's  only  a  prince  in  a  small  way, 
And  knows  nothing  at  all  of  a  six-foot  wall ; 

Oh,  he'd  never  '  do  for  Galway.' 

"  Chorus— With  debts,  &c. 

"Ye  think  the  Blakes 
Are  no  '  great  shakes ;' 

They're  all  his  blood  relations, 
And  the  Bodkins  sneeze 
At  the  grim  Chinese, 

For  they  came  from  the  Phenaycians. 
So  fill  the  brim,  and  here's  to  him 

Who'd  drink  in  punch  the  Solway ; 
With  debts  galore,  but  fun  far  more ; 

Oh !  that's  '  the  man  for  Galway.' 

"  Chorus— With  debts,"  &c. 

I  much  fear  that  the  reception  of  this  very  classic  ode  would  not 
be  as  favorable  in  general  companies  as  it  was  on  the  occasion  I 
first  heard  it,  for  certainly  the  applause  was  almost  deafening  ;  and 
even  Sir  George,  the  defects  of  whose  English  education  left  some 
of  the  allusions  out  of  his  reach,  was  highly  amused  and  laughed 
heartily. 

The  conversation  once  more  reverted  to  the  election,  and  although 
I  was  too  far  from  those  who  seemed  best  informed  on  the  matter  to 
hear  much,  I  could  catch  enough  to  discover  that  the  feeling  was  a 
confident  one.  This  was  gratifying  to  me,  as  I  had  some  scruple 
about  my  so  long  neglecting  my  uncle's  cause. 


THE  DINNER.  49 

"  We  have  ScarifF  to  a  man,"  said  Bodkin. 

"And  Mosey's  tenantry,"  said  another.  "  I  swear,  though  there's 
not  a  freehold  registered  on  the  estate,  that  they'll  vote,  every 
mother's  son  of  them,  or  devil  a  stone  of  the  Court-house  they'll 
leave  standing  on  another." 

"And  may  the  Lord  look  to  the  returning  officer !"  said  a  third, 
throwing  up  his  eyes. 

"  Mosey's  tenantry  are  droll  boys,  and,  like  their  landlord — more 
by  token — they  never  pay  any  rent." 

"And  what  for  shouldn't  they  vote  ?"  said  a  dry-looking  little  old 
fellow  in  a  red  waistcoat.     "  When  I  was  the  dead  agent " 

"  The  dead  agent !"  interrupted  Sir  George,  with  a  start. 

"  Just  so,"  said  the  old  fellow,  pulling  down  his  spectacles  from 
his  forehead,  and  casting  a  half-angry  look  at  Sir  George,  for  what 
he  had  suspected  to  be  a  doubt  of  his  veracity. 

"  The  General  does  not  know,  maybe,  what  that  is,"  said  some 
one. 

"  It  is  the  dead  agent,"  said  Mr.  Blake,  "  who  always  provides 
substitutes  for  any  voters  that  may  have  died  since  the  last  election. 
A  very  important  fact  in  statistics  may  thus  be  gathered  from  the 
poll-books  of  this  county,  which  proves  it  to  be  the  healthiest 
part  of  Europe — a  freeholder  has  not  died  in  it  for  the  last  fifty 
years." 

"The  'Kiltopher  boys'  won't  come  this  time — they  say  there's 
no  use  trying  to  vote  when  so  many  were  transported  last  assizes 
for  perjury." 

"  They're  poor-spirited  creatures,"  said  another. 

"  Not  they — they  are  as  decent  boys  as  any  we  have — they're  wil- 
ling to  wreck  the  town  for  fifty  shillings'  worth  of  spirits;  besides, 
if  they  don't  vote  for  the  county  they  will  for  the  borough." 

This  declaration  seemed  to  restore  these  interesting  individuals  to 
favor,  and  now  all  attention  was  turned  towards  Bodkin,  who  was 
detailing  the  plan  of  a  grand  attack  upon  the  polling-booths,  to  be 
headed  by  himself.  By  this  time  all  the  prudence  and  guardedness 
of  the  party  had  given  way — whisky  was  in  the  ascendant,  and 
every  bold  stroke  of  election  policy,  every  cunning  artifice,  every 
ingenious  device,  was  detailed  and  applauded  in  a  manner  which 
proved  that  self-respect  was  not  the  inevitable  gift  of  "  mountain 
dew." 

The  mirth  and  fun  grew  momentarily  more  boisterous,  and  Miles 
Bodkin,  who  had  twice  before  been  prevented  proposing  some  toast 
by  a  telegraphic  signal  from  the  other  end  of  the  table,  now  swore 
that  nothing  should  prevent  him  any  longer,  and  rising  with  a 
smoking  tumbler  in  his  hand,  delivered  himself  as  follows : 
4 


50  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  No,  no,  Phil  Blake,  ye  needn't  be  winkiri'  at  me  that  way — it's 
little  I  care  for  the  spawn  of  the  ould  serpent."  [Here  great  cheers 
greeted  the  speaker,  in  which,  without  well  knowing  why,  I  hear- 
tily joined.]  "  I'm  going  to  give  a  toast,  boys — a  real  good  toast — 
none  of  your  sentimental  things  about  wall-flowers,  or  the  vernal 
equinox,  or  that  kind  of  thing,  but  a  sensible,  patriotic,  manly,  in- 
trepid toast — a  toast  you  must  drink  in  the  most  universal,  laborious, 
and  awful  manner — do  ye  see  now  ?  [Loud  cheers.]  "  If  any  man 
of  you  here  present  doesn't  drain  this  toast  to  the  bottom — (here  the 
speaker  looked  fixedly  at  me,  as  did  the  rest  of  the  company) — then, 
by  the  great  gun  of  Athlone,  I'll  make  him  eat  the  decanter,  glass 
stopper  and  all,  for  the  good  of  his  digestion — d'ye  see  now  ?" 

The  cheering  at  this  mild  determination  prevented  my  hearing 
what  followed  ;  but  the  peroration  consisted  in  a  very  glowing  eulogy 
upon  some  person  unknown,  and  a  speedy  return  to  him  as  member 
for  Galway.  Amid  all  the  noise  and  tumult  at  this  critical  moment, 
nearly  every  eye  at  the  table  was  turned  upon  me ;  and  as  I  con- 
cluded that  they  had  been  drinking  my  uncle's  health,  I  thundered 
away  at  the  mahogany  with  all  my  energy.  At  length,  the  hip, 
hipping  over,  and  comparative  quiet  restored,  I  rose  from  my  seat  to 
return  thanks.  But,  strange  enough,  Sir  George  Dashwood  did  so 
likewise  ;  and  there  we  both  stood  amid  an  uproar  that  might  well 
have  shaken  the  courage  of  more  practised  orators  ;  while  from  every 
side  came  cries  of  "Hear,  hear" — "  Go  on,  Sir  George" — "Speak 
out,  General"  —  "Sit  down,  Charley"  —  "Confound  the  boy"  — 
"  Knock  the  legs  from  under  him,"  &c.  Not  understanding  why 
Sir  George  should  interfere  with  what  I  regarded  as  my  peculiar 
duty,  I  resolved  not  to  give  way,  and  avowed  this  determination  in 
no  very  equivocal  terms.  "  In  that  case,"  said  the  General,  "  I  am 
to  suppose  that  the  young  gentleman  moves  an  amendment  to  your 
proposition  ;  and,  as  the  etiquette  is  in  his  favor,  I  yield."  Here  he 
resumed  his  place,  amid  a  most  terrific  scene  of  noise  and  tumult, 
while  several  humane  proposals  as  to  my  treatment  were  made 
around  me,  and  a  kind  suggestion  thrown  out  to  break  my  neck,  by 
a  near  neighbor.  Mr.  Blake  at  length  prevailed  upon  the  party  to 
hear  what  I  had  to  say — for  he  was  certain  I  should  not  detain  them 
above  a  minute.  The  commotion  having  in  some  measure  subsided, 
I  began  :  "  Gentlemen — as  the  adopted  son  of  the  worthy  man  whose 

health  you  have  just  drunk "  Heaven  knows  how  I  should  have 

continued — but  here  my  eloquence  was  met  by  such  a  roar  of  laugh- 
ing as  I  never  before  listened  to  ;  from  one  end  of  the  board  to  the 
other  it  was  one  continued  shout,  and  went  on,  too,  as  if  all  the 
spare  lungs  of  the  party  had  been  kept  in  reserve  for  the  occasion. 
I  turned  from  one  to  the  other — I  tried  to  smile,  and  seemed  to  par- 


THE  FLIGHT  FROM  GURT-NA-MORRA.  51 

tieipate  in  the  joke,  but  failed;  I  frowned — I  looked  savagely  about 
where  I  could  see  enough  to  turn  my  wrath  thitherward ;  and,  as  it 
chanced,  not  in  vain ;  for  Mr.  Miles  Bodkin,  with  an  intuitive  per- 
ception of  my  wishes,  most  suddenly  ceased  his  mirth,  and  assuming 
a  look  of  frowning  defiance  that  had  done  him  good  service  upon 
many  former  occasions,  rose  and  said  : 

"Well,  sir,  I  hope  you're  proud  of  yourself — you've  made  a  nice 
beginning  of  it,  and  a  pretty  story  you'll  have  for  your  uncle. 
But  if  you'd  like  to  break  the  news  by  a  letter,  the  General  will 
have  great  pleasure  in  franking  it  for  you ;  for,  by  the  rock  of 
Cashel,  we'll  carry  him  in  against  all  the  O'Malleys  that  ever 
cheated  the  sheriff." 

Scarcely  were  the  words  uttered,  when  I  seized  my  wine-glass,  and 
hurled  it  with  all  my  force  at  his  head.  So  sudden  was  the  act,  and 
so  true  the  aim,  that  Mr.  Bodkin  measured  his  length  upon  the  floor 
ere  his  friends  could  appreciate  his  late  eloquent  eifusion.  The  scene 
now  became  terrific ;  for  though  the  redoubted  Miles  was  hors  de 
combat,  his  friends  made  a  tremendous  rush  at,  and  would  infallibly 
have  succeeded  in  capturing  me,  had  not  Blake  and  four  or  five 
others  interposed.  Amid  a  desperate  struggle,  which  lasted  for 
some  minutes,  I  was  torn  from  the  spot,  carried  bodily  up  stairs,  and 
pitched  headlong  into  my  own  room,  where,  having  doubly  locked 
the  door  on  the  outside,  they  left  me  to  my  own  cool  and  not  over- 
agreeable  reflections. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

THE   FLIGHT  FROM   GURT-NA-MORRA. 

IT  was  by  one  of  those  sudden  and  inexplicable  revulsions  which 
occasionally  restore  to  sense  and  intellect  the  maniac  of  years' 
standing,  that  I  was  no  sooner  left  alone  in  my  chamber  than  I 
became  perfectly  sober.  The  fumes  of  the  wine — and  I  had  drunk 
deeply — were  dissipated  at  once ;  my  head,  which  but  a  moment 
before  was  half  wild  with  excitement,  was  now  cool,  calm,  and  col- 
lected ;  and,  stranger  than  all,  I,  who  had  only  an  hour  since  en- 
tered the  dining-room  with  all  the  unsuspecting  freshness  of  boyhood, 
became,  by  a  mighty  bound,  a  man — a  man  in  all  my  feelings  and 
responsibility,  a  man  who,  repelling  an  insult  by  an  outrage,  had 
resolved  to  stake  his  life  upon  the  chance.  In  an  instant  a  new  era 
in  life  had  opened  before  me ;  the  light-headed  gayety  which  fear- 
lessness and  youth  impart  was  replaced  by  one  absorbing  thought — ■ 


02  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

one  all-engrossing,  all-pervading  impression,  that  if  I  did  not  follow 
up  my  quarrel  with  Bodkin,  I  was  dishonored  and  disgraced :  my 
little  knowledge  of  such  matters  not  being  sufficient  to  assure  me 
that  I  was  now  the  aggressor,  and  that  any  further  steps  in  the  affair 
should  come  from  his  side. 

So  thoroughly  did  my  own  griefs  occupy  me,  that  I  had  no 
thought  for  the  disappointment  my  poor  uncle  was  destined  to  meet 
with  in  hearing  that  the  Blake  interest  was  lost  to  him,  and  the 
former  breach  between  the  families  irreparably  widened  by  the 
events  of  the  evening.  Escape  was  my  first  thought ;  but  how  to 
accomplish  it?  The  door,  a  solid  one  of  Irish  oak,  doubly  locked 
and  bolted,  defied  all  my  efforts  to  break  it  open ;  the  window  was 
at  least  five-and-twenty  feet  from  the  ground,  and  not  a  tree  near  to 
swing  into.  I  shouted,  I  called  aloud,  I  opened  the  sash,  and  tried 
if  any  one  outside  were  within  hearing ;  but  in  vain.  Weary  and 
exhausted,  I  sat  down  upon  my  bed  and  ruminated  over  my  for- 
tunes. Vengeance — quick,  entire,  decisive  vengeance — I  thirsted 
and  panted  for;  and  every  moment  I  lived  under  the  insult  inflicted 
on  me,  seemed  an  age  of  torturing  and  maddening  agony.  I  rose 
with  a  leap  ;  a  thought  had  just  occurred  to  me.  I  drew  the  bed 
towards  the  window,  and  fastening  the  sheet  to  one  of  the  posts  with 
a  firm  knot,  I  twisted  it  into  a  rope,  and  let  myself  down  to  within 
about  twelve  feet  of  the  ground,  when  I  let  go  my  hold,  and  dropped 
upon  the  grass  beneath,  safe  and  uninjured.  A  thin  misty  rain  was 
falling,  and  I  now  perceived  for  the  first  time  that  in  my  haste  I  had 
forgotten  my  hat ;  this  thought,  however,  gave  me  little  uneasiness, 
and  I  took  my  way  towards  the  stable,  resolving,  if  I  could,  to 
saddle  my  horse,  and  get  off  before  any  intimation  of  my  escape 
reached  the  family. 

When  I  gained  the  yard  all  was  quiet  and  deserted  ;  the  servants 
were  doubtless  enjoying  themselves  below  stairs  ;  and  I  met  no  one 
in  the  way.  I  entered  the  stable,  threw  the  saddle  upon  Badger,  and 
before  five  minutes  from  my  descent  from  the  window,  was  gallop- 
ing towards  O'Malley  Castle  at  a  pace  that  defied  pursuit,  had  any 
one  thought  of  it. 

It  was  about  five  o'clock  on  a  dark  wintry  morning  as  I  led  my 
horse  through  the  well-known  defile  of  out-houses  and  stables  which 
formed  the  long  line  of  offices  to  my  uncle's  house.  As  yet  no  one 
was  stirring ;  and  as  I  wished  to  have  my  arrival  a  secret  from  the 
family,  after  providing  for  the  wants  of  my  gallant  gray,  I  lifted  the 
latch  of  the  kitchen  door — no  other  fastening  being  ever  thought 
necessary,  even  at  night — and  gently  groped  my  way  towards  the 
stairs.  All  was  perfectly  still,  and  the  silence  now  recalled  me  to 
reflection  as  to  what  course  I  should  pursue.     It  was  all-important 


THE  FLIGHT  FROM  GURT-NA-MORRA.  b'6 

that  my  uncle  should  know  nothing  of  my  quarrel,  otherwise  he 
would  inevitably  make  it  his  own,  and,  by  treating  me  like  a  boy  in 
the  matter,  give  the  whole  affair  the  turn  I  most  dreaded.  Then,  as 
to  Sir  Harry  Boyle,  he  would  most  certainly  turn  the  whole  thing 
into  ridicule,  make  a  good  story,  perhaps  a  song  out  of  it,  and  laugh 
at  my  notions  of  demanding  satisfaction.  Considine,  I  knew,  was 
my  man ;  but  then  he  was  at  Athlone — at  least  so  my  uncle's  letter 
mentioned ;  perhaps  he  might  have  returned ;  if  not,  to  Athlone  I 
should  set  off  at  once.  So  resolving,  I  stole  noiselessly  up  stairs, 
and  reached  the  door  of  the^  Count's  chamber.  I  opened  it  gently, 
and  entered ;  and  though  my  step  was  almost  imperceptible  to  my- 
self, it  was  quite  sufficient  to  alarm  the  watchful  occupant  of  the 
room,  who,  springing  up  in  his  bed,  demanded  gruffly  "Who's 
there  ?" 

"  Charles,  sir,"  said  I,  shutting  the  door  carefully,  and  approach- 
ing his  bedside.  "  Charles  O'Malley,  sir.  I'm  come  to  have  a  bit 
of  your  advice ;  and  as  the  affair  won't  keep,  I  have  been  obliged  to 
disturb  you." 

"  Never  mind,  Charley,"  said  the  Count ;  "  sit  down ;  there's  a 
chair  somewhere  near  the  bed — have  you  found  it  ?  There ;  well 
now,  what  is  it?     What  news  of  Blake?" 

"  Very  bad  ;  no  worse.  But  it  is  not  exactly  that  I  came  about ; 
I've  got  into  a  scrape,  sir." 

"  Eun  off  with  one  of  the  daughters  ?"  said  Considine.  "  By  jingo, 
I  knew  what  those  artful  devils  would  be  after." 

"  Not  so  bad  as  that,"  said  I,  laughing.  "  It's  just  a  row,  a  kind 
of  squabble ;  something  that  must  come " 

"Ay,  ay,"  said  the  Count,  brightening  up;  "say  you  so,  Charley? 
Begad,  the  young  ones  will  beat  us  all  out  of  the  field.  Who  is  it 
with — not  old  Blake  himself — how  was  it?    Tell  me  all." 

I  immediately  detailed  the  whole  events  of  the  preceding  chap- 
ter, as  well  as  his  frequent  interruptions  would  permit,  and  con- 
cluded by  asking  what  further  step  was  now  to  be  taken,  as  I  was 
resolved  the  matter  should  be  concluded  before  it  came  to  my 
uncle's  ears. 

"  There  you  are  all  right — quite  correct,  my  boy.  But  there  are 
many  points  I  should  have  wished  otherwise  in  the  conduct  of  the 
affair  hitherto." 

Conceiving  he  was  displeased  at  my  petulance  and  boldness,  I 
was  about  to  commence  a  kind  of  defence,  when  he  added, — 

"  Because,  you  see,"  said  he,  assuming  an  oracular  tone  of  voice, 
"throwing  a  wine-glass,  with  or  without  wine,  in  a  man's  face,  is 
merely,  as  you  may  observe,  a  mark  of  denial  and  displeasure  at 
some  observation  he  may  have  made,  not  in  anywise  intended  to 


54  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

injure  him,  further  than  in  the  wound  to  his  honor  at  being  so  in- 
sulted, for  which,  of  course,  he  must  subsequently  call  you  out. 
Whereas,  Charley,  in  the  present  case,  the  view  I  take  is  different; 
the  expression  of  Mr.  Bodkin  as  regards  your  uncle  was  insulting  to 
a  degree — gratuitously  offensive,  and  warranting  a  blow.  Therefore, 
my  boy,  you  should,  under  such  circumstances,  have  preferred  aim- 
ing at  him  with  a  decanter — a  cut-glass  decanter,  well  aimed  and 
low,  I  have  seen  do  effective  service.  However,  as  you  remark  it 
was  your  first  thing  of  the  kind,  I  am  pleased  with  you — very  much 
pleased  with  you.  Now,  then,  for  the  next  step."  So  saying,  he 
arose  from  his  bed,  and  striking  a  light  with  a  tinder-box,  pro- 
ceeded to  dress  himself  as  leisurely  as  if  for  a  dinner  party,  talking 
all  the  while. 

"  I  will  just  take  Godfrey's  tax-cart  and  the  roan  mare  on  to 
Meelish  ;  put  them  up  at  the  little  inn — it  is  not  above  a  mile  from 
Bodkin's — and  I'll  go  over  and  settle  the  thing  for  you.  You  must 
stay  quiet  until  I  come  back,  and  not  leave  the  house  on  any  ac- 
count. I've  got  a  case  of  old-  broad  barrels  there  that  will  answer 
you  beautifully ;  if  you  were  anything  of  a  shot,  I'd  give  you  my 
own  cross  handles,  but  they'd  only  spoil  your  shooting." 

"I  can  hit  a  wine-glass  in  the  stem  at  fifteen  paces,"  said  I, 
rather  nettled  at  the  disparaging  tone  in  which  he  spoke  of  my  per- 
formance. 

"  I  don't  care  sixpence  for  that :  the  wine-glass  had  no  pistol  in 
his  hand.  Take  the  old  German,  then ;  see  now,  hold  your  pistol 
thus :  no  finger  on  the  guard,  there,  these  two  on  the  trigger.  They 
are  not  hair-triggers ;  drop  the  muzzle  a  bit ;  bend  your  elbow  a 
trifle  more ;  sight  your  man  outside  your  arm — outside,  mind,  and 
take  him  in  the  hip,  and,  if  anywhere  higher,  no  matter." 

By  this  time  the  Count  had  completed  his  toilette,  and,  taking 
the  small  mahogany  box  which  contained  his  "  peace-makers"  under 
his  arm,  led  the  way  towards  the  stables.  When  we  reached  the 
yard,  the  only  person  stirring  there  was  a  kind  of  half-witted  boy, 
who,  being  about  the  house,  was  employed  to  run  messages  for  the 
servants,  walk  a  stranger's  horse,  or  to  do  any  of  the  many  petty 
services  that  regular  domestics  contrive  always  to  devolve  upon  some 
adopted  subordinate.  He  was  seated  upon  a  stone  step,  formerly 
used  for  mounting,  and  though  the  day  was  scarcely  breaking,  and 
the  weather  severe  and  piercing,  the  poor  fellow  was  singing  an 
Irish  song,  in  a  low  monotonous  tone,  as  he  chafed  a  curb  chain 
between  his  hands  with  some  sand.  As  we  came  near  he  started  up, 
and,  as  he  pulled  off  his  cap  to  salute  us,  gave  a  sharp  and  piercing 
glance  at  the  Count,  then  at  me;  then  once  more  upon  my  com- 
panion, from  whom  his  eyes  were  turned  to  the  bra,s.s-bound  box 


THE  FLIGHT  FROM  GURT-NA-MORRA.  55 

beneath  his  arm.  Then,  as  if  seized  with  a  sudden  impulse,  he 
started  on  his  feet,  and  set  off  towards  the  house  with  the  speed  of 
a  greyhound,  not,  however,  before  Considine's  practised  eye  had 
anticipated  his  plan  ;  for,  throwing  down  the  pistol-case,  he  dashed 
after  him,  and  in  an  instant  had  seized  him  by  the  collar. 

"  It  won't  do,  Patsey,"  said  the  Count;  "you  can't  double  on  me." 
"  Oh,  Count,  darlin',  Mister  Considine,  avick,  don't  do  it,  don't 
now,"  said  the  poor  fellow,  falling  on  his  knees,  and  blubbering  like 
an  infant. 

"  Hold  your  tongue,  you  villain,  or  I'll  cut  it  out  of  your  head," 
said  Considine. 

"And  so  I  will ;  but  don't  do  it — don't,  for  the  love  of " 

"  Don't  do  what,  you  whimpering  scoundrel  ?  What  does  he  think 
I'll  do?" 

"  Don't  I  know  very  well  what  you're  after,  what  you're  always 
after,  too?  oh,  wirra,  wirra !"  Here  he  wrung  his  hands  and' 
swayed  himself  backward  and  forward,  a  true  picture  of  Irish  grief. 
"  I'll  stop  this  blubbering,"  said  Considine,  opening  the  box,  and 
taking  out  a  pistol,  which  he  cocked  leisurely,  and  pointed  at  the 
poor  fellow's  head ;  "  another  syllable  now,  and  I'll  scatter  your 
brains  upon  that  pavement." 

"And  do,  and  divil  thank  you ;  sure,  it's  your  trade." 
The  coolness  of  the  reply  threw  us  both  off  our  guard  so  com- 
pletely, that  we  burst  out  into  a  hearty  fit  of  laughing. 

"  Come,  come,"  said  the  Count,  at  last,  "  this  will  never  do ;  if  he 
goes  on  this  way,  we'll  have  the  whole  house  about  us.  Come, 
then,  harness  the  roan  mare,  and  here's  half-a-crown  for  you." 

"  I  wouldn't  touch  the  best  piece  in  your  purse,"  said  the  poor 
boy ;  "  sure  it's  blood-money,  no  less." 

The  words  were  scarcely  uttered  when  Considine  seized  him  by 
the  collar  with  one  hand,  and  by  the  wrist  with  the  other,  and  car- 
ried him  over  the  yard  to  the  stable,  where,  kicking  open  the  door, 
he  threw  him  on  a  heap  of  stones,  adding,  "  If  you  stir  now,  I'll 
break  every  bone  in  your  body"— a  threat  that  seemed  certainly 
considerably  increased  in  its  terrors  from  the  rough  gripe  he  had 
already  experienced,  for  the  lad  rolled  himself  up  like  a  ball,  and 
sobbed  as  if  his  heart  were  breaking. 

Very  few  minutes  sufficed  us  now  to  harness  the  mare  in  the  tax- 
cart,  and  when  all  was  ready,  Considine  seized  the  whip,  and  lock- 
ing the  stable-door  upon  Patsey,  was  about  to  get  up,  when  a  sudden 
thought  struck  him.  "Charley,"  said  he,  "that  fellow  will  find 
some  means  to  give  the  alarm ;  we  must  take  him  with  us."  So 
saying,  he  opened  the  door,  and  taking  the  poor  fellow  by  the  col- 
lar, flung  him  at  my  feet  in  the  tax-cart. 


f)G  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

We  had  already  lost  some  time,  and  the  roan  mare  was  put  to  her 
fastest  speed  to  make  up  for  it.  Our  pace  became,  accordingly,  a 
sharp  one ;  and  as  the  road  was  bad,  and  the  tax-cart  no  "  patent 
inaudible,"  neither  of  us  spoke.  To  me  this  was  a  great  relief. 
The  events  of  the  last  few  days  had  given  them  the  semblance  of 
years,  and  all  the  reflection  I  could  muster  was  little  enough  to 
make  anything  out  of  the  chaotic  mass — love,  mischief,  and  mis- 
fortune— in  which  I  had  been  involved  since  my  leaving  O'Malley 
Castle. 

"Here  we  are,  Charley,"  said  Considine,  drawing  up  short  at  the 
door  of  a  little  country  ale-house,  or  in  Irish  parlance,  shebeen,  which 
stood  at  the  meeting  of  four  bleak  roads,  in  a  wild  and  barren 
mountain  tract  beside  the  Shannon.  "  Here  we  are,  my  boy !  jump 
out  and  let  us  be  stirring." 

"  Here,  Patsey,  my  man,"  said  the  Count,  unravelling  the  pros- 
trate and  doubly-knotted  figure  at  our  feet ;  "  lend  a  hand,  Patsey." 
Much  to  my  astonishment,  he  obeyed  the  summons  with  alacrity, 
and  proceeded  to  unharness  the  mare  with  the  greatest  despatch. 
My  attention  was,  however,  soon  turned  from  him  to  my  own  more 
immediate  concerns,  and  I  followed  my  companion  into  the  house. 

"  Joe,"  said  the  Count  to  the  host,  "  is  Mr.  Bodkin  up  at  the  house 
this  morning?" 

"  He's  just  passed  this  way,  sir,  with  Mr.  Malowney  of  Tillnamuck, 
in  the  gig,  on  their  way  from  Mr.  Blake's.  They  stopped  here  to 
order  horses  to  go  over  to  O'Malley  Castle,  and  the  gossoon  is  gone 
to  look  for  a  pair." 

"All  right,"  said  Considine;  and  added,  in  a  whisper,  "we've 
done  it  well,  Charley,  to  be  beforehand,  or  the  governor  would  have 
found  it  all  out,  and  taken  the  affair  into  his  own  hands.  Now,  all 
you  have  to  do  is,  to  stay  quietly  here  till  I  come  back,  which  will 
not  be  above  an  hour  at  farthest.  Joe,  send  me  the  pony — keep  an 
eye  on  Patsey,  that  he  doesn't  play  us  a  trick — the  short  way  to  Mr. 
Bodkin's  is  through  Scariff— ay,  I  know  it  well,  good-bye,  Charley — 
by  the  Lord,  we'll  pepper  him." 

These  were  the  last  words  of  the  worthy  Count  as  he  closed  the 
door  behind  him,  and  left  me  to  my  own  not  very  agreeable  reflec- 
tions. Independently  of  my  youth  and  perfect  ignorance  of  the 
world,  which  left  me  unable  to  form  any  correct  judgment  on  my 
conduct,  I  knew  that  I  had  taken  a  great  deal  of  wine,  and  was 
highly  excited  when  my  unhappy  collision  with  Mr.  Bodkin  oc- 
curred. Whether,  then,  I  had  been  betrayed  into  anything  which 
could  fairly  have  provoked  his  insulting  retort  or  not,  I  could  not 
remember ;  and  now  my  most  afflicting  thought  was,  what  opinion 
might  be  entertained  of  me  by  those  at  Mr.  Blake's  table;   and, 


THE  FLIGHT  FROM  GURT-NA-MORRA.  57 

above  all,  what  Miss  Dashwood  herself  would  think,  and  what  nar- 
rative of  the  occurrence  would  reach  her.  The  great  effort  of  my 
last  few  days  had  been  to  stand  well  in  her  estimation,  to  appear 
something  better  in  feeling,  something  higher  in  principle,  than  the 
rude  and  unpolished  squirearchy  about  me,  and  now  here  was  the 
end  of  it !  What  would  she,  what  could  she,  think,  but  that  I  was 
'the  same  punch-drinking,  rowing,  quarrelling  bumpkin  as  those 
whom  I  had  so  lately  been  carefully  endeavoring  to  separate  myself 
from?  How  I  hated  myself  for  the  excess  to  which  passion  had 
betrayed  me,  and  how  I  detested  my  opponent  as  the  cause  of  all 
my  present  misery.  "  How  very  differently,"  thought  I,  "  her  friend 
the  Captain  would  have  conducted  himself.  His  quiet  and  gentle- 
manly manner  would  have  done  fully  as  much  to  wipe  out  an  insult 
on  his  honor  as  I  could  do,  and,  after  ail,  would  neither  have  dis- 
turbed the  harmony  of  a  dinner-table  nor  made  himself,''  as  I  shud- 
dered to  think  I  had,  "  a  subject  of  rebuke,  if  not  of  ridicule." 
These  harassing,  torturing  reflections  continued  to  press  on  me, 
and  I  paced  the  room  with  my  hands  clasped  and  the  perspiration 
upon  my  brow.  "  One  thing  is  certain, — I  can  never  see  her  again," 
thought  I ;  "  this  disgraceful  business  must,  in  some  shape  or  other, 
become  known  to  her,  and  all  I  have  been  saying  these  last  three 
days  rise  up  in  judgment  against  this  one  act,  and  stamp  me  an 
impostor ;  I  that  decried — nay,  derided — our  false  notion  of  honor. 
Would  that  Considine  would  come!  What  can  keep  him  now?"  I 
walked  to  the  door.  A  boy  belonging  to  the  house  was  walking  the 
roan  before  the  door.  "What  had,  then,  become  of  Pat?"  I  in- 
quired ;  but  no  one  could  tell.  He  had  disappeared  shortly  after 
our  arrival,  and  had  not  been  seen  afterwards.  My  own  thoughts 
were,  however,  too  engrossing  to  permit  me  to  think  more  of  this 
circumstance,  and  I  turned  again  to  enter  the  house,  when  I  saw 
Considine  advancing  up  the  road  at  the  full  speed  of  his  pony. 

"Out  with  the  mare,  Charley — be  alive,  my  boy — all's  settled." 
So  saying,  he  sprang  from  the  pony,  and  proceeded  to  harness  the 
roan  with  the  greatest  haste,  informing  me  in  broken  sentences,  as 
he  went  on,  of  all  the  arrangements. 

"  We  are  to  cross  the  bridge  of  Portumna.  They  won  the  ground, 
and  it  seems  Bodkin  'likes  the  spot ;  he  shot  Peyton  there  three 
years  ago.  Worse  luck  now,  Charley,  you  know :  by  all  the  rule  of 
chance^  he  can't  expect  the  same  thing  twice — never  four  by  honors 
in  two  deals — didn't  say  that,  though — a  sweet  meadow,  I  know  it 
well;  small  hillocks,  like  molehills,  all  over  it — caught  him  at 
breakfast ;  I  don't  think  he  expected  the  message  to  come  from 
us,  but  said  that  it  was  a  very  polite  attention,  and  so  it  was,  you 
know." 


58  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

So  he  continued  to  ramble  on  as  we  once  more  took  our  seats  in 
the  tax-cart,  and  set  out  for  the  ground. 

"  What  are  you  thinking  of,  Charley  ?"  said  the  Count,  as  I  kept 
silent  for  some  minutes. 

"I'm  thinking,  sir,  if  I  were  to  kill  him,  what  I  must  do  after." 

"  Right,  my  boy ;  nothing  like  that,  but  I'll  settle  all  for  you. 
Upon  my  conscience,  if  it  wasn't  for  the  chance  of  his  getting  into 
another  quarrel  and  spoiling  the  election,  I'd  go  back  for  Godfrey ; 
he'd  like  to  see  you  break  ground  so  prettily.  And  you  say  you're 
no  shot  ?" 

"  Never  could  do  anything  with  the  pistol  to  speak  of,  sir,"  said 
I,  remembering  his  rebuke  of  the  morning. 

"  I  don't  mind  that :  you've  a  good  eye ;  never  take  it  off.  him 
after  you're  on  the  ground — follow  him  everywhere.  Poor  Callag- 
han,  that's  gone,  shot  his  man  always  that  way.  He  had  a  way  of 
looking,  without  winking,  that  was  very  fatal  at  a  short  distance — 
a  very  good  thing  to  learn,  Charley,  when  you  have  a  little  spare 
time." 

Half  an  hour's  sharp  driving  brought  us  to  the  river's  side,  where 
a  boat  had  been  provided  by  Considine  to  ferry  us  over.  It  was 
now  about  eight  o'clock,  and  a  heavy,  gloomy  morning.  Much  rain 
had  fallen  over  night,  and  the  dark  and  lowering  atmosphere  seemed 
charged  with  more,  The  mountains  looked  twice  their  real  size, 
and  all  the  shadows  were  increased  to  an  enormous  extent.  A  very 
killing  kind  of  light  it  was,  as  the  Count  remarked. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   DUEL. 

THE  boatmen  having  pulled  in  towards  the  shore,  we  saw,  a  few 
hundred  yards  off,  a  group  of  persons  standing,  whom  we  soon 
recognized  as  our  opponents.  "  Charley,"  said  the  Count, 
grasping  my  arm  tightly,  as  I  stood  up  to  spring  on  the  land — 
"  Charley,  although  you  are  only  a  boy,  as  I  may  say,  I  have  no  fear 
for  your  courage ;  but,  still,  more  than  that  is  needful  here.  This 
Bodkin  is  a  noted  duellist,  and  will  try  to  shake  your  nerve.  .  Now, 
mind  that  you  take  everything  that  happens  quite  with  an  air  of 
indifference ;  don't  let  him  think  that  he  has  any  advantage  over 
you,  and  you'll  see  how  the  tables  will  be  turned  in  your  favor." 
"  Trust  to  me,  Count,"  said  I ;  "  I'll  not  disgrace  you." 
He  pressed  my  hand  tightly,  and  I  thought  that  I  discerned  some- 


THE  DUEL.  59 

thing  like  a  slight  twitch  about  the  corners  of  his  grim  mouth,  as  if 
some  sudden  and  painful  thought  had  shot  across  his  mind;  but  in 
a  moment  he  was  calm  and  stern-looking  as  ever. 

"  Twenty  minutes  late,  Mr.  Considine,"  said  a  short,  red-faced 
little  man,  with  a  military  frock  and  foraging  cap,  as  he  held  out  his 
watch  in  evidence. 

"  I  can  only  say,  Captain  Malowney,  that  we  lost  no  time  since  we 
parted;  we  had  some  difficuly  in  finding  a  boat;  but,  in  any  case,  we 
are  here  now,  and  that,  I  opine,  is  the  important  part  of  the  matter." 

"  Quite  right — very  just  indeed.  Will  you  present  me  to  your 
young  friend — very  proud  to  make  your  acquaintance,  sir;  your 
uncle  and  I  met  more  than  once  in  this  kind  of  way.  I  was  out 
with  him  in  '92 — was  it  ?  no,  I  think  it  was  '93 — when  he  shot 
Harry  Burgoyne,  who,  by  the  bye,  was  called  the  crack  shot  of  our 
mess ;  but,  begad,  your  uncle  knocked  his  pistol  hand  to  shivers, 
saying  in  his  dry  way,  '  He  must  try  the  left  hand  this  morning.' 
Count,  a  little  this  side,  if  you  please." 

While  Considine  and  the  Captain  walked  a  few  paces  apart  from 
where  I  stood,  I  had  leisure  to  observe  my  antagonist,  who  stood 
among  a  group  of  his  friends,  talking  and  laughing  away  in  great 
spirits.  As  the  tone  they  spoke  in  was  none  of  the  lowest,  I  could 
catch  much  of  their  conversation  at  the  distance  I  was  from  them. 
They  were  discussing  the  last  occasion  that  Bodkin  had  visited  this 
spot,  and  talking  of  the  fatal  event  which  happened  then. 

"  Poor  devil,"  said  Bodkin,  "  it  wasn't  his  fault ;  but  you  see  some 
of  the  — th  had  been  showing  white  feathers  before  that,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  go  out.  In  fact,  the  Colonel  himself  said,  '  Fight  or  leave 
the  corps.'  Well,  out  he  came.  It  was  a  cold  morning  in  February, 
with  a  frost  the  night  before  going  off  in  a  thin  rain.  Well,  it  seems 
he  had  the  consumption  or  something  of  that  sort,  with  a  great 
cough  and  spitting  of  blood,  and  this  weather  made  him  worse,  and 
he  was  very  weak  when  he  came  to  the  ground.  Now,  the  moment 
I  got  a  glimpse  of  him,  I  said  to  myself,  '  He's  pluck  enough,  but 
as  nervous  as  a  lady;'  for  his  eyes  wandered  all  about,  and  his  mouth 
was  constantly  twitching.  '  Take  off  your  greatcoat,  Ned,'  said  one 
of  his  people,  when  they  were  going  to  put  him  up ;  '  take  it  off, 
man.'  He  seemed  to  hesitate  for  an  instant,  when  Michael  Blake 
remarked,  'Arrah,  let  him  alone  ;  it's  his  mother  makes  him  wear  it 
for  the  cold  he  has.'  They  all  began  to  laugh  at  this,  but  I  kept  my 
eye  upon  him.  And  I  saw  that  his  cheek  grew  quite  livid,  and  a 
kind  of  gray  color,  and  his  eyes  filled  up.  '  I  have  you  now,'  said 
I  to  myself,  and  I  shot  him  through  the  lungs." 

"And  this  poor  fellow,"  thought  I,  "  was  the  only  son  of  a  wid- 
owed mother."     I  walked  from  the  spot  to  avoid  hearing  further, 


60  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

and  felt,  as  I  did  so,  something  like  a  spirit  of  vengeance  rising 
within  me  for  the  fate  of  one  so  untimely  cut  off. 

"  Here  we  are,  all  ready,"  said  Malowney,  springing  over  a  small 
fence  into  the  adjoining  field — "take  your  ground,  gentlemen." 

Considine  took  my  arm  and  walked  forward.  "  Charley,"  said  he, 
"  I  am  to  give  the  signal ;  I'll  drop  my  glove  when  you  are  to  fire, 
but  don't  look  at  me  at  all.  I'll  manage  to  catch  Bodkin's  eye,  and 
do  you  watch  him  steadily,  and  fire  when  he  does." 

"  I  think  that  the  ground  we  are  leaving  behind  us  is  rather  bet- 
ter," said  some  one. 

"  So  it  is,"  said  Bodkin  ;  "  but  it  might  be  troublesome  to  carry 
the  young  gentleman  down  that  way — here  all  is  fair  and  easy." 

The  next  instant  we  were  placed,  and  I  well  remember  the  first 
thought  that  struck  me  was,  that  there  could  be  no  chance  of  either 
of  us  escaping. 

"  Now,  then,"  said  the  Count,  "  I'll  walk  twelve  paces,  turn,  and 
drop  this  glove,  at  which  signal  you  fire,  and  together,  mind.  The 
man  who  reserves  his  shot,  falls  by  my  hand."  This  very  summary 
denunciation  seemed  to  meet  general  approbation,  and  the  Count 
strutted  forth.  Notwithstanding  the  advice  of  my  friend,  I  could 
not  help  turning  my  eyes  from  Bodkin  to  watch  the  retiring  figure 
of  the  Count.  At  length  he  stopped — a  second  or  two  elapsed — he 
wheeled  rapidly  round,  and  let  fall  the  glove.  My  eye  glanced 
toward  my  opponent,  I  raised  my  pistol  and  fired.  My  hat  turned 
half  round  on  my  head,  and  Bodkin  fell  motionless  to  the  earth.  I 
saw  the  people  around  me  rush  forward ;  I  caught  two  or  three 
glances  thrown  at  me  with  an  expression  of  revengeful  passion ;  I 
felt  some  one  grasp  me  round  the  waist,  and  hurry  me  from  the 
spot,  and  it  was  at  least  ten  minutes  after,  as  we  were  skimming  the 
surface  of  the  broad  Shannon,  before  I  could  well  collect  my  scat- 
tered faculties  to  remember  all  that  was  passing,  as  Considine, 
pointing  to  the  two  bullet  holes  in  my  hat,  remarked,  "  Sharp  prac- 
tice, Charley  ;  it  was  the  overcharge  saved  you." 

"Is  he  killed,  sir?"  I  asked. 

"  Not  quite,  I  believe,  but  as  good ;  you  took  him  just  above  the 
hip." 

"Can  he  recover?"  said  I,  with  a  voice  tremulous  from  agitation, 
which  I  vainly  endeavored  to  conceal  from  my  companion. 

"  Not  if  the  doctor  can  help  it,"  said  Considine ;  "  for  the  fool 
keeps  poking  about  for  the  ball.  But  now  let's  think  of  the  next 
step ;  you'll  have  to  leave  this,  and  at  once,  too." 

Little  more  passed  between  us.  As  we  rowed  towards  the  shore, 
Considine  was  following  up  his  reflections,  and  I  had  mine,  alas! 
too  many  and  too  bitter  to  escape  from. 


THE  DUEL.  61 

As  we  neared  the  land,  a  strange  spectacle  caught  our  eye.  For 
a  considerable  distance  along  the  coast  crowds  of  country  people 
were  assembled,  who,  forming  in  groups,  and  breaking  into  parties 
of  two  and  three,  were  evidently  watching  with  great  "anxiety  what 
was  taking  place  at  the  opposite  side.  Now,  the  distance  was  at 
least  a  mile,  and  therefore  any  part  of  the  transaction  which  had 
been  enacting  there  must  have  been  quite  beyond  their  view.  While 
I  was  wondering  at  this,  Considine  cried  out  suddenly,  "  Too  infa- 
mous, by  Jove  !  we're  murdered  men." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  said  I. 

"  Don't  you  see  that  ?"  said  he,  pointing  to  something  black  which 
floated  from  a  pole  at  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 

"Yes;  what  is  it?" 

"  It's  his  coat  they've  put  upon  an  oar  to  show  the  people  he's 
killed — that's  all.  Every  man  here's  his  tenant,  and  look — there  ! 
— they're  not  giving  us  much  doubt  as  to  their  intention."  Here  a 
tremendous  yell  burst  forth  from  the  mass  of  people  along  the 
shore,  which,  rising  to  a  terrific  cry,  sunk  gradually  down  to  a  low 
wailing,  then  rose  and  fell  again  several  times  as  the  Irish  death- 
cry  filled  the  air  and  rose  to  heaven,  as  if  imploring  vengeance  on 
a  murderer. 

The  appalling  influence  of  the  keen,  as  it  is  called,  had  been 
familiar  to  me  from  my  infancy,  but  it  needed  the  awful  situation  I 
was  placed  in  to  consummate  its  horrors.  It  was  at  once  my  accu- 
sation and  my  doom.  I  knew  well — none  better — the  vengeful 
character  of  the  Irish  peasant  of  the  west,  and  that  my  death  was 
certain  I  had  no  doubt.  The  very  crime  that  sat  upon  my  heart 
quailed  its  courage  and  unnerved  my  arm.  As  the  boatmen  looked 
from  us  towards  the  shore,  and  again  at  our  faces,  they,  as  if  in- 
stinctively, lay  upon  their  oars,  and  waited  for  our  decision  as  to 
what  course  to  pursue. 

"  Rig  the  spritsail,  my  boys,"  said  Considine,  "  and  let  her  head 
lie  up  the  river,  and  be  alive,  for  I  see  they're  hauling  a  boat  below 
the  little  reef  there,  and  will  be  after  us  in  no  time." 

The  poor  fellows,  who,  although  strangers  to  us,  sympathized  in 
what  they  perceived  to  be  our  imminent  danger,  stepped  the  light 
spar  which  acted-  as  mast,  and  shook  out  their  scanty  rag  of  canvas 
in  a  minute.  Considine,  meanwhile,  went  aft,  and  steadying  her 
head  with  an  oar,  held  the  small  craft  up  to  the  wind  till  she  lay 
completely  over,  and,  as  she  rushed  through  the  water,  ran  dipping 
her  gunwale  through  the  white  foam. 

"  Where  can  we  make  without  tacking,  boys  ?"  inquired  the  Count. 

"  If  it  blows  on  as  fresh,  sir,  we'll  run  you  ashore  within  half  a 
mile  of  the  castle." 


62  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"Put  an  oar  to  leeward,"  said  Considine,  "and  keep  her  up  more 
to  the  wind,  and  I  promise  you,  my  lads,  you  will  not  go  home 
fresh  and  fasting,  if  you  land  us  where  you  say." 

"  Here  they  come,"  said  the  other  boatman,  as  he  pointed  back 
with  his  finger  towards  a  large  yawl  which  shot  suddenly  from  the 
shore,  with  six  sturdy  fellows  pulling  at  the  oars,  while  three  or 
four  others  were  endeavoring  to  get  up  the  rigging,  which  ap- 
peared tangled  and  confused  at  the  bottom  of  the  boat ;  the  white 
splash  of  water,  which  fell  each  moment  beside  her,  showed  that 
the  process  of  bailing  was  still  continued. 

"Ah,  then,  may  I  never— -av  it  isn't  the  ould  Dolphin  they  have 
launched  for  the  cruise,"  said  one  of  our  fellows. 

"  What's  the  Dolphin,  then  ?" 

"An  ould  boat  of  the  Lord's  (Lord  Clanricarde's)  that  didn't  see 
water,  except  when  it  rained,  these  four  years,  and  is  sun-cracked 
from  stem  to  stern." 

"  She  can  sail,  however,"  said  Considine,  who  watched  with  a 
painful  anxiety  the  rapidity  of  her  course  through  the  water. 

"  Nabocklish,  she  was  a  smuggler's  jolly-boat,  and  well  used  to  it. 
Look  how  they're  pulling.  God  pardon  them ;  but  they're  in  no 
blessed  humor  this  morning." 

"  Lay  out  upon  your  oars,  boys ;  the  wind's  failing  us,"  cried  the 
Count,  as  the  sail  flapped  lazily  against  the  mast. 

"  It's  no  use,  your  honor,"  said  the  elder ;  "  wre'll  be  only  break- 
ing our  hearts  to  no  purpose;  they're  sure  to  catch  us." 

"  Do  as  I  bid  you,  at  all  events.  What's  that  ahead  of  us 
there  ?" 

"  The  Oat  Kock,  sir.  A  vessel  with  grain  struck  there,  and  went 
down  with  all  aboard,  four  years  last  winter.  There's  no  channel 
between  it  and  the  shore — all  sunk  rocks,  every  inch  of  it.  There's 
the  breeze" — the  canvas  fell  over  as  he  spoke,  and  the  little  craft 
lay  down  to  it  till  the  foaming  water  bubbled  over  her  lee  bow — 
"  keep  her  head  up,  sir ;  higher — higher  still ;"  but  Considine  little 
heeded  the  direction,  steering  straight  for  the  narrow  channel  the 
man  alluded  to.  "  Tear  and  ages,  but  you're  going  right  for  the 
cloch  na  quirka !" 

"Arrah,  an'  the  devil  a  taste  I'll  be  drowned  for  your  devarsion," 
said  the  other,  springing  up. 

"  Sit  down  there  and  be  still,"  roared  Considine,  as  he  drew  a 
pistol  from  the  case  at  his  feet,  "  if  you  don't  want  some  leaden 
ballast  to  keep  you  so.  Here,  Charley,  take  this,  and  if  that  fellow 
stirs  hand  or  foot — you  understand  me." 

The  two  men  sat  sulkily  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  which  now  was 
actually  flying  through  the  water.     Considine's  object  was  a  clear 


THE  DUEL.  63 

one ;  lie  saw  that  in  sailing  we  were  greatly  over-matched,  and  that 
our  only  chance  lay  in  reaching  the  narrow  and  dangerous  channel 
between  the  Oat  Rock  and  the  shore,  by  which  we  should  distance 
the  pursuit,  the  long  reef  of  rocks  that  ran  out  beyond  requiring  a 
wide  berth  to  escape  from.  Nothing  but  the  danger  behind  us  could 
warrant  so  rash  a  daring.  The  whole  channel  was  dotted  with 
patches  of  white  and  breaking  foam — the  sure  evidence  of  the  mis- 
chief beneath — while  here  and  there  a  dash  of  spurting  spray  flew 
up  from  the  dark  water,  where  some  cleft  rock  lay  hid  below  the 
flood.  Escape  seemed  impossible ;  but  who  would  not  have  pre- 
ferred even  so  slender  a  chance  with  so  frightful  an  alternative  be- 
hind him !  As  if  to  add  terror  to  the  scene,  Considine  had  scarcely 
turned  the  boat  ahead  of  the  channel  when  a  tremendous  blackness 
spread  over  all  around ;  the  thunder  pealed  forth,  and,  amid  the 
crashing  of  the  hail  and  the  bright  glare  of  lightning,  a  squall  struck 
us,  and  laid  us  nearly  keel  uppermost  for  several  minutes.  I  well 
remember  we  rushed  through  the  dark  and  blackening  water,  our 
little  craft  more  than  half  filled,  the  oars  floating  off  to  leeward,  and 
we  ourselves  kneeling  on  the  bottom  planks  for  safety.  Eoll  after 
roll  of  loud  thunder  broke,  as  it  were,  just  above  our  heads,  while, 
in  the  swift  dashing  rain  that  seemed  to  hiss  around  us,  every  object 
was  hidden,  and  even  the  other  boat  wan  lost  to  our  view.  The  two 
poor  fellows  !  I  shall  never  forget  their  expression.  One,  a  devout 
Catholic,  had  placed  a  little  leaden  image  of  a  saint  before  him  in 
the  bow,  and  implored  its  intercession  with  a  torturing  agony  of 
suspense  that  wrung  my  very  heart ;  the  other,  apparently  less  alive 
to  such  consolations  as  his  Church  afforded,  remained  with  his  hands 
clasped,  his  mouth  compressed,  his  brows  knit,  and  his  dark  eyes 
bent  upon  me  with  the  fierce  hatred  of  a  deadly  enemy ;  his  eyes 
were  sunken  and  bloodshot,  and  all  told  of  some  dreadful  conflict 
within ;  the  wild  ferocity  of  his  look  fascinated  my  gaze,  and  amid 
all  the  terrors  of  the  scene  I  could  not  look  from  him.  As  I  gazed, 
a  second  and  more  awful  squall  struck  the  boat,  the  mast  bent  over, 
and  with  a  loud  report  like  a  pistol-shot,  smashed  at  the  thwart,  and 
fell  over,  trailing  the  sail  along  the  milky  sea  behind  us.  Mean- 
while, the  water  rushed  clean  over  us,  and  the  boat  seemed  settling. 
At  this  dreadful  moment  the  sailor's  eye  was  bent  upon  me,  his  lips 
parted,  and  he  muttered,  as  if  to  himself,  "  This  it  is  to  go  to  sea 
with  a  murderer."  0  God!  the  agony  of  that  moment — the  heart- 
felt and  accusing  conscience  that  I  was  judged  and  doomed — that 
the  brand  of  Cain  was  upon  my  brow — that  my  fellow-men  had 
ceased  forever  to  regard  me  as  a  brother — that  I  was  an  outcast  and  a 
wanderer  forever.  I  bent  forward  till  my  forehead  fell  upon  my  knees, 
and  I  wept.     Meanwhile,  the  boat  flew  through  the  water,  and  Con- 


64  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

sidine,  who  alone  among  us  seemed  not  to  lose  his  presence  of  mind, 
cut  away  the  mast,  and  sent  it  overboard.  The  storm  now  began  to 
abate,  and  as  the  black  mass  of  cloud  broke  from  around  us,  we 
beheld  the  other  boat,  also  dismasted,  far  behind  us,  while  all  on 
board  of  her  were  employed  in  bailing  out  the  water  with  which  she 
seemed  almost  sinking.  The  curtain  of  mist  which  had  hidden  us 
from  each  other  no  sooner  broke  than  they  ceased  their  labors  for 
a  moment,  and  looking  towards  us,  burst  forth  into  a  yell  so  wild, 
so  savage,  and  so  dreadful,  my  very  heart  quailed  as  its  cadence  fell 
upon  my  ear. 

"  Safe,  my  boy,"  said  Considine,  clapping  me  on  the  shoulder,  as 
he  steered  the  boat  forth  from  its  narrow  path  of  danger,  and  once 
more  reached  the  broad  Shannon — "  safe,  Charley,  though  we  had 
a  brush  for  it."  In  a  minute  more  we  reached  the  land,  and 
drawing  our  gallant  little  craft  on  shore,  set  out  for  O'Malley 
Castle. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE   RETURN. 

O'MALLEY  Castle  lay  about  four  miles  from  the  spot  we 
landed  at,  and  thither  accordingly  we  bent  our  steps  without 
loss  of  time.  We  had  not,  however,  proceeded  far,  when, 
before  us  on  the  road,  we  perceived  a  mixed  assemblage  of  horse 
and  foot,  hurrying  along  at  a  tremendous  rate.  The  mob,  which 
consisted  of  some  hundred  courrtry  people,  were  armed  with  sticks, 
scythes,  and  pitchforks,  and  although  not  preserving  any  very 
military  aspect  in  their  order  of  march,  were  still  a  force  quite  for- 
midable enough  to  make  us  call  a  halt,  and  deliberate  upon  what  we 
were  to  do. 

"They've  outflanked  us,  Charley,"  said  Considine;  "however, 
all  is  not  yet  lost.  But  see,  they've  got  sight  of  us — here  they 
come." 

At  these  words  the  vast  mass  before  us  came  pouring  along, 
splashing  the  mud  on  every  side,  and  huzzaing  like  so  many  In- 
dians. In  the  front  ran  a  bare-legged  boy,  waving  his  cap  to  en- 
courage the  rest,  who  followed  him  about  fifty  yards  behind. 

"  Leave  that  fellow  for  me,"  said  the  Count,  coolly  examining  the 
lock  of  his  pistol ;  "  I'll  pick  him  out,  and  load  again  in  time  for 
his  friends'  arrival.  Charley,  is  that  a  gentleman  I  see  far  back  in 
the  crowd?  Yes,  to  be  sure  it  is.  He  is  on  a  large  horse — now  he's 
pressing  forward,  so  let — no — oh — ay — it's  Godfrey  O'Malley  him- 


THE  RETURN.  65 

self,  and  these  are  our  own  people."  Scarcely  were  the  words  out 
when  a  tremendous  cheer  arose  from  the  multitude,  who,  recognizing 
us  at  the  same  instant,  sprung  from  their  horses  and  ran  forward  to 
welcome  us.  Among  the  foremost  was  the  scarecrow  leader,  whom 
I  at  once  recognized  to  be  poor  Patsey,  who,  escaping  in  the  morn- 
ing, had  returned  at  full  speed  to  O'Malley  Castle,  and  raised  the 
whole  country  to  my  rescue.  Before  I  could  address  one  word  to 
my  faithful  followers,  I  was  in  my  uncle's  arms. 

"  Safe,  my  boy,  quite  safe?" 

"  Quite  safe,  sir." 

"  No  scratch  anywhere?" 

"  Nothing  but  a  hat  the  worse,  sir,"  said  I,  showing  the  two  bullet 
holes  in  my  headpiece. 

His  lip  quivered  as  he  turned  and  whispered  something  into  Con- 
sidine's  ear  which  I  heard  not ;  but  the  Count's  reply  was,  "  Devil  a 
bit, — as  cool  as  you  see  him  this  minute." 

"And  Bodkin,  what  of  him  ?" 

"This  day's  work's  his  last,"  said  Considine;  "the  ball  entered 
here  ;  but  come  along, Godfrey ;  Charley's  new  at  this  kind  of  thing, 
and  we  had  better  discuss  matters  in  the  house." 

Half  an  hour's  brisk  trot — for  we  were  soon  supplied  with  horses 
— brought  us  back  to  the  Castle,  much  to  the  disappointment  of  our 
cortege,  who  had  been  promised  a  scrimmage,  and  went  back  in  very 
ill  humor  at  the  breach  of  contract. 

The  breakfast-room,  as  we  entered,  was  filled  with  my  uncle's 
supporters,  all  busily  engaged  over  poll-books  and  booth-tallies,  in 
preparation  for  the  eventful  day  of  battle.  These,  however,  were 
immediately  thrown  aside  to  hasten  round  me,  and  inquire  all  the 
details  of  my  duel.  Considine,  happily  for  me,  however,  assumed 
all  the  dignity  of  an  historian,  and  recounted  the  events  of  the 
morning  so  much  to  my  honor  and  glory,  that  I,  who  only  a  little 
before  felt  crushed  and  bowed  down  by  the  misery  of  my  late  duel, 
began,  amid  the  warm  congratulations  and  eulogiums  about  me,  to 
think  I  was  no  small  hero,  and,  in  fact,  something  very  much  re- 
sembling "  the  man  for  Galway."  To  this  feeling  a  circumstance 
that  followed  assisted  in  contributing.  While  we  were  eagerly  dis- 
cussing the  various  results  likely  to  arise  from  the  meeting,  a  horse 
galloped  rapidly  to  the  door,  and  a  loud  voice  called  out,  "  I  can't 
get  off,  but  tell  him  to  come  here."  We  rushed  out  and  beheld 
Captain  Malowney,  Mr.  Bodkin's  second,  covered  with  mud  from 
head  to  foot,  and  his  horse  reeking  with  foam  and  sweat.  "  I  am 
hurrying  on  to  Athlone  for  another  doctor ;  but  I've  called  to  tell 
you*that  the  wound  is  not  supposed  to  be  mortal — he  may  recover 
yet."  Without  waiting  for  another  word,  he  dashed  spurs  into  his 
5 


66  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

nag  and  rattled  down  the  avenue  at  full  gallop.  Mr.  Bodkin's  dear- 
est  friend  on  earth  could  not  have  received  the  intelligence  with 
more  delight,  and  I  now  began  to  listen  to  the  congratulations  of 
my  friends  with  a  more  tranquil  spirit.  My  uncle,  too,  seemed 
much  relieved  by  the  information,  and  heard  with  great  good  tem- 
per my  narrative  of  the  few  days  at  Gurt-na-Morra.  "  So,  then," 
said  he,  as  I  concluded,  "  my  opponent  is  at  least  a  gentleman ;  that 
is  a  comfort." 

"  Sir  George  Dashwood,"  said  I,  "  from  all  I  have  seen,  is  a  re- 
markably nice  person,  and  I  am  certain  you  will  meet  with  only  the 
fair  and  legitimate  opposition  of  an  opposing  candidate  in  him — no 
mean  or  unmanly  subterfuge." 

"All  right,  Charley.  Well,  now,  your  affair  of  this  morning  must 
keep  you  quiet  here  for  a  few  days,  come  what  will ;  by  Monday 
next,  when  the  election  takes  place,  Bodkin's  fate  will  be  pretty 
clear,  one  way  or  the  other,  and  if  matters  go  well,  you  can  come 
into  town ;  otherwise,  I  have  arranged  with  Considine  to  take  you 
over  to  the  Continent  for  a  year  or  so ;  but  we'll  discuss  all  this  in 
the  evening.  Now,  I  must  start  on  a  canvass.  Boyle  expects  to 
meet  you  at  dinner  to-day  ;  he  is  coming  from  Athlone  on  purpose. 
Now,  good-bye !" 

When  my  uncle  had  gone  I  sank  into  a  chair,  and  fell  into  a 
musing  fit  over  all  the  changes  a  few  Nhours  had  wrought  in  me. 
From  a  mere  boy,  whose  most  serious  employment  was  stocking  the 
house  with  game,  or  inspecting  the  kennel,  I  had  sprung  at  once 
into  man's  estate,  was  complimented  for  my  coolness,  praised  for 
my  prowess,  lauded  for  my  discretion,  by  those  who  were  my  seniors 
by  nearly  half  a  century!  talked  to  in  a  tone  of  confidential  inti- 
macy by  my  uncle,  and,  in  a  word,  treated  in  all  respects  as  an  equal 
— and  such  was  all  the  work  of  a  few  hours.  But  so  it  is ;  the  eras 
in  life  are  separated  by  a  narrow  boundary  : — some  trifling  accident, 
some  casual  rencontre  impels  us  across  the  Kubicon,  and  we  pass 
from  infancy  to  youth — from  youth  to  manhood — from  manhood  to 
age — less  by  the  slow  and  imperceptible  step  of  time  than  by  some 
one  decisive  act  or  passion,  which,  occurring  at  a  critical  moment, 
elicits  a  long  latent  feeling,  and  impresses  our  existence  with  a 
color  that  tinges  it  for  many  a  long  year.  As  for  me,  I  had  cut  the 
tie  which  bound  me  to  the  careless  gayety  of  boyhood  with  a  rude 
gash.  In  three  short  days  I  had  fallen  deeply,  desperately  in  love, 
and  had  wounded,  if  not  killed,  an  antagonist  in  a  duel.  As  I  medi- 
tated on  these  things,  I  was  aroused  by  the  noise  of  horses'  feet  in 
the  yard  beneath.  I  opened  the  window,  and  beheld  no  less  a  person 
than  Captain  Hammersley.  He  was  handing  a  card  to  a  servant, 
which  he  was  accompanying  by  a  verbal  message.     The  impression 


THE  RETURN.  G7 

of  something  like  hostility  on  the  part  of  the  Captain  had  never 
left  my  mind,  and  I  hastened  down  stairs  just  in  time  to  catch  him 
as  he  turned  from  the  door. 

"Ah,  Mr.  O'Malley !"  said  he,  in  a  most  courteous  tone ;  "  they 
told  me  you  were  not  at  home." 

I  apologized  for  the  blunder,  and  begged  of  him  to  alight  and 
come  in. 

"  I  thank  you  very  much  ;  but,  in  fact,  my  hours  are  now  num- 
bered here.  I  have  just  received  an  order  to  join  my  regiment;  we 
have  been  ordered  for  service,  and  Sir  George  has  most  kindly  per- 
mitted my  giving  up  my  staff  appointment.  I  could  not,  however, 
leave  the  country  without  shaking  hands  with  you.  I  owe  you  a 
lesson  in  horsemanship,  and  I'm  only  sorry  that  we  are  not  to  have 
another  day  together." 

"  Then  you  are  going  out  to  the  Peninsula?"  said  I. 

"  Why,  we  hope  so;  the  Commander-in-Chief,  they  say,  is  in  great 
want  of  cavalry,  and  we  scarcely  less  in  want  of  something  to  do.  I'm 
sorry  you  are  not  coining  with  us." 

"  Would  to  Heaven  I  were !"  said  I,  with  an  earnestness  that 
almost  made  my  brain  start. 

"Then,  why  not?" 

"  Unfortunately,  I  am  peculiarly  situated.  My  worthy  uncle,  who 
is  all  to  me  in  this  world,  would  be  quite  alone  if  I  were  to  leave 
him  ;  and  although  he  has  never  said  so,  I  know  he  dreads  the  pos- 
sibility of  my  suggesting  such  a  thing  to  him,  so  that  between  his 
fears  and  mine,  the  matter  is  never  broached  by  either  party,  nor  do 
I  think  ever  can  be." 

"Devilish  hard — but  I  believe  you  are  right;  something,  how- 
ever, may  turn  up  yet  to  alter  his  mind,  and,  if  so,  and  if  you  do 
take  to  dragooning,  don't  forget  George  Hammersley  will  be 
always  most  delighted  to  meet  you;  and  so  good-bye,  O'Malley, 
good-bye." 

He  turned  his  horse's  head  and  was  already  some  paces  off,  when 
he  returned  to  my  side,  and,  in  a  lower  tone  of  voice,  said, — 

"  I  ought  to  mention  to  you  that  there  has  been  much  discussion 
on  your  affair  at  Blake's  table,  and  only  one  opinion  on  the  matter 
among  all  parties — that  you  acted  perfectly  right.  Sir  George 
Dash  wood — no  mean  judge  of  such  things — quite  approves  of  your 
conduct,  and  I  believe  wishes  you  to  know  as  much ;  and  now,  once 
more  good-bye." 


68  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER    X. 

THE  ELECTION. 

THE  important  morning  at  length  arrived,  and  as  I  looked 
from  my  bedroom  window  at  daybreak,  the  crowd  of  carriages 
of  all  sorts  and  shapes,  decorated  with  banners  and  placards ; 
lie  incessant  bustle ;  the  hurrying  hither  and  thither ;  the  cheering 
as  each  new  detachment  of  voters  came  up,  mounted  on  jaunting- 
cars,  or  on  horses  whose  whole  caparison  consisted  in  a  straw  rope 
for  a  bridle,  and  a  saddle  of  the  same  frail  material — all  informed 
me  that  the  election  day  was  come.  I  lost  no  further  time,  but  pro- 
ceeded to  dress  with  all  possible  despatch.  When  I  appeared  in  the 
oreakfast-room,  it  was  already  filled  with  some  seventy  or  eighty 
nersons  of  all  ranks  and  ages,  mingled  confusedly  together,  and 
enjoying  the  hospitable  fare  of  my  uncle's  house,  while  they  dis- 
cussed all  the  details  and  prospects  of  the  election.  In  the  hall,  the 
library,  the  large  drawing-room,  too,  similar  parties  were  also  as- 
sembled, and,  as  new  comers  arrived,  the  servants  were  busy  in 
preparing  tables  before  the  door  and  up  the  large  terrace  that  ran 
the  entire  length  of  the  building.  Nothing  could  be  more  amusing 
than  the  incongruous  mixture  of  the  guests,  who,  with  every  variety 
of  eatable  that  chance  or  inclination  provided,  were  thus  thrown 
into  close  contact,  having  only  this  in  common — the  success  of  the 
cause  they  were  engaged  in.  Here  was  the  old  Galway  squire,  with 
an  ancestry  that  reached  to  Noah,  sitting  side  by  side  with  the  poor 
cottier,  whose  whole  earthly  possession  was  what,  in  Irish  phrase, 
is  called  a  "  potato  garden,"  meaning  the  exactly  smallest  possible 
patch  of  ground  out  of  which  a  very  India-rubber  conscience  could 
presume  to  vote.  Here  sat  the  old  simple-minded,  farmer-like  man, 
in  close  conversation  with  a  little  white-foreheaded,  keen-eyed  per- 
sonage, in  a  black  coat  and  eye-glass — a  flash  attorney  from  Dublin, 
learned  in  flaws  of  the  registry,  and  deep  in  the  subtleties  of  election 
law.  There  was  an  Athlone  horse-dealer,  whose  habitual  daily 
practices  in  imposing  the  halt,  the  lame,  and  the  blind  upon  the 
unsuspecting  for  beasts  of  blood  and  mettle,  well  qualified  him  for 
the  trickery  of  a  county  contest.  Then  there  were  scores  of  squireen 
gentry,  easily  recognized  on  common  occasions  by  a  green  coat, 
brass  buttons,  dirty  cords,  and  dirtier  top-boots,  a  lashwhip,  and  a 
half-bred  fox-hound;  but  now,  fresh-washed  for  the  day,  they  pre- 
sented something  of  the  appearance  of  a  swell  mob,  adjusted  to  the 
meridian  of  Galway.  A  mass  of  frieze-coated,  brown-faced, "bullet- 
headed  peasantry  filled  up  the  large  spaces,  dotted  here  and  there 
with  a  sleek,  roguish-eyed  priest,  or  some  low  electioneering  agent, 


THE  ELECTION.  69 

detailing,  for  the  amusement  of  the  company,  some  of  those  cunning 
practices  of  former  times,  which,  if  known  to  the  proper -authorities, 
would  in  all  likelihood  cause  the  talented  narrator  to  be  improving 
the  soil  of  Sydney,  or  fishing  on  the  banks  of  the  Swan  River ;  while 
at  the  head  and  foot  of  each  table  sat  some  personal  friend  of  my 
uncle,  whose  ready  tongue,  and  still  readier  pistol,  made  him  a  per- 
sonage of  some  consequence,  not  more  to  his  own  people  than  to 
the  enemy.  While  of  such  material  were  the  company,  the  fare 
before  them  was  no  less  varied.  Here  some  rubicund  squire  was 
deep  in  amalgamating  the  contents  of  a  venison  pasty  with  some  of 
Sneyd's  oldest  claret ;  his  neighbor,  less  ambitious,  and  less  erudite 
in  such  matters,  was  devouring  rashers  of  bacon,  with  liberal  pota- 
tions of  potteen  ;  some  pale-cheeked  scion  of  the  law,  with  all  the 
dust  of  the  Four  Courts  in  his  throat,  was  sipping  his  humble  bev- 
erage of  black  tea  beside  four  sturdy  cattle-dealers  from  Ballinasloe, 
who  were  discussing  hot  whisky  punch  and  spoleaion  (boiled  beef) 
at  the  very  primitive  hour  of  eight  in  the  morning.  Amid  the  clank 
of  decanters,  the  clash  of  knives* and  plates,  the  jingling  of  glasses, 
the  laughter  and  voices  of  the  guests  were  audibly  increasing,  and 
the  various  modes  of  "  running  a  buck"  (Anglice,  substituting  a 
vote),  or  hunting  a  badger,  were  talked  over  on  all  sides,  while  the 
price  of  a  veal  (a  calf)  or  a  voter  was  disputed  with  all  the  energy 
of  debate. 

Refusing  many  an  offered  place,  I  went  through  the  different 
rooms  in  search  of  Considine,  to  whom  circumstances  of  late  had 
somehow  greatly  attached  me. 

"Here,  Charley,"  cried  a  voice  I  was  very  familiar  with — "here's 
a  place  I've  been  keeping  for  you." 

"Ah,  Sir  Harry,  how  do  you  do  ?   Any  of  that  grouse-pie  to  spare?" 

"Abundance,  my  boy;  but  I'm  afraid  I  can't  say  as  much  for  the 
liquor ;  I  have  been  shouting  for  claret  this  half-hour  in  vain ;  do 
get  us  some  nutriment  down  here,  and  the  Lord  will  reward  you. 
What  a  pity  it  is,"  he  added,  in  a  lower  tone,  to  his  neighbor — 
"  what  a  pity  a  quart  bottle  won't  hold  a  quart ;  but  I'll  bring  it 
before  the  house  one  of  these  days."  That  he  kept  his  word  in  this 
respect,  a  motion  on  the  books  of  the  Honorable  House  will  bear 
me  witness. 

"  Is  this  it  ?"  said  he,  turning  towards  a  farmer-like  old  man,  who 
had  put  some  question  to  him  across  the  table ;  "  is  it  the  apple-pie 
you'll  have  ?" 

"  Many  thanks  to  your  honor — I'd  like  it,  av  it  was  wholesome." 

"And  why  shouldn't  it  be  wholesome?"  said  Sir  Harry. 

"Troth,  then,  myself  does  not  know ;  but  my  father,  I  heerd  tell, 
died  of  an  apple-plexy,  and  I'm  afeerd  of  it." 


70  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

I  at  length  found  Considine,  and  learned  that,  as  a  very  good 
account  of  Bodkin  had  arrived,  there  was  no  reason  why  I  should 
not  proceed  to  the  hustings  ;  but  I  was  secretly  charged  not  to  take 
any  prominent  part  in  the  day's  proceedings.  My  uncle  I  only  saw 
for  an  instant ;  he  begged  me  to  be  careful,  avoid  all  scrapes,  and 
not  to  quit'Considine.  It  was  past  ten  o'clock  when  our  formidable 
procession  got  under  way,  and  headed  towards  the  town  of  Gal  way. 
The  road  was  for  miles  crowded  with  our  followers ;  banners  flying 
and  music  playing,  we  presented  something  of  the  spectacle  of  a  very 
ragged  army  on  its  march.  At  every  cross-road  a  mountain-path 
reinforcement  awaited  us,  and,  as  we  wended  along,  our  numbers 
were  momentarily  increasing ;  here  and  there  along  the  line,  some 
energetic  and  not  over-sober  adherent  was  regaling  his  auditory 
with  a  speech  in  laudation  of  the  O'Malleys  since  the  days  of  Moses, 
and  more  than  one  priest  was  heard  threatening  the  terrors  of  his 
Church  in  aid  of  a  cause  to  whose  success  he  was  pledged  and 
bound.  I  rode  beside  the  Count,  who,  surrounded  by  a  group  of 
choice  spirits,  recounted  the  various  happy  inventions  by  which 
he  had  on  divers  occasions  substituted  a  personal  quarrel  for  a 
contest.  Boyle  also  contributed  his  share  of  election  anecdote, 
and  one  incident  he  related  which  I  remember  amused  me  much  at 
the  time. 

"  Do  you  remember  Billy  Calvert,  that  came  down  to  contest  Kil- 
kenny ?"  inquired  Sir  Harry. 

"What!  ever  forget  him!"  said  Considine,  "  with  his  well-pow- 
dered wig,  and  his  hessians.  There  never  was  his  equal  for  lace 
ruffles  and  rings." 

'•  You  never  heard,  maybe,  how  he  lost  the  election?" 

"  He  resigned,  I  believe,  or  something  of  that  sort." 

"  No,  no,"  said  another  ;  "  he  never  came  forward  at  all ;  there's 
some  secret  in  it,  for  Tom  Butler  was  elected  without  a  contest." 

"  Jack,  I'll  tell  you  how  it  happened.  I  was  on  my  way  up  from 
Cork,  having  finished  my  own  business,  and  just  carried  the  day, 
not  without  a  push  for  it.  When  we  reached — Lady  Mary  was 
with  me — when  we  reached  Kilkenny,  the  night  before  the  election, 
I  was  not  ten  minutes  in  town  till  Butler  heard  of  it,  and  sent  off 
express  to  see  me ;  I  was  at  my  dinner  when  the  messenger  came, 
and  promised  to  go  over  when  I'd  done ;  but,  faith,  Tom  didn't  wait, 
but  came  rushing  up  stairs  himself,  and  dashed  into  the  room  in  the 
greatest  hurry. 

" '  Harry,'  says  he,  '  I'm  done  for  ;  the  corporation  of  free  smiths, 
that  were  always  above  bribery,  having  voted  for  myself  and  my 
father  before,  for  four  pounds  ten  a  man,  won't  come  forward  under 
six  guineas  and  whisky.     Calvert  has  the  money;  they  know  it. 


THE  ELECTION.  71 

The  devil  a  farthing  we  have ;  and  we've  been  paying  for  all  our 
fellows  that  can't  read  in  Hennesy's  notes,  and  you  know  the  bank's 
broke  these  three  weeks.' 

"  On  he  went,  giving  me  a  most  disastrous  picture  of  his  cause, 
and  concluded  by  asking  if  I  could  suggest  anything  under  the 
circumstances. 

" '  You  couldn't  get  a  decent  mob  and  clear  the  poll  ?' 

"'lam  afraid  not,'  said  he,  despondingly. 

"  '  Then  I  don't  see  what's  to  be  done,  if  you  can't  pick  a  fight 
With  himself.     Will  he  go  out?' 

" '  Lord  knows ;  they  say  he's  so  afraid  of  that,  that  it  has  pre- 
vented him  coming  down  till  the  very  day.  But  he  is  arrived 
now ;  he  came  in  the  evening,  and  is  stopping  at  Walsh's  in  Pat- 
rick street.' 

" '  Then  I'll  see  what  can  be  done,'  said  I. 

" '  Is  that  Calvert  the  little  man  that  blushes  when  the  Lady- 
Lieutenant  speaks  to  him  ?'  said  Lady  Mary. 

"  '  The  very  man.' 

" '  Would  it  be  of  any  use  to  you  if  he  could  not  come  on  the 
hustings  to-morrow  ?'  said  she  again. 

" '  'Twould  gain  us  the  day ;  half  the  voters  don't  believe  he's 
here  at  all,  and  his  chief  agent  cheated  all  the  people  on  the  last 
election,  and  if  Calvert  didn't  appear,  he  wouldn't  have  ten  votes  to 
register.     But  why  do  you  ask  ?' 

"  '  Why,  that,  if  you  like,  I'll  bet  you  a  pair  of  diamond  earrings 
he  shan't  show.' 

"  '  Done,'  said  Butler ;  '  and  I  promise  a  necklace  into  the  bargain, 
if  you  win ;  but  I'm  afraid  you're  only  quizzing  me.' 

"  *  Here's  my  hand  on  it,'  said  she ;  '  and  now  let's  talk  of  some- 
thing else.' 

"As  Lady  Mary  never  asked  my  assistance,  and  as  I  knew  she 
was  very  well  able  to  perform  whatever  she  undertook,  you  may  be 
sure  I  gave  myself  very  little  trouble  about  the  whole  affair,  and 
when  they  came,  I  went  off  to  breakfast  with  Tom's  committee,  not 
knowing  anything  that  was  to  be  done. 

"  Calvert  had  given  orders  that  he  was  to  be  called  at  eight 
o'clock,  and  so  a  few  minutes  before  that  time  a  gentle  knock  came 
to  the  door. 

" '  Come  in,'  said  he,  thinking  it  was  the  waiter,  and  covering 
himself  up  in  the  clothes, — for  he  was  the  most  bashful  creature 
ever  was  seen, — *  come  in.' 

"  The  door  opened,  and  what  was  his  horror  to  find  that  a  lady 
entered  the  room  in  her  dressing-gown,  her  hair  on  her  shoulders, 
very  much  tossed  and  dishevelled !     The  moment  she  came  in  she 


72  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

closed  the  door,  and  locked  it,  and  then  sat  leisurely  down  upon  a 
chair. 

"  Billy's  teeth  chattered,  and  his  limbs  trembled,  for  this  was  an 
adventure  of  a  very  novel  kind  for  him.  At  last  he  took  courage 
to  speak. 

"  '  I  am  afraid,  madam,'  said  he,  '  that  you  are  under  some  un- 
happy mistake,  and  that  you  suppose  this  chamber  is ' 

'     "  '  Mr.  Calvert's,'  said  the  lady,  with  a  solemn  voice,  '  is  it  not?' 

"  '  Yes,  madam,  I  am  that  person.' 

"  '  Thank  God,'  said  the  lady,  with  a  very  impressive  tone  ;  '  here  I 
am  safe.' 

"  Billy  grew  very  much  puzzled  at  these  words ;  but  hoping  that, 
by  his  silence,  the  lady  would  proceed  to  some  explanation,  he  said 
no  more.  She,  however,  seemed  to  think  that  nothing  further  was 
necessary,  and  sat  still  and  motionless,  with  her  hands  before  her 
and  her  eyes  fixed  on  Billy. 

"  '  You  seem  to  forget  me,  sir  ?'  said  she,  with  a  faint  smile. 

"  '  I  do,  indeed,  madam  ;  the  half-light,  the  novelty  of  your  cos- 
tume, and  the  strangeness  of  the  circumstance  altogether,  must  plead 
for  me — if  I  appear  rude  enough.' 

"  '  I  am  Lady  Mary  Boyle,'  said  she. 

"  •  I  do  remember  you,  madam  ;  but  may  I  ask ?' 

"  '  Yes,  yes,  I  know  what  you  would  ask  ;  you  would  say,  why  are 
you  here  ?  how  comes  it  that  you  have  so  far  outstepped  the  pro- 
priety of  which  your  whole  life  is  an  example,  that  alone,  at  such  a 
time,  you  appear  in  the  chamber  of  a  man  whose  character  for  gal- 
lantry  ?' 

"  '  Oh,  indeed — indeed,  my  lady,  nothing  of  the  kind/ 

"  'Ah,  alas  !  poor  defenceless  women  learn  too  late  how  constantly 
associated  is  the  retiring  modesty  which  decries  with  the  pleasing 
powers  which  ensure  success ' 

"  Here  she  sobbed,  Billy  blushed,  and  the  clock  struck  nine. 

"  '  May  I  then  beg,  madam ' 

"  '  Yes,  yes,  you  shall  hear  it  all ;  but  my  poor  scattered  faculties 
will  not  be  the  clearer  by  your  hurrying  me.  You  know,  perhaps/ 
continued  she,  'that  my  maiden  name  was  Kogers?'  He  of  the 
blankets  bowed,  and  she  resumed.  '  It  is  now  eighteen  years  since 
that  a  young,  unsuspecting,  fond  creature,  reared  in  all  the  care  and 
fondness  of  doting  parents,  tempted  her  first  step  in  life,  and  trusted 
her  fate  to  another's  keeping.  I  am  that  unhappy  person ;  the  other, 
that  monster  in  human  guise  that  smiled  but  to  betray,  that  won 
but  to  ruin  and  destroy,  is  he  whom  you  know  as  Sir  Harry  Boyle' 

"  Here  she  sobbed  for  some  minutes,  wiped  her  eyes,  and  resumed 
her  narrative.     Beginning  at  the  period  of  her  marriage,  she  de- 


THE  ELECTION.  <S 

tailed  a  number  of  circumstances,  which  poor  Calvert,  in  all  his 
anxiety  to  come  au  fond  at  matters,  could  never  perceive  bore  upon 
the  question  in  any  way  ;  but  as  she  recounted  them  all  with  great 
force  and  precision,  entreating  him  to  bear  in  mind  certain  circum- 
stances to  which  she  should  recur  by-and-by,  his  attention  was  kept 
on  the  stretch,  and  it  was  only  when  the  clock  struck  ten  that  he 
was  fully  aware  how  his  morning  was  passing,  and  what  surmises 
his  absence  might  originate. 

"  •  May  I  interrupt  you  for  a  moment,  dear  madam  ?  Was  it  nine 
or  ten  o'clock  which  struck  last  ?' 

"  '  How  should  I  know  ?'  said  she,  frantically.  '  What  are  hours 
and  minutes  to  her  who  has  passed  long  years  of  misery  ?' 

«  *  Very  true — very  true,'  replied  he  timidly,  and  rather  fearing 
for  the  intellects  of  his  fair  companion. 

"  She  continued. 

"The  narrative,  however,  so  far  from  becoming  clearer,  grew 
gradually  more  confused  and  intricate,  and  as  frequent  references 
were  made  by  the  lady  to  some  previous  statement,  Calvert  was 
more  than  once  rebuked  for  forgetful ness  and  inattention,  where, 
in  reality,  nothing  less  than  shorthand  could  have  borne  him 
through. 

" '  Was  it  in  '93  I  said  Sir  Harry  left  me  at  Tuam  V 

" '  Upon  my  life,  madam,  I  am  afraid  to  aver ;  but  it  strikes 
me ' 

"  '  Gracious  powers  I  and  this  is  he  whom  I  fondly  trusted  to  make 
the  depository  of  my  woes — cruel,  cruel  man.'  Here  she  sobbed 
considerably  for  several  minutes,  and  spoke  not. 

"A  loud  cheer  of  '  Butler  for  ever  1'  from  the  mob  without  now 
burst  upon  their  hearing,  and  recalled  poor  Calvert  at  once  to  the 
thought  that  the  hours  were  speeding  fast,  and  no  prospect  of  the 
everlasting  tale  coming  to  an  end. 

" '  I  am  deeply,  most  deeply  grieved,  my  dear  madam,'  said  the 
little  man,  sitting  up  in  a  pyramid  of  blankets,  'but  hours,  minutes, 
are  most  precious  to  me  this  morning.  I  am  about  to  be  proposed 
as  member  for  Kilkenny.' 

"At  these  words  the  lady  straightened  her  figure  out,  threw  her 
arms  at  either  side,  and  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter,  which  poor  Cal- 
vert knew  at  once  to  be  hysterics.  Here  was  a  pretty  situation. 
The  bell-rope  lay  against  the  opposite  wall,  and  even  if  it  did  not, 
would  he  be  exactly  warranted  in  pulling  it  ? 

"  •  May  the  devil  and  all  his  angels  take  Sir  Harry  Boyle  and  his 
whole  connection  to  the  fifth  generation/  was  his  sincere  prayer,  as 
he  sat,  like  a  Chinese  juggler,  under  his  canopy. 

"At  length  the  violence  of  the  paroxysm  seemed  to  subside,  the 


74  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

sobs  became  less  frequent,  the  kicking  less  forcible,  and  the  lady's 
eyes  closed,  and  she  appeared  to  have  fallen  asleep. 

"  '  Now  is  the  moment,'  said  Billy  ;  -if  I  could  only  get  as  far  as 
my  dressing-gown.'  So  saying,  he  worked  himself  down  noiselessly 
to  the  foot  of  his  bed,  looked  fixedly  at  the  fallen  lids  of  the  sleep- 
ing lady,  and  essayed  one  leg  from  the  blankets.  '  Now  or  never,' 
said  he,  pushing  aside  the  curtain,  and  preparing  for  a  spring.  One 
more  look  he  cast  at  his  companion,  and  then  leaped  forth ;  but  just 
as  he  lit  upon  the  floor,  she  again  roused  herself,  screaming  with 
horror.  Billy  fell  upon  the  bed,  and,  rolling  himself  in  the  bed- 
clothes, vowed  never  to  rise  again  till  she  was  out  of  the  visible 
horizon. 

"  '  What  is  all  this?  what  do  you  mean,  sir?'  said  the  lady,  red- 
dening with  indignation. 

"'Nothing,  upon  my  soul,  madam;  it  was  only  my  dressing- 
gown  !' 

"  *  Your  dressing-gown !'  said  she,  with  an  emphasis  worthy  of 
Siddons  ;  '  a  likely  story  for  Sir  Harry  to  believe,  sir.     Fie,  fie,  sir.' 

"  This  last  allusion  seemed  a  settler,  for  the  luckless  Calvert 
heaved  a  profound  sigh,  and  sunk  down  as  if  all  hope  had  left  him. 
'  Butler  for  ever  !'  roared  the  mob ;  '  Calvert  for  ever !'  cried  a  boy's 
voice  from  without.  ■  Three  groans  for  the  runaway !'  answered  this 
announcement ;  and  a  very  tender  inquiry  of,  '  Where  is  he  ?'  was 
raised  by  some  hundred  mouths. 

"  '  Madam,'  said  the  almost  frantic  listener — '  madam,  I  must  get 
up  ;  I  must  dress.     I  beg  of  you  to  permit  me.' 

"  '  I  have  nothing  to  refuse,  sir.  Alas !  disdain  has  long  been  my 
only  portion.     Get  up,  if  you  will.' 

"  \  But,'  said  the  astonished  man,  who  was  well-nigh  deranged 
at  the  coolness  of  this  reply — •  but  how  am  I  to  do  so  if  you  sit 
there  ?' 

" '  Sorry  for  any  inconvenience  I  may  cause  you ;  but,  in  the 
crowded  state  of  the  hotel,  I  hope  you  see  the  impropriety  of  my 
walking  about  the  passages  in  this  costume?' 

"  '  And,  great  God  !  madam,  why  did  you  come  out  in  it?' 

"A  cheer  from  the  mob  prevented  her  reply  being  audible.  One 
o'clock  tolled  out  from  the  great  bell  of  the  cathedral. 

" '  There's  one  o'clock,  as  I  live.' 

"  '  I  heard  it,'  said  the  lady. 

"  '  The  shouts  are  increasing.  What  is  that  I  hear?  Butler  is  in. 
Gracious  mercy,  is  the  election  over  ?' 

"  The  lady  stepped  to  the  window,  drew  aside  the  curtain,  and 
said,  '  Indeed  it  would  appear  so.  The  mob  are  cheering  Mr.  But- 
ler.'    [  A  deafening  shout  burst  from  the  street,  j     '  Perhaps  you'd 


AN  ADVENTURE.  75 

like  to  see  the  fun,  so  I'll  not  detain  you  any  longer.  So,  good-bye, 
Mr.  Calvert ;  and  as  your  breakfast  will  be  cold,  in  all  likelihood, 
come  down  to  No.  4,  for  Sir  Harry  is  a  late  man,  and  will  be  glad 
to  see  you.' " 


CHAPTER    XI. 

AN  ADVENTURE. 

WHILE  thus  we  lightened  our  way  with  chatting,  the  in- 
creasing concourse  of  people,  and  the  greater  throng  of 
carriages  that  filled  the  road,  announced  that  we  had 
nearly  reached  our  destination. 

"  Considine,"  said  my  uncle,  riding  up  to  where  we  were,  "  I  have 
just  got  a  few  lines  from  Davern.  It  seems  Bodkin's  people  are 
afraid  to  come  in ;  they  know  what  they  must  expect,  and  if  so, 
more  than  half  of  that  barony  is  lost  to  our  opponent." 

"Then  he  has  no  chance  whatever." 

"  He  never  had,  in  my  opinion,"  said  Sir  Harry. 

"  We'll  see  soon,"  said  my  uncle,  cheerfully,  and  rode  to  the 
post. 

The  remainder  of  the  way  was  occupied  in  discussing  the  various 
possibilities  of  the  election,  into  which  I  was  rejoiced  to  find  that 
defeat  never  entered. 

In  the  goodly  days  I  speak  of,  a  county  contest  was  a  very  differ- 
ent thing  indeed  from  the  tame  and  insipid  farce  that  now  passes 
under  that  name;,  where  a  briefless  barrister,  bullied  by  both  sides, 
sits  as  assessor — a  few  drunken  voters — a  radical  O'Connellite  gro- 
cer— a  demagogue  priest — a  deputy  grand  purple  something  from 
the  Trinity  College  lodge,  with  some  half-dozen  followers,  shouting, 
"  To  the  devil  with  Peel !"  or  "  Down  with  Dens !"  form  the  whole 
corps  de  ballet.  No,  no ;  in  the  times  I  refer  to,  the  voters  were  some 
thousands  in  number,  and  the  adverse  parties  took  the  field,  far  less 
dependent  for  success  upon  previous  pledge  or  promise  made  them 
than  upon  the  actual  stratagem  of  the  day.  Each  went  forth,  like 
a  general  to  battle,  surrounded  by  a  numerous  and  well-chosen  staff; 
one  party  of  friends,  acting  as  commissariat,  attended  to  the  vic- 
tualing of  the  voters, — that  they  obtained  a  due,  or  rather  undue, 
allowance  of  liquor,  and  came  properly  drunk  to  the  poll ;  others, 
again,  broke  into  skirmishing  parties,  and,  scattered  over  the  coun- 
try, cut  off  the  enemy's  supplies,  breaking  down  their  post-chaises, 
upsetting  their  jaunting-cars,  stealing  their  poll-books,  and  kidnap- 
ping their  agents.     Then  there  were  secret  service  people,  bribing 


76  CHARLES  0>M ALLEY. 

the  enemy  and  enticing  them  to  desert ;  and  lastly,  there  was  a 
species  of  sapper-and-miner  force,  who  invented  false  documents, 
denied  the  identity  of  the  opposite  party's  people,  and,  when  hard 
pushed,  provided  persons  who  took  bribes  from  the  enemy,  and  gave 
evidence  afterwards  on  a  petition.  Amid  all  these  encounters  of 
wit  and  ingenuity,  the  personal  friends  of  the  candidate  formed  a 
species  of  rifle  brigade,  picking  out  the  enemy's  officers,  and  doing 
sore  damage  to  their  tactics  by  shooting  a  proposer,  or  wounding  a 
seconder — a  considerable  portion  of  every  leading  agent's  fee  being 
intended  as  compensation  for  the  duels  he  might,  could,  would, 
should,  or  ought  to  fight  during  the  election.  Such,  in  brief,  was  a 
contest  in  the  olden  time  ;  and  when  it  is  taken  into  consideration 
that  it  usually  lasted  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks,  that  a  considerable 
military  force  was  always  engaged  (for  our  Irish  law  permits  this), 
and  which,  when  nothing  pressing  was  doing,  was  regularly  assailed 
by  both  parties, — that  far  more  dependence  was  placed  in  a  blud- 
geon than  a  pistol, — and  that  the  man  who  registered  a  vote  without 
a  cracked  pate  was  regarded  as  a  kind  of  natural  phenomenon, 
some  faint  idea  may  be  formed  how  much  such  a  scene  must  have 
contributed  to  the  peace  of  the  county,  and  the  happiness  and 
welfare  of  all  concerned  in  it. 

As  we  rode  along,  a  loud  cheer  from  a  road  that  ran  parallel  to 
the  one  we  were  pursuing  attracted  our  attention,  and  we  perceived 
that  a  cortege  of  the  opposite  party  was  hastening  on  to  the  hust- 
ings. I  could  distinguish  the  Blake  girls  on  horseback  among  a 
crowd  of  officers  in  undress,  and  saw  something  like  a  bonnet  in  the 
carriage-and-four  which  headed  the  procession,  and  which  I  judged 
to  be  that  of  Sir  George  Dashwood.  My  heart  beat  strongly  as  I 
strained  my  eyes  to  see  if  Miss  Dashwood  wras  there  ;  but  I  could 
not  discern  her,  and  it  was  with  a  sense  of  relief  that  I  reflected  on 
the  possibility  of  our  not  meeting  under  circumstances  wherein  our 
feelings  and  interests  were  so  completely  opposed.  While  I  was 
engaged  in  making  this  survey,  I  had  accidentally  dropped  behind 
my  companions ;  my  eyes  were  firmly  fixed  upon  that  carriage,  and 
in  the  faint  hope  that  it  contained  the  object  of  all  my  wishes,  I 
forgot  everything  else.  At  length  the  cortege  entered  the  town, 
and,  passing  beneath  a  heavy  stone  gateway,  was  lost  to  my  view. 
I  wTas  still  lost  in  reverie,  when  an  under-agent  of  my  uncle's 
rode  up. 

"Oh!  Master  Charles,"  said  he,  "what's  to  be  done?  They've 
forgotten  Mr.  Holmes  at  Woodford,  and  we  haven't  a  carriage, 
chaise,  or  even  a  car  left  to  send  for  him." 

"  Have  you  told  Mr.  Considine?"  inquired  I. 

"And  sure  you  know  yourself  how  little  Mr.  Considine  thinks  of 


AN  AD  VENT UHE.  77 

a  lawyer.  It's  small  comfort  he'd  give  me  if  I  went  to  tell  him.  If 
it  was  a  case  of  pistols  or  a  bullet  mould,  he'd  ride  back  the  whole 
way  himself  for  them." 

"  Try  Sir  Harry  Boyle,  then." 

"  He's  making  a  speech  this  minute  before  the  Court-house." 

This  had  sufficed  to  show  me  how  far  behind  my  companions  I 
had  been  loitering,  when  a  cheer  from  the  distant  road  again  turned 
my  eyes  in  that  direction  ;  it  was  the  Dashwood  carriage  returning 
after  leaving  Sir  George  at  the  hustings.  The  head  of  the  britska, 
before  thrown  open,  was  now  closed,  and  I  could  not  make  out  if 
any  one  were  inside. 

"  Devil  a  doubt  of  it,"  said  the  agent,  in  answer  to  some  question 
of  a  farmer  who  rode  beside  him ;  "  will  you  stand  to  me?" 

"  Troth,  to  be  sure  I  will." 

"  Here  goes,  then,"  said  he,  gathering  up  his  reins  and  turning 
his  horse  towards  the  fence  at  the  roadside ;  "  follow  me  now,  boys." 

The  order  was  well  obeyed,  for  when  he  had  cleared  the  ditch,  a 
dozen  stout  country  fellows,  well  mounted,  were  beside  him.  Away 
they  went  at  a  hunting  pace,  taking  every  leap  before  them,  and 
heading  towards  the  road  before  us. 

Without  thinking  further  of  the  matter,  I  was  laughing  at  the 
droll  effect  the  line  of  frieze  coats  presented  as  they  rode  side  by 
side,  over  the  stone  walls,  when  an  observation  near  me  aroused  my 
attention. 

"Ah,  then,  av  they  know  anything  of  Tim  Finucane,  they'll  give 
it  up  peaceably;  it's  little  he'd  think  of  taking  the  coach  from  under 
the  judge  himself." 

"  What  are  they  about,  boys  ?"  said  I. 

"  Goin'  to  take  the  chaise-and-four  forninst  ye,  yer  honor,"  said 
the  man. 

I  waited  not  to  hear  more,  but  darting  spurs  into  my  horse's  sides, 
cleared  the  fence  in  one  bound.  My  horse,  a  strong-knit  half-bred, 
was  as  fast  as  a  racer  for  a  short  distance ;  so  that  when  the  agent 
and  his  party  had  come  up  with  the  carriage,  I  was  only  a  few  hun- 
dred yards  behind.  I  shouted  out  with  all  my  might,  but  they 
either  heard  not  or  heeded  not,  for  scarcely  was  the  first  man  over 
the  fence  into  the  road,  when  the  postilion  on  the  leader  was  felled 
to  the  ground,  and  his  place  supplied  by  his  slayer ;  the  boy  on  the 
wheeler  shared  the  same  fate,  and  in  an  instant,  so  well  managed 
was  the  attack,  the  carriage  was  in  possession  of  the  assailants. 
Four  stout  fellows  had  climbed  into  the  box  and  the  rumble,  and 
six  others  were  climbing  to  the  interior,  regardless  of  the  aid  of 
steps.  By  this  time  the  Dashwood  party  had  got  the  alarm,  and 
returned  in  full  force— not,  however,  before  the  other  had  laid  whip 


78  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

to  the  horses,  and  set  out  in  full  gallop  ;  and  now  commenced  the 
most  terrific  race  I  ever  witnessed. 

The  four  carriage-horses,  which  were  the  property  of  Sir  George, 
were  English  thorough-breds  of  great  value,  and,  totally  unaccus- 
tomed to  the  treatment  they  experienced,  dashed  forward  at  a  pace 
that  threatened  annihilation  to  the  carriage  at  every  bound.  The 
pursuers,  though  well  mounted,  were  speedily  distanced,  but  fol- 
lowed at  a  pace  that  in  the  end  was  certain  to  overtake  the  carriage. 
As  for  myself,  I  rode  on  beside  the  road,  at  the  full  speed  of  my 
horse,  shouting,  cursing,  imploring,  execrating,  and  beseeching  at 
turns,  but  all  in  vain ;  the  yells  and  shouts  of  the  pursuers  and 
pursued  drowned  all  other  sounds,  except  when  the  thundering 
crash  of  the  horses'  feet  rose  above  all.  The  road,  like  most  west- 
ern Irish  roads  until  the  present  century,  lay  straight  as  an  arrow 
for  miles,  regardless  of  every  opposing  barrier,  and  in  the  instance 
in  question  crossed  a  mountain  at  its  very  highest  point.  Towards 
this  pinnacle  the  pace  had  been  tremendous;  but,  owing  to  the 
higher  breeding  of  the  cattle,  the  carriage  party  had  still  the  ad- 
vance, and  when  they  reached  the  top,  they  proclaimed  the  victory 
by  a  cheer  of  triumph  and  derision.  The  carriage  disappeared  be- 
neath the  crest  of  the  mountain,  and  the  pursuers  halted,  as  if  dis- 
posed to  relinquish  the  chase. 

"  Come  on,  boys.  Never  give  up,"  cried  I,  springing  over  into 
the  road,  and  heading  the  party  to  which  by  every  right  I  was 
opposed. 

It  was  no  time  for  deliberation,  and  they  followed  me  with  a 
hearty  cheer  that  convinced  me  I  was  unknown.  The  next  instant 
we  were  on  the  mountain  top,  and  beheld  the  carriage  half  way  down 
beneath  us,  still  galloping  at  full  stretch. 

"  We  have  them  now,"  said  a  voice  behind  me ;  "  they'll  never 
turn  Lurra  Bridge,  if  we  only  press  on." 

The  speaker  was  right.  The  road  at  the  mountain  foot  turned  at 
a  perfect  right  angle,  and  then  crossed  a  lofty  one-arched  bridge, 
over  a  mountain  torrent  that  ran  deep  and  boisterously  beneath. 
On  we  went,  gaining  at  every  stride,  for  the  fellows  who  rode  pos- 
tilion well  knew  what  was  before  them,  and  slackened  their  pace  to 
secure  a  safe  turning.  A  yell  of  victory  arose  from  the  pursuers, 
but  was  answered  by  the  others  with  a  cheer  of  defiance.  The  space 
was  now  scarcely  two  hundred  yards  between  us,  when  the  head  of 
the  britska  was  flung  down,  and  a  figure  that  I  at  once  recognized 
as  the  redoubted  Tim  Finucane,  one  of  the  boldest  and  most  reck- 
less fellows  in  the  county,  was  seen  standing  on  the  seat,  holding — 
gracious  heavens !  it  was  true — holding  in  his  arms  the  apparently 
lifeless  figure  of  Miss  Dashwood. 


MICKEY  FREE.  79 

"  Hold  in  !"  shouted  the  ruffian,  with  a  voice  that  rose  high  above 
all  the  other  sounds.  "  Hold  in  !  or,  by  the  Eternal,  I'll  throw  her, 
body  and  bones,  into  the  Lurra  Gash !"  for  such  was  the  torrent 
called  that  boiled  and  foamed  a  few  yards  before  us. 

He  had  by  this  time  got  firmly  planted  on  the  hind  seat,  and 
held  the  drooping  form  on  one  arm,  with  all  the  ease  of  a  giant's 
grasp. 

"For  the  love  of  God  !"  said  I,  "pull  up.  I  know  him  well — 
he'll  do  it  to  a  certainty  if  you  press  on." 

"And  we  know  you  too,"  said  a  ruffianly  fellow,  with  a  dark 
whisker  meeting  beneath  his  chin,  "  and  have  some  scores  to  settle 
ere  we  part " 

But  I  heard  no  more.  With  one  tremendous  effort  I  dashed  my 
horse  forward.  The  carriage  turned  an  angle  of  the  road — for  an 
instant  was  out  of  sight — another  moment  I  was  behind  it. 

"  Stop !"  I  shouted,  with  a  last  effort,  but  in  vain.  The  horses, 
maddened  and  infuriated,  sprang  forward,  and,  heedless  of  all  efforts 
to  turn  them,  the  leaders  sprang  over  the  low  parapet  of  the  bridge, 
and  hanging  for  a  second  by  the  traces,  fell  with  a  crash  into  the 
swollen  torrent  beneath.  By  this  time  I  was  beside  the  carriage. 
Finucane  had  now  clambered  to  the  box,  and,  regardless  of  the 
death  and  ruin  around,  bent  upon  his  murderous  object,  he  lifted 
the  light  and  girlish  form  above  his  head,  bent  backwards,  as  if  to 
give  greater  impulse  to  his  effort,  when,  twining  my  lash  around  my 
wrist,  I  levelled  my  heavy  and  loaded  hunting  whip  at  his  head ; 
the  weighted  ball  of  lead  struck  him  exactly  beneath  his  hat,  he 
staggered,  his  hands  relaxed,  and  he  fell  lifeless  to  the  ground.  The 
same  instant  I  was  felled  to  the  earth  by  a  blow  from  behind,  and 
saw  no  more. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

MICKEY   FREE. 

NEARLY  three  weeks  followed  the  event  I  have  just  narrated 
ere  I  again  was  restored  to  consciousness.  The  blow  by 
which  I  was  felled — from  what  hand  coming  it  was  never 
afterwards  discovered — had  brought  on  concussion  of  the  brain, 
and  for  several  days  my  life  was  despaired  of.  As  by  slow  steps  I 
advanced  towards  recovery,  I  learned  from  Considine  that  Miss 
Dashwood,  whose  life  was  saved  by  my  interference,  had  testified 
her  gratitude  in  the  warmest  manner,  and  that  Sir  George  had,  up 


80  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

to  the  period  of  his  leaving  the  country,  never  omitted  a  single  day 
to  ride  over  and  inquire  for  me. 

"  You  know,  of  course,"  said  the  Count,  supposing  such  news  was 
the  most  likely  to  interest  me —  "  you  know  we  beat  them  V 

"  No,  pray  tell  me  all.  They've  not  let  me  hear  anything  hither- 
to I" 

"  One  day  finished  the  whole  affair.  We  polled  man  for  man  till 
past  two  o'clock,  when  our  fellows  lost  all  patience,  and  beat  their 
tallies  out  of  the  town.  The  police  came  up,  but  they  beat  the 
police ;  then  they  got  soldiers,  but  begad  they  were  too  strong  for 
them  too.  Sir  George  witnessed  it  all,  and  knowing,  besides,  how 
little  chance  he  had  of  success,  deemed  it  best  to  give  in ;  so  that  a 
little  before  five  o'clock  he  resigned.  I  must  say  no  man  could 
behave  better.  He  came  across  the  hustings  and  shook  hands  with 
Godfrey ;  and,  as  the  news  of  the  scrimmage  with  his  daughter  had 
just  arrived,  said  that  he  was  sorry  his  prospect  of  success  had  not 
been  greater,  that,  in  resigning,  he  might  testify  how  deeply  he  felt 
the  debt  the  O'Malleys  had  laid  him  under." 

"  And  my  uncle,  how  did  he  receive  his  advances  ?" 

"Like  his  own  honest  self;  grasped  his  hand  firmly;  and  upon 
my  soul  I  think  he  was  half  sorry  that  he  gained  the  day.  Do  you 
know,  he  took  a  mighty  fancy  to  that  blue-eyed  daughter  of  the  old 
General's.  Faith,  Charley,  if  he  was  some  twenty  years  younger,  I 
would  not  say  but Come,  come,  I  didn't  mean  to  hurt  your  feel- 
ings ;  but  I  have  been  staying  here  too  long.  I'll  send  up  Mickey 
to  sit  with  you.     Mind  and  don't  be  talking  too  much  to  him." 

So  saying,  the  worthy  Count  left  the  room,  fully  impressed  that, 
in  hinting  at  the  possibility  of  my  uncle's  marrying  again,  he  had 
said  something  to  ruffle  my  temper. 

For  the  next  two  or  three  weeks  my  life  was  one  of  the  most  tire- 
some monotony.  Strict  injunctions  had  been  given  by  the  doctors 
to  avoid  exciting  me ;  and,  consequently,  every  one  that  came  in 
walked  on  tiptoe,  spoke  in  whispers,  and  left  me  in  five  minutes. 
Reading  was  absolutely  forbidden ;  and,  with  a  sombre  half-light  to 
sit  in,  and  chicken  broth  to  support  nature,  I  dragged  out  as  dreary 
an  existence  as  any  gentleman  west  of  Athlone. 

Whenever  my  uncle  or  Considine  was  not  in  the  room,  my  compan- 
ion was  my  own  servant,  Michael,  or,  as  he  was  better  known, "  Mickey 
Free."  Now,  had  Mickey  been  left  to  bis  own  free  and  unrestricted 
devices,  the  time  would  not  have  hung  so  heavily ;  for,  among  Mike's 
manifold  gifts,  he  was  possessed  of  a  very  great  flow  of  gossiping 
conversation ;  he  knew  all  that  was  doing  in  the  county,  and  never 
was  barren  in  his  information  wherever  his  imagination  could  come 
into  play.     Mickey  was  the  best  hurler  in  the  barony,  no  mean  per- 


MICKEY  FREE.  81 

former  on  the  violin,  could  dance  the  national  bolero  of  "  Tatter 
Jack  Walsh"  in  a  way  that  charmed  more  than  one  soft  heart  be- 
neath a  red  woolsey  bodice,  and  had,  withal,  the  peculiar  free-and- 
easy  devil-may-care  kind  of  off-hand  Irish  way  that  never  deserted 
him  in  the  midst  of  his  wiliest  and  most  subtle  moments,  giving  to 
a  very  deep  and  cunning  fellow  all  the  apparent  frankness  and  open- 
ness of  a  country  lad. 

He  had  attached  himself  to  me  as  a  kind  of  sporting  companion ; 
and,  growing  daily  more  and  more  useful,  had  been  gradually  ad- 
mitted to  the  honors  of  the  kitchen  and  the  prerogatives  of  cast 
clothes,  without  ever  having  been  actually  engaged  as  a  servant ; 
and  while  thus  no  warrant  officer,  as,  in  fact,  he  discharged  all  his 
duties  well  and  punctually,  was  rated  among  the  ship's  company, 
though  no  one  could  say  at  what  precise  period  he  changed  his  cater- 
pillar existence  and  became  the  gay  butterfly,  with  cords  and  tops, 
a  striped  vest,  and  a  most  knowing  jerry  hat,  who  stalked  about  the 
stable  yard  and  bullied  the  helpers.  Such  was  Mike.  He  had  made 
his  fortune,  such  as  it  was,  and  had  a  most  becoming  pride  in  the 
fact  that  he  made  himself  indispensable  to  an  establishment  which 
before  he  entered  it  never  knew  the  want  of  him.  As  for  me,  he 
was  everything  to  me.  Mike  informed  me  what  horse  was  strong, 
why  the  chestnut  mare  couldn't  go  out,  and  why  the  black  horse 
could.  He  knew  the  arrival  of  a  new  covey  of  partridges  quicker 
than  the  Morning  Post  does  of  a  noble  family  from  the  Continent, 
and  could  tell  their  whereabouts  twice  as  accurately  ;  but  his  talents 
took  a  wider  range  than  field  sports  afford,  and  he  was  the  faithful 
chronicler  of  every  wake,  station,  wedding,  or  christening  for  miles 
round;  and  as  I  took  no  small  pleasure  in  those  very  national  pas- 
times, the  information  was  of  great  value  to  me.  To  conclude  this 
brief  sketch,  Mike  was  a  devout  Catholic,  in  the  same  sense  that  he 
was  enthusiastic  about  anything ;  that  is,  he  believed  and  obeyed 
exactly  as  far  as  suited  his  own  peculiar  notions  of  comfort  and  hap- 
piness. Beyond  that,  his  skepticism  stepped  in  and  saved  him  from 
inconvenience ;  and  though  he  might  have  been  somewhat  puzzled 
to  reduce  his  faith  to  a  rubric,  still  it  answered  his  purpose,  and 
that  was  all  he  wanted.  Such,  in  short,  was  my  valet,  Mickey  Free, 
who,  had  not  heavy  injunctions  been  laid  on  him  as  to  silence  and 
discretion,  would  well  have  lightened  my  weary  hours. 

"Ah!  then,  Misther  Charles,"  said  he,  with  a  half-suppressed 
yawn  at  the  long  period  of  probation  his  tongue  had  been  under- 
going in  silence — "  ah !  then,  but  you  were  mighty  near  it." 

"Near  what?"  said  I. 

"  Faith,  then,  myself  doesn't  well  know.    Some  say  it's  purga- 
thory  ;  but  it's  hard  to  tell." 
6 


82  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  I  thought  you  were  too  good  a  Catholic,  Mickey,  to  show  any 
doubts  on  the  matter?" 

"  Maybe  I  am — maybe  I  ain't,"  was  the  cautious  reply. 

"  Wouldn't  Father  Eoach  explain  any  of  your  difficulties  for  you, 
if  you  went  over  to  him  ?" 

"  Faix,  it's  little  I'd  mind  his  explainings." 

"  And  why  not  ?" 

"  Easy  enough.  If  you  ax  ould  Miles  there,  without,  what  does 
he  be  doing  with  all  the  powther  and  shot,  wouldn't  he  tell  you  he's 
shooting  the  rooks,  and  the  magpies,  and  some  other  varmint?  but 
myself  knows  he  sells  it  to  Widow  Casey,  at  two-and-fourpence  a 
pound ;  so  belikes  Father  Roach  may  be  shooting  away  at  the  poor 
souls  in  purgathory,  that  all  this  time  are  enjoying  the  hoith  of  fine 
living  in  heaven,  ye  understand." 

"  And  you  think  that's  the  way  of  it,  Mickey  ?" 

"  Troth,  it's  likely.  Anyhow,  I  know  it's  not  the  place  they  make 
it  out." 

"  Why,  how  do  you  mean?" 

"Well,  then,  I'll  tell  you,  Misther  Charles;  but  you  must  not  be 
saying  anything  about  it  afther ;  for  I  don't  like  to  talk  about  these 
kind  of  things." 

Having  pledged  myself  to  the  requisite  silence  and  secrecy,  Mickey 
began : 

"  Maybe  you  heard  tell  of  the  way  my  father — rest  his  soul,  wher- 
ever he  is — came  to  his  end.  Well,  I  needn't  mind  particulars,  but, 
in  short,  he  was  murdered  in  Ballinasloe  one  night,  when  he  was 
batin'  the  whole  town  with  a  blackthorn  stick  he  had,  more  by 
token,  a  piece  of  scythe  was  stuck  at  the  end  of  it ;  a  nate  weapon, 
and  one  he  was  mighty  partial  to  ;  but  these  murdering  thieves,  the 
cattle  dealers,  that  never  cared  for  divarsion  of  any  kind,  fell  on  him 
and  broke  his  skull. 

"  Well,  we  had  a  very  agreeable  wake,  and  plenty  of  the  best  of 
everything,  and  to  spare,  and  I  thought  it  was  all  over ;  but  some- 
how, though  I  paid  Father  Roach  fifteen  shillings,  and  made  him 
mighty  drunk,  he  always  gave  me  a  black  look  whenever  I  met  him, 
and  when  I  took  off  my  hat,  he'd  turn  away  his  head  displeased  like. 

"' Murder  and  ages,'  says  I,  'what's  this  for?'  but  as  I've  a  light 
heart,  I  bore  up,  and  didn't  think  more  about  it.  One  day,  however, 
I  was  coming  home" from  Athlone  market,  by  myself  on  the  road, 
when  Father  Roach  overtook  me.  '  Devil  a  one  o'  me  'ill  take  any 
notice  of  you  now,'  says  I,  '  and  we'll  see  what'll  come  out  of  it.'  So 
the  priest  rid  up,  and  looked  me  straight  in  the  face. 

"  '  Mickey/  says  he — '  Mickey.' 

"  '  Father,'  says  I. 


MICKEY  FREE.  83 

" '  Is  it  that  way  you  salute  your  clargy/  says  he,  '  with  your  cau- 
been  on  your  head  ?' 

" '  Faix,'  says  I,  '  it's  little  ye  mind  whether  it's  an  or  aff,  for  you 
never  take  the  trouble  to  say,  "By  your  leave,"  or  "Damn  your 
soul,"  or  any  other  politeness,  when  we  meet.' 

"  '  You're  an  ungrateful  creature,'  says  he ;  *  and  if  you  only  knew 
you'd  be  trembling  in  your  skin  before  me,  this  minute.' 

"  '  Devil  a  tremble,'  says  I,  '  after  walking  six  miles  this  way." 

"  '  You're  an  obstinate,  hard-hearted  sinner,'  says  he,  '  and  it's  no 
use  in  telling  you.' 

"  *  Telling  me  what  ?'  says  I,  for  I  was  getting  curious  to  make  out 
what  he  meant. 

"  '  Mickey,'  says  he,  changing  his  voice,  and  putting  his  head  down 
close  to  me — '  Mickey,  I  saw  your  father  last  night.' 

"  '  The  saints  be  merciful  to  us  I'  says  I ;  '  did  ye  ?' 

"  '  I  did,'  says  he. 

" '  Tear  an  ages/  says  I ;  '  did  he  tell  you  what  he  did  with  the 
new  corduroys  he  bought  in  the  fair  ?' 

"  '  Oh !  then  you  are  a  could-hearted  creature/  says  he,  '  and  I'll 
not  lose  time  with  you.'  "With  that  he  was  going  to  ride  away,  when 
I  took  hold  of  the  bridle. 

"  '  Father,  darling/  says  I,  '  God  pardon  me,  but  them  breeches  is 
goin'  between  me  an'  my  night's  rest;  but  tell  me  about  my  father?' 

" '  Oh  !  then  he's  in  a  melancholy  state !' 

"  '  Whereabouts  is  he  ?'  says  I. 

" '  In  purgathory/  says  he ;  'but  he  won't  be  there  long.' 

"'  Well/  says  I,  'that's  a  comfort,  anyhow.' 

"  '  I'm  glad  you  think  so/  says  he ;  '  but  there's  more  of  the  other 
opinion.' 

"'What's  that?' says  I. 

"'That  hell's  worse.' 

"  '  Oh  !  melia-murther/  says  I ;  '  is  that  it?' 

"  '  Ay,  that's  it.' 

"  Well,  I  was  so  terrified  and  frightened,  I  said  nothing  for  some 
time,  but  trotted  along  beside  the  priest's  horse. 

" '  Father/  says  I,  '  how  long  will  it  be  before  they  send  him 
where  you  know  ?' 

"  '  It  will  not  be  long  now/  says  he, '  for  they're  tired  entirely  with 
him ;  they've  no  peace  night  or  day/  says  he.  'Mickey,  your  father 
is  a  mighty  hard  man.' 

" '  True  for  you,  Father  Eoach/  says  I  to  myself;  '  av  he  had  only 
the  ould  stick  with  the  scythe  in  it,  I  wish  them  joy  of  his  company.' 

'"Mickey/  says  he,  'I  see  you're  grieved,  and  I  don't  wonder; 
sure  it's  a  great  disgrace  to  a  decent  family.' 


84  CHARLES  0' MALLET. 

"  '  Troth,  it  is/  says  I,  \  but  my  father  always  liked  low  company. 
Could  nothing  be  done  for  him  now,  Father  Roach  ?'  says  I,  looking 
up  in  the  priest's  face. 

"  '  I'm  greatly  afraid,  Mickey  ;  he  was  a  bad  man — a  very  bad 
man.' 

"  'And  ye  think  he'll  go  there  ?'  says  I. 

"  '  Indeed,  Mickey,  I  have  my  fears.' 

"  '  Upon  my  conscience,'  says  I,  '  I  believe  you're  right ;  he  was 
always  a  restless  crayture.' 

" '  But  it  doesn't  depind  on  him/  says  the  priest,  crossly. 

"  '  And,  then,  who  then  ?'  says  I. 

"  '  Upon  yourself,  Mickey  Free/  says  he  ;  '  God  pardon  you  for  it, 
too.' 

"  ' Upon  me?'  says  I. 

"  '  Troth,  no  less/  says  he ;  '  how  many  masses  was  said  for  your 
father's  soul? — how  many  aves? — how  many  paters? — answer 
me.' 

"  '  Devil  a  one  of  me  knows  ! — maybe  twenty.' 

" '  Twenty,  twenty — no,  nor  one.' 

"  'And  why  not?'  says  I ;  'what  for  wouldn't  ye  be  helping  a  poor 
crayture  out  of  trouble,  when  it  wouldn't  cost  you  more  nor  a  hand- 
ful of  prayers  ?' 

"  '  Mickey,  I  see/  says  he,  in  a  solemn  tone,  '  you're  worse  nor  a 
haythen  :  but  ye  couldn't  be  other ;  ye  never  come  to  yer  duties.' 

"  '  Well,  father/  says  I,  looking  very  penitent,  '  how  many  masses 
would  get  him  out  ?' 

" '  Now  you  talk  like  a  sensible  man/  says  he.  ■  Now,  Mickey, 
I've  hopes  for  you.  Let  me  see' — here  he  went  countin'  upon  his 
fingers,  and  numberin'  to  himself  for  five  minutes — '  Mickey/  says 
he,  '  I've  a  batch  coming  out  on  Tuesday  week,  and  if  you  were  to 
make  great  exertions,  perhaps  your  father  could  come  with  them ; 
that  is,  av  they  have  made  no  objections.' 

"  'And  what  for  would  they  ?'  says  I ;  '  he  was  always  the  hoith 
of  company,  and  av  singing's  allowed  in  them  parts ' 

"  '  God  forgive  you,  Mickey,  but  yer  in  a  benighted  state/  says  he, 
sighing. 

"  '  Well/  says  I,  '  how'll  we  get  him  out  on  Tuesday  week  ?  for 
that's  bringing  things  to  a  focus.' 

"  i  Two  masses  in  the  morning,  fastin'/  says  Father  Roach,  half 
aloud,  '  is  two,  and  two  in  the  afternoon  is  four,  and  two  at  vespers 
is  six/  says  he ;  '  six  masses  a  day  for  nine  days  is  close  by  sixty 
masses — say  sixty/  says  he ;  '  and  they'll  cost  you — mind,  Mickey, 
and  don't  be  telling  it  again,  for  it's  only  to  yourself  I'd  make  them 
so  cheap — a  matter  of  three  pounds.' 


MICKEY  FREE.  85 

" '  Three  pounds !'  says  I ;  '  be-gorra  ye  might  as  well  ax  me  to 
g;ive  you  the  rock  of  Cashel.' 

"  '  I'm  sorry  for  ye,  Mickey/  says  he,  gatherin'  up  the  reins  to  ride 
off—'  I'm  sorry  for  ye ;  and  the  time  will  come  when  the  neglect  of 
your  poor  father  will  be  a  sore  stroke  agin  yourself.' 

"  '  Wait  a  bit,  your  riverence,'  says  I — '  wait  a  bit.  Would  forty 
shillings  get  him  out?' 

"  'Av  course  it  wouldn't,'  says  he. 

"  '  Maybe,'  says  I,  coaxing — '  maybe,  av  you  said  that  his  son 
was  a  poor  boy  that  lived  by  his  indhustry,  and  the  times  was 
bad ' 

" '  Not  the  least  use,'  says  he. 

"  '  Arrah,  but  it's  hard-hearted  they  are,'  says  I.  'Well,  see  now, 
I'll  give  you  the  money,  but  I  can't  afford  it  all  at  onst ;  but  I'll  pay 
five  shillings  a  week — will  that  do  ?' 

" '  I'll  do  my  enday  vors,'  says  Father  Roach  ;  '  and  I'll  speak  to 
them  to  treat  him  peaceably  in  the  meantime.' 

" '  Long  life  to  yer  riverence,  and  do.  Well,  here  now,  here's  five 
hogs  to  begin  with ;  and,  musha,  but  I  never  thought  I'd  be  spend- 
ing my  loose  change  that  way.' 

"  Father  Roach  put  the  six  tinpinnies  in  the  pocket  of  his  black 
leather  breeches,  said  something  in  Latin,  bid  me  good  morning, 
and  rode  off. 

"  Well,  to  make  my  story  short,  I  worked  late  and  early  to  pay 
the  five  shillings  a  week,  and  I  did  do  it  for  three  weeks  regular ; 
then  I  brought  four  and  fourpence — then  it  came  down  to  one  and 
tenpence  half  penny — then  ninepence — and,  at  last,  I  had  nothing 
at  all  to  bring. 

" '  Mickey  Free,'  says  the  priest,  ■  ye  must  stir  yourself;  your 
father  is  mighty  displeased  at  the  way  you've  been  doing  of  late ; 
and  av  ye  kept  yer  word,  he'd  be  near  out  by  this  time.' 

"  '  Troth,'  says  I,  '  it's  a  very  expensive  place.' 

"  -  By  coorse  it  is,'  says  he  ;  •  sure  all  the  quality  of  the  land's 
there.  But,  Mickey,  my  man,  with  a  little  exertion,  your  father's 
business  is  easily  done.  What  are  you  jingling  in  your  pocket 
there  ?' 

"  '  It's  ten  shillings,  your  riverence,  I  have  to  buy  seed  potatoes.' 

" '  Hand  it  here,  my  son.  Isn't  it  better  your  father  would  be 
enjoying  himself  in  Paradise  than  if  ye  were  to  have  all  the  po- 
tatoes in  Ireland  ?' 

"  'And  how  do  ye  know,'  says  I,  '  he's  so  near  out?' 

"  '  How  do  I  know — how  do  I  know,  is  it  ?— ^didn't  I  see  him  ?' 

"  '  See  him  !     Tear  an'  ages !  was  you  down  there  again  ?' 

" '  I  was,'  says  he ;  '  I  was  down  there  for  three-quarters  of  an 


86  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

hour  yesterday  evening,  getting  out  Luke  Kennedy's  mother.  De- 
cent people  the  Kennedys — never  spared  expense.' 

"  'And  ye  seen  my  father?'  says  I. 

"  '  I  did,'  says  he ;  '  he  had  an  ould  flannel  waistcoat  on,  and  a 
pipe  sticking  out  of  the  pocket  av  it.' 

"  '  That's  him,'  says  I.     '  Had  he  a  hairy  cap  ?' 

" '  I  didn't  mind  the  cap,'  says  he ;  '  but  av  coorse  he  wouldn't 
have  it  on  his  head  in  that  place.' 

"  '  Thrue  for  you,'  says  I.     '  Did  he  speak  to  you  V 

" '  He  did,'  says  Father  Eoach ;  '  he  spoke  very  hard  about  the 
way  he  was  treated  down  there,  that  they  was  always  jibin'  and 
jeerin'  him  about  drink,  and  fightin',  and  the  course  he  led  up  here, 
and  that  it  was  a  queer  thing,  for  the  matter  of  ten  shillings,  he  was 
to  be  kept  there  so  long.' 

"  '  Well,'  says  I,  taking  out  the  ten  shillings  and  counting  it  with 
one  hand,  '  we  must  do  our  best,  anyhow  ;  and  ye  think  this'll  get 
him  out  surely  ?' 

"  '  I  know  it  will/  says  he  ;  *  for  when  Luke's  mother  was  leaving 
the  place,  and  yer  father  saw  the  door  open,  he  made  a  rush  at  it, 
and,  be-gorra,  before  it  was  shut  he  got  his  head  and  one  shoulder 
outside  of  it,  so  that,  ye  see,  a  thrifle  more'll  do  it.' 

" '  Faix,  and  yer  riverence/  says  I,  *  you've  lightened  my  heart 
this  morning.'     And  I  put  my  money  back  again  into  my  pocket. 

" '  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?'  says  he,  growing  very  red,  for  he 
was  angry. 

"  •  Just  this/  says  T,  *  that  I've  saved  my  money ;  for  av  it  was  my 
father  you  seen,  and  he'd  got  his  head  and  one  shoulder  outside  the 
door,  oh,  then,  by  the  powers !'  says  I,  '  the  devil  a  gaol  or  gaoler 
from  hell  to  Connaught  'ud  hould  him;  so,  Father  Koacb,  I  wish  you 
the  top  of  the  morning.'  And  I  went  away  laughing ;  and  from  that 
day  to  this  I  never  heard  more  of  purgathory ;  and  ye  see,  Master 
Charles,  I  think  I  was  right." 

Scarcely  had  Mike  concluded  when  my  door  was  suddenly  burst 
open,  and  Sir  Harry  Boyle,  without  assuming  any  of  his  usual  pre- 
cautions respecting  silence  and  quiet,  rushed  into  the  room,  a  broad 
grin  upon  his  honest  features,  and  his  eyes  twinkling  in  a  way  that 
evidently  showed  me  something  had  occurred  to  amuse  him. 

"  By  Jove,  Charley,  I  musn't  keep  it  from  you,  it's  too  good  a 
thing  not  to  tell  you ;  do  you  remember  that  very  essenced  young 
gentleman  who  accompanied  Sir  George  Dashwood  from  Dublin,  as 
a  kind  of  electioneering  friend?" 

"Do  you  mean  Mr.  Prettyman?" 

"  The  very  man ;  he  was,  you  are  aware,  an  under-secretary  in 
some  government  department.     Well,  it  seems  that  he  had  come 


MICKEY  FREE.  87 

down  among  us  poor  savages  as  much  from  motives  of  learned  re- 
search and  scientific  inquiry,  as  though  we  had  been  South  Sea 
Islanders;  report  had  gifted  us  humble  Galwayans  with  some  very 
peculiar  traits,  and  this  gifted  individual  resolved  to  record  them. 
Whether  the  election  week  might  have  sufficed  his  appetite  for 
wonders  I  know  not,  but  he  was  peaceably  taking  his  departure  from 
the  west  on  Saturday  last,  when  Phil  Macnamara  met  him,  and 
pressed  him  to  dine  that  day  with  a  few  friends  at  his  house.  You 
know  Phil ;  so  that  when  I  tell  you  Sam  Burke,  of  Greenmount,  and 
Koger  Doolan  were  of  the  party,  I  need  not  say  that  the  English 
traveller  was  not  left  to  his  own  unassisted  imagination  for  his  facts; 
such  anecdotes  of  our  habits  and  customs  as  they  crammed  him  with, 
it  would  appear,  never  were  heard  before — nothing  was  too  hot  or 
too  heavy  for  the  luckless  Cockney,  who,  when  not  sipping  his 
claret,  was  faithfully  recording  in  his  tablet  the  mems.  for  a  very 
brilliant  and  very  original  work  on  Ireland. 

"'Fine  country — splendid  country — glorious  people  —  gifted — 
brave — intelligent  —  but  not  happy — alas!  Mr.  Macnamara,  not 
happy.  But  we  don't  know  you,  gentlemen — we  don't,  indeed,  at 
the  other  side  of  the  Channel ;  our  notions  regarding  you  are  far, 
very  far  from  just.' 

"  *  I  hope  and  trust,'  said  old  Burke,  '  you'll  help  them  to  a  better 
understanding  ere  long.' 

"  f  Such,  my  dear  sir,  will  be  the  proudest  task  of  my  life.  The 
facts  I  have  heard  here  this  evening  have  made  so  profound  an  im- 
pression upon  me,  that  I  burn  for  the  moment  when  I  can  make 
them  known  to  the  world  at  large.  To  think — -just  to  think,  that  a 
portion  of  this  beautiful  island  should  be  steeped  in  poverty — that 
the  people  not  only  live  upon  mere  potatoes,  but  are  absolutely 
obliged  to  wear  the  skins  for  raiment,  as  Mr.  Doolan  has  just  men- 
tioned to  me.' 

"'Which  accounts  for  our  cultivation  of  lumpers,'  added  Mr. 
Doolan ;  -  they  being  the  largest  species  of  the  root,  and  best  adapted 
for  wearing  apparel.' 

"  \  I  should  deem  myself  culpable,  indeed  I  should,  did  I  not 
inform  my  countrymen  upon  the  real  condition  of  this  great  country.' 

"'Why,  after  your  great  opportunities  forjudging,'  said  Phil, 
'  you  ought  to  speak  out.  You've  seen  us  in  a  way,  I  may  fairly 
affirm,  few  Englishmen  have,  and  heard  more.' 

"  '  That's  it — that's  the  very  thing,  Mr.  Macnamara.  I've  looked 
at  you  more  closely,  I've  watched  you  more  narrowly,  I  have  wit- 
nessed what  the  French  call  your  vie  intimeJ 

"  '  Begad  you  have,'  said  old  Burke,  with  a  grin,  '  and  profited  by 
it  to  the  utmost.' 


S8  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  '  I've  been  a  spectator  of  your  election  contests — I've  partaken 
of  your  hospitality — I've  witnesssd  your  popular  and  natural  sports 
— I've  been  present  at  your  weddings,  your  fairs,  your  wakes ;  but 
no,  I  was  forgetting,  I  never  saw  a  wake.' 

"'Never  saw  a  wake?'  repeated  each  of  the  company  in  turn, 
as  though  the  gentleman  was  uttering  a  sentiment  of  very  dubious 
veracity. 

"  'Never,'  said  Mr.  Prettyman,  rather  abashed  at  this  proof  of  his 
incapacity  to  instruct  his  English  friends  upon  all  matters  of  Irish 
interest. 

" '  Well,  then,'  said  Macnamara,  '  with  a  blessing,  we'll  show  you 
one.  Lord  forbid  that  we  shouldn't  do  the  honors  of  our  poor  coun- 
try to  an  intelligent  foreigner  when  he's  good  enough  to  come 
amongst  us.' 

"  ■  Peter,'  said  he,  turning  to  the  servant  behind  him,  '  who's  dead 
hereabouts  ?' 

"  '  Sorra  one,  yer  honor.  Since  the  scrimmage  at  Portumna  the 
place  is  peaceable.' 

" '  Who  died  lately  in  the  neighborhood  ?' 

" '  The  widow  Macbride,  yer  honor.' 

" '  Couldn't  they  take  her  up  again,  Peter  ?  My  friend  here  never 
saw  a  wake.' 

" '  I'm  afeerd  not,  for  it  was  the  boys  roasted  her,  and  she 
wouldn't  be  a  decent  corpse  for  to  show  a  stranger,'  said  Peter,  in 
a  whisper. 

"  Mr.  Prettyman  shuddered  at  these  peaceful  indications  of  the 
neighborhood,  and  said  nothing. 

"  '  Well,  then,  Peter,  tell  Jemmy  Divine  to  take  the  old  musket 
in  my  bedroom,  and  go  over  to  the  Clunagh  bog — he  can't  go  wrong 
— there's  twelve  families  there  that  never  pay  a  halfpenny  rent,  and 
when  it's  done,  let  him  give  notice  to  the  neighborhood,  and  we'll 
have  a  rousing  wake.' 

"  '  You  don't  mean,  Mr.  Macnamara — you  don't  mean  to  say- ' 

stammered  out  the  Cockney,  with  a  face  like  a  ghost. 

"  '  I  only  mean  to  say,'  said  Phil,  laughing,  '  that  you're  keeping 
the  decanter  very  long  at  your  right  hand.' 

"Burke  contrived  to  interpose  before  the  Englishman  could 
ask  any  explanation  of  what  he  had  just  heard — and  for  some 
minutes  he  could  only  wait  in  impatient  anxiety — when  a  loud 
report  of  a  gun  close  beside  the  house  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
guests;  the  next  moment  old  Peter  entered,  his  face  radiant  with 
smiles. 

"  '  Well,  what's  that?'  said  Macnamara. 

"  '  'Twas  Jimmy,  yer  honor.     As  the  evening  was  rainy,  he  said 


THE  JOURNEY.  89 

he'd  take  one  of  the  neighbors,  and  he  hadn't  to  go  far,  for  Andy- 
Moore  was  going  home,  and  he  brought  him  down  at  once.' 

" '  Did  he  shoot  him  ?'  said  Mr.  Prettyman,  while  cold  perspira- 
tion* broke  over  his  forehead.     •  Did  he  murder  the  man  ?' 

"  Sorra  murder,'  said  Peter,  disdainfully  ;  '  but  why  wouldn't  he 
shoot  him  when  the  master  bid  him  V 

"I  needn't  tell  you  more,  Charley;  but  in  ten  minutes  after, 
feigning  some  excuse  to  leave  the  room,  the  terrified  Cockney  took 
flight,  and  offering  twenty  guineas  for  a  horse  to  convey  him  to 
Athlone,  he  left  Galway,  fully  convinced  '  that  they  don't  yet  know 
us  on  the  other  side  of  the  Channel.'  " 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  JOURNEY. 

THE  election  concluded,  the  turmoil  and  excitement  of  the  con- 
test over,  all  was  fast  resuming  its  accustomed  routine  around 
us,  when  one  morning  my  uncle  informed  me  that  I  was  at 
length  to  leave  my  native  county,  and  enter  upon  the  great  world  as 
a  student  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin.  Although  long  since  in  ex- 
pectation of  this  eventful  change,  it  was  with  no  slight  feeling  of 
emotion  that  I  contemplated  the  step,  which,  removing  me  at  once 
from  all  my  early  friends  and  associations,  was  to  surround  me  with 
new  companions  and  new  influences,  and  place  before  me  very  differ- 
ent objects  of  ambition  from  those  I  had  hitherto  been  regarding. 

My  destiny  had  been  long  ago  decided ;  the  army  had  had  its 
share  of  the  family,  who  brought  little  more  back  with  them  from 
the  wars  than  a  short  allowance  of  members  and  shattered  consti- 
tutions ;  the  navy  had  proved,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  that  the 
fate  of  the  O'Malleys  did  not  incline  to  hanging ;  so  that,  in  Irish 
estimation,  but  one  alternative  remained,  and  that  was  the  bar. 
Besides,  as  my  uncle  remarked,  with  great  truth  and  foresight, 
"  Charley  will  be  tolerably  independent  of  the  public,  at  all  events; 
for,  even  if  they  never  send  him  a  brief,  there's  law  enough  in  the 
family  to  last  his  time" — a  rather  novel  reason,  by  the  bye,  for 
making  a  man  a  lawyer,  and  which  induced  Sir  Harry,  with  his 
usual  clearness,  to  observe  to  me, — 

"Upon  my  conscience,  boy,  you  are  in  luck.  If  there  had 
been  a  Bible  in  the  house,  I  firmly  believe  he'd  have  made  you  a 
parson." 

Considine  alone,  of  all  my  uncle's  advisers,  did  not  concur  in  this 


90  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

determination  respecting  me.  He  set  forth,  with  an  eloquence  that 
certainly  converted  me,  that  my  head  was  better  calculated  for 
bearing  hard  knocks  than  unravelling  knotty  points  ;  that  a  shako 
would  become  it  infinitely  better  than  a  wig  ;  and  declared,  roundly, 
that  a  boy  who  began  so  well,  and  had  such  very  pretty  notions 
about  shooting,  was  positively  thrown  away  in  the  Four  Courts. 
My  uncle,  however,  was  firm,  and,  as  old  Sir  Harry  supported  him, 
the  day  was  decided  against  us,  Considine  murmuring,  as  he  left  the 
room,  something  that  did  not  seem  quite  a  brilliant  anticipation  of 
the  success  awaiting  me  in  my  legal  career.  As  for  myself,  though  only 
a  silent  spectator  of  the  debate,  all  my  wishes  were  with  the  Count. 
From  my  earliest  boyhood  a  military  life  had  been  my  strongest 
desire  ;  the  roll  of  the  drum,  and  the  shrill  pipe  that  played  through 
the  little  village,  with  its  ragged  troop  of  recruits  following,  had 
charms  for  me  I  cannot  describe ;  and  had  a  choice  been  allowed 
me,  I  would  infinitely  rather  have  been  a  sergeant  in  the  dragoons 
than  one  of  his  Majesty's  learned  in  the  law.  If,  then,  such  had 
been  the  cherished  feeling  of  many  a  year,  how  much  more  strongly 
were  my  aspirations  heightened  by  the  events  of  the  last  few  days. 
The  tone  of  superiority  I  had  witnessed  in  Hammersley,  whose  con- 
duct to  me  at  parting  had  placed  him  high  in  my  esteem — the  quiet 
contempt  of  civilians,  implied  in  a  thousand  sly  ways — the  exalted 
estimate  of  his  own  profession,  at  once  wounded  my  pride  and  stim- 
ulated my  ambition ;  and,  lastly,  more  than  all,  the  avowed  prefer- 
ence that  Lucy  Dashwood  evinced  for  a  military  life,  were  stronger 
allies  than  my  own  conviction  needed  to  make  me  long  for  the  army. 
So  completely  did  the  thought  possess  me,  that  I  felt  if  I  were  not  a 
soldier,  I  cared  not  what  became  of  me.  Life  had  no  other  object 
of  ambition  for  me  than  military  renown,  no  other  success  for  which 
I  cared  to  struggle,  or  would  value  when  obtained.  "Aut  Ccesar,  aut 
nullus"  thought  I ;  and  when  my  uncle  determined  I  should  be  a 
lawyer,  I  neither  murmured  nor  objected,  but  hugged  myself  in  the 
prophecy  of  Considine,  that  hinted  pretty  broadly,  "the  devil  a 
stupider  fellow  ever  opened  a  brief;  but  he'd  have  made  a  slashing 
light  dragoon." 

The  preliminaries  were  not  long  in  arranging.  It  was  settled 
that  I  should  be  immediately  despatched  to  Dublin,  to  the  care  of 
Doctor  Mooney,  then  a  junior  fellow  in  the  University,  who  would 
take  me  into  his  especial  charge,  while  Sir  Harry  was  to  furnish  me 
with  a  letter  to  his  old  friend  Dr.  Barret,  whose  advice  and  assist- 
ance he  estimated  at  a  very  high  price.  Provided  with  such  docu- 
ments, I  was  informed  that  the  gates  of  knowledge  were  more  than 
half  ajar  for  me,  without  an  effort  upon  my  part.  One  only  portion 
of  all  the  arrangements  I  heard  with  anything  like  pleasure  ;  it  was 


THE  JOURNEY.  91 

decided  that  my  man  Mickey  was  to  accompany  me  to  Dublin,  and 
remain  with  me  during  my  stay. 

It  was  upon  a  clear,  sharp  morning  in  January,  of  the  year  18—, 
that  I  took  my  place  upon  the  box-seat  of  the  old  Galway  mail,  and 
set  out  on  my  journey.  My  heart  was  depressed  and  my  spirits 
were  miserably  low.  I  had  all  that  feeling  of  sadness  which  leave- 
taking  inspires,  and  no  sustaining  prospect  to  cheer  me  in  the  dis- 
tance. For  the  first  time  in  my  life,  I  had  seen  a  tear  glisten  in  my 
poor  uncle's  eye,  and  heard  his  voice  falter  as  he  said,  "  Farewell !" 
Notwithstanding  the  difference  of  age,  we  had  been  perfectly  com- 
panions together ;  and  as  I  thought  now  over  all  the  thousand 
kindnesses  and  affectionate  instances  of  his  love  I  had  received,  my 
heart  gave  way,  and  the  tears  coursed  slowly  down  my  cheeks.  I 
turned  to  give  one  last  look  at  the  tall  chimneys  and  the  old  woods, 
my  earliest  friends ;  but  a  turn  of  the  road  had  shut  out  the  pros- 
pect, and  thus  I  took  my  leave  of  Galway. 

My  friend  Mickey,  who  sat  behind  with  the  guard,  participated 
but  little  in  my  feelings  of  regret.  The  potatoes  in  the  metropolis 
could  scarcely  be  as  wet  as  the  lumpers  in  Scariff ;  he  had  heard 
that  whisky  was  not  dearer,  and  looked  forward  to  the  other  de- 
lights of  the  capital  with  a  longing  heart.  Meanwhile,  resolved 
that  no  portion  of  his  career  should  be  lost,  he  was  lightening  the 
road  by  anecdote  and  song,  and  held  an  audience  of  four  people,  a 
very  crusty -looking  old  guard  included,  in  roars  of  laughter.  Mike 
had  contrived,  with  his  usual  savoir  faire,  to  make  himself  very 
agreeable  to  an  extremely  pretty-looking  country  girl,  around 
whose  waist  he  had  most  lovingly  passed  his  arm,  under  pretence 
of  keeping  her  from  falling,  and  to  whom,  in  the  midst  of  all  his 
attentions  to  the  party  at  large,  he  devoted  himself  considerably, 
pressing  his  suit  with  all  the  aid  of  his  native  minstrelsy. 

"  Hould  me  tight,  Miss  Matilda,  dear." 

"  My  name's  Mary  Brady,  av  ye  plase." 

"  Ay,  and  I  do  plase. 

"  Oh,  Mary  Brady,  you  are  my  darlin', 
You  are  my  looking-glass,  from  night  till  mornin' ; 
I'd  rayther  have  ye  without  one  farthen, 
Nor  Shusey  Gallagher  and  her  house  and  garden. 

May  I  never  av  I  wouldn't,  then  ;  and  ye  needn't  be  laughing." 

"  Is  his  honor  at  home  ?" 

This  speech  was  addressed  to  a  gaping  country  fellow,  that  leaned 
on  his  spade  to  see  the  coach  pass. 

"  Is  his  honor  at  home  ?  I've  something  for  him  from  Mr. 
Davern." 

Mickey  well  knew  that  few  western  gentlemen  were  without  con- 


92  CHARLES  O'M  ALLEY. 

stant  intercourse  with  the  Athlone  attorney.  The  poor  countryman 
accordingly  hastened  through  the  fence,  and  pursued  the  coach  with 
all  speed  for  above  a  mile,  Mike  pretending  all  the  time  to  be  in 
the  greatest  anxiety  for  his  overtaking  them ;  until  at  last,  as  he 
stopped  in  despair,  a  hearty  roar  of  laughter  told  him  that,  in 
Mickey's  parlance,  he  was  "  sould." 

"  Taste  it,  my  dear ;  devil  a  harm  it'll  do  ye ;  it  never  paid  the 
king  sixpence." 

Here  he  filled  a  little  horn  vessel  from  a  black  bottle  he  carried, 
accompanying  the  action  with  a  song,  the  air  to  which,  if  any  of  my 
readers  feel  disposed  to  sing  it,  I  may  observe  bore  a  resemblance 
to  the  well-known  "  A  Fig  for  St.  Denis  of  France  " 

"POTTEEN,  GOOD  LUCK  TO  YE,  DEAR. 

"  Av  I  was  a  monarch  in  state, 

Like  Romulus  or  Julius  Caysar, 
With  the  best  of  fine  victuals  to  ate, 

And  drink  like  great  Nebuchadnezzar, 
A  rasher  of  bacon  I'd  have, 

And  potatoes  the  finest  was  seen,  sir ; 
And  for  drink,  it's  no  claret  I'd  crave, 
But  a  keg  of  ould  Mullens'  potteen,  sir, 

With  the  smell  of  the  smoke  on  it  still. 

"  They  talk  of  the  Romans  of  ould, 

Whom  they  say  in  their  own  times  was  frisky ; 
But  trust  me,  to  keep  out  the  could, 

The  Romans  at  home  here  like  whisky. 
Sure  it  warms  both  the  head  and  the  heart, 

It's  the  soul  of  all  readin'  and  writin' ; 
It  teaches  both  science  and  art, 
And  disposes  for  love  or  for  fightin'. 

Oh,  potteen,  good  luck  to  ye,  dear." 

This  very  classic  production,  and  the  black  bottle  which  accom- 
panied it,  completely  established  the  singer's  pre-eminence  in  the 
company ;  and  I  heard  sundry  sounds  resembling  drinking,  with 
frequent  good  wishes  to  the  provider  of  the  feast — "  Long  life  to 
ye,  Mr.  Free,"  "  Your  health  and  inclinations,  Mr.  Free,"  &c. — to 
which  Mr.  Free  responded  by  drinking  those  of  the  company,  "  av 
they  were  vartuous."  The  amicable  relations  thus  happily  estab- 
lished promised  a  very  lasting  reign,  and  would  doubtless  have  en- 
joyed such,  had  not  a  slight  incident  occurred,  which  for  a  brief 
season  interrupted  them.  At  the  village  where  we  stopped  to  break- 
fast, three  very  venerable  figures  presented  themselves  for  places 
in  the  inside  of  the  coach.  They  were  habited  in  black  coats, 
breeches,  and  gaiters,  wore  hats  of  a  very  ecclesiastic  breadth  in 
their  brim,  and  had  altogether  the  peculiar  air  and  bearing  which 
distinguishes  their  calling,  being  no  less  than  three  Koman  Catholic 


THE  JOURNEY.  93 

prelates,  on  their  way  to  Dublin  to  attend  a  convocation.  While 
Mickey  and  his  friends,  with  the  ready  tact  which  every  low  Irish- 
man possesses,  immediately  perceived  who  and  what  these  worship- 
ful individuals  were,  another  traveller,  who  had  just  assumed  his 
place  on  the  outside,  participated  but  little  in  the  feelings  of  reve- 
rence so  manifestly  displayed,  but  gave  a  sneer  of  a  very  ominous 
kind  as  the  skirt  of  the  last  black  coat  disappeared  within  the 
coach.  This  latter  individual  was  a  short,  thick -set,  bandy-legged 
man,  of  about  fifty,  with  an  enormous  nose,  which,  whatever  its 
habitual  coloring,  on  the  morning  in  question  was  of  a  brilliant 
purple.  He  wore  a  blue  coat,  with  bright  buttons,  upon  which  some 
letters  were  inscribed,  and  around  his  neck  was  fastened  a  ribbon  of 
the  same  color,  to  which  a  medal  was  attached.  This  he  displayed 
with  something  of  ostentation,  whenever  an  opportunity  occurred, 
and  seemed  altogether  a  person  who  possessed  a  most  satisfactory 
impression  of  his  own  importance.  In  fact,  had  not  this  feeling 
been  participated  in  by  others,  Mr.  Billy  Crow  would  never  have 
been  deputed  by  No.  13,476  to  carry  their  warrant  down  to  the  west 
country,  and  establish  the  nucleus  of  an  Orange  Lodge  in  the  town 
of  Foxleigh :  such  being  in  brief  the  reason  why  he,  a  well-known 
manufacturer  of  "  leather  continuations"  in  Dublin,  had  ventured 
upon  the  perilous  journey  from  which  he  was  now  returning.  Billy 
was  going  on  his  way  to  town  rejoicing,  for  he  had  had  most  bril- 
liant success.  The  brethren  had  feasted  and  feted  him ;  he  had 
made  several  splendid  orations,  with  the  usual  number  of  prophe- 
cies about  the  speedy  downfall  of  Romanism ;  the  inevitable  return 
of  Protestant  ascendency;  the  pleasing  prospect  that,  with  in- 
creased effort  and  improved  organization,  they  should  soon  be  able 
to  have  everything  their  own  way,  and  clear  the  Green  Isle  of 
the  horrible  vermin  St.  Patrick  forgot  when  banishing  the  others  ; 
and  that  if  Daniel  O'Connell  (whom  might  the  Lord  confound!) 
could  only  be  hanged,  and  Sir  Harcourt  Lees  be  made  Primate  of 
all  Ireland,  there  were  still  some  hopes  of  peace  and  prosperity  to 
the  country. 

Mr.  Crow  had  no  sooner  assumed  his  place  upon  the  coach  than 
he  saw  that  he  was  in  the  camp  of  the  enemy.  Happily  for  all 
parties,  indeed,  in  Ireland,  political  differences  have  so  completely 
stamped  the  externals  of  each  party,  that  he  must  be  a  man  of 
small  penetration  who  cannot,  in  the  first  five  minutes  he  is  thrown 
among  strangers,  calculate  with  considerable  certainty  whether  it 
will  be  more  conducive  to  his  happiness  to  sing  "Croppies  Lie 
Down,"  or  "The  Battle  of  Ross."  As  for  Billy  Crow  (long  life  to 
him  !),  you  might  as  well  attempt  to  pass  a  turkey  upon  M.  Audubon 
for  a  giraffe,  as  endeavor  to  impose  a  papist  upon  him  for  a  true 


04  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

follower  of  King  William.  He  could  have  given  you  more  generic 
distinctions  to  guide  you  in  the  decision  than  ever  did  Cuvier  to 
designate  an  antediluvian  mammoth;  so  that  no  sooner  had  he 
seated  himself  upon  the  coach,  than  he  buttoned  up  his  greatcoat, 
stuck  his  hands  firmly  in  his  side-pockets,  pursed  up  his  lips,  and 
looked  altogether  like  a  man  who,  feeling  himself  out  of  his  ele- 
ment, resolves  to  "  bide  his  time"  in  patience,  until  chance  may 
throw  him  among  more  congenial  associates.  Mickey  Free,  who 
was  himself  no  mean  proficient  in  reading  a  character,  at  one  glance 
saw  his  man,  and  began  hammering  his  brains  to  see  if  he  could 
not  overreach  him.  The  small  portmanteau  which  contained 
Billy's  wardrobe  bore  the  conspicuous  announcement  of  his  name ; 
and  as  Mickey  could  read,  this  was  one  important  step  already 
gained. 

He  accordingly  took  the  first  opportunity  of  seating  himself  be- 
side him,  and  opened  the  conversation  by  some  very  polite  observa- 
tion upon  the  other's  wearing  apparel,  which  is  always  in  the  west 
considered  a  piece  of  very  courteous  attention.  By  degrees  the  dia- 
logue prospered,  and  Mickey  began  to  make  some  very  important 
revelations  about  himself  and  his  master,  intimating  that  the 
*  state  of  the  country"  wTas  such  that  a  man  of  his  way  of  thinking 
had  no  peace  or  quiet  in  it.  * 

"That's  him  there,  forninst  ye,"  said  Mickey,  "and  a  better  Pro- 
testant never  hated  mass.     Ye  understand  ?" 

"What!"  said  Billy,  unbuttoning  the  collar  of  his  coat,  to  get  a 
fairer  view  at  his  companion  ;  u  why,  I  thought  you  were " 

Here  he  made  some  resemblance  of  the  usual  manner  of  blessing 
one's  self. 

"  Me !  devil  a  more  nor  yourself,  Mr.  Crow." 

"  Why,  do  you  know  me,  too  ?" 

"  Troth,  more  knows  you  than  you  think." 

Billy  looked  very  much  puzzled  at  all  this.     At  last  he  said, — 

"  And  ye  tell  me  that  your  master  there's  the  right  sort  ?" 

"Thrue  blue,"  said  Mike,  with  a  wink;  "and  so  is  his  uncles." 

"  And  where  are  they  when  they  are  at  home  ?" 

"  In  Galway,  no  less ;  but  they're  here  now." 

"  Where  ?" 

"  Here." 

At  these  words  he  gave  a  knock  of  his  heel  to  the  coach,  as  if  to 
intimate  their  whereabouts. 

"  You  don't  mean  in  the  coach,  do  ye  ?" 

"  To  be  sure  I  do  ;  and,  troth,  you  can't  know  much  of  the  west, 
av  ye  don't  know  the  three  Mr.  Trenches,  of  Tallvbash.  Them's 
they." 


THE  JOURNEY.  95 

"  You  don't  say  so  Vs 

"  Faix,  but  I  do." 

"  May  I  never  drink  the  12th  of  July  if  I  didn't  think  they  were 
priests." 

"  Priests  !"  said  Mickey,  in  a  roar  of  laughter — '''priests  1" 

"  Just  priests." 

"  Be-gorra,  though,  ye  had  better  keep  that  to  yourself,  for  they're 
not  the  men  to  have  that  same  said  to  them." 

"  Of  course,  I  wouldn't  offend  them,"  said  Mr.  Crow ;  "  faith,  it's 
not  me  would  cast  reflections  upon  such  real  out-and-outers  as  they 
are.    And  where  are  they  going  now  ?" 

"  To  Dublin  straight ;  there's  to  be  a  grand  lodge  next  week  ;  but 
sure  Mr.  Crow  knows  better  than  me." 

Billy  after  this  became  silent.  A  moody  reverie  seemed  to  steal 
over  him,  and  he  was  evidently  displeased  with  himself  for  his 
want  of  tact  in  not  discovering  the  three  Mr.  Trenches,  of  Tally- 
bash,  though  he  only  caught  sight  of  their  backs. 

Mickey  Free  interrupted  not  the  frame  of  mind  in  which  he  saw 
conviction  was  slowly  working  its  way,  but,  by  gently  humming  in 
an  under-tone  the  loyal  melody  of  "  Croppies  Lie  Down,"  fanned 
the  flame  he  had  so  dexterously  kindled.  At  length  they  reached 
the  small  town  of  Kinnegad.  While  the  coach  changed  horses,  Mr. 
Crow  lost  not  a  moment  in  descending  from  the  top,  and,  rushing 
into  the  little  inn,  disappeared  for  a  few  moments.  When  he  again 
issued  forth,  he  carried  a  smoking  tumbler  of  whisky  punch,  which 
he  continued  to  stir  with  a  spoon.  As  he  approached  the  coach 
door,  he  tapped  gently  with  his  knuckles,  upon  which  the  reverend 
prelate  of  Maronia,  or  Mesopotamia,  I  forget  which,  inquired  what 
he  wanted. 

"I  ask  your  pardon,  gentlemen,"  said  Billy,  "but  I  thought  I'd 
make  bold  to  ask  you  to  take  something  warm  this  cold  day." 

"  Many  thanks,  my  good  friend ;  but  we  never  do,"  said  a  bland 
voice  from  within. 

"  I  understand,"  said  Billy,  with  a  sly  wink ;  "  but  there  are  cir- 
cumstances now  and  then — and  one  might  for  the  honor  of  the 
cause,  you  know.     Just  put  it  to  your  lips,  wont  you  ?" 

"Excuse  me,"  said  a  very  rosy-cheeked  little  prelate,  "but 
nothing  stronger  than  water " 

"  Botheration,"  thought  Billy,  as  he  regarded  the  speaker's  nose. 
"But  I  thought,"  said  he,  aloud,  "that  you  would  not  refuse  this." 

Here  he  made  a  peculiar  manifestation  in  the  air,  which,  what- 
ever respect  and  reverence  it  might  carry  to  the  honest  brethren  of 
13,476,  seemed  only  to  increase  the  wonder  and  astonishment  of  the 
bishops. 


06  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"What  does  he  mean?"  said  one. 

"  Is  he  mad  ?"  said  another. 

"  Tear  and  ages !"  said  Mr.  Crow,  getting  quite  impatient  at  the 
slowness  of  his  friend's  perception, — "tear  and  ages,  I'm  one  of 
yourselves." 

"  One  of  us,"  said  the  three  in  chorus — "  one  of  us?" 

"Ay,  to  be  sure" — here  he  took  a  long  pull  at  the  punch — "to 
be  sure  I  am;  here's  'No  surrender/  your  souls!  whoop" — a  loud 
yell  accompanying  the  toast  as  he  drank  it. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  insult  us  ?"  said  Father  P .     "  Guard,  take 

the  fellow." 

"  Are  we  to  be  outraged  in  this  manner  ?"  chorused  the  priests. 

"  '  July  the  1st,  in  Oldbridge  town,'  "  sang  Billy,  "  and  here  it  is, 
1  The  glorious,  pious,  and  immortal  memory  of  the  great  and 
good '  " 

"Guard!     Where  is  the  guard?" 

"  "  And  good  King  William,  that  saved  us  from  Popery '  " 

"  Coachman  ! — guard !"  screamed  Father . 

"  '  Brass  money '  " 

"  Policeman  !  policeman  !"  shouted  the  priests. 

" '  Brass  money  and  wooden  shoes ;'  devil  may  care  who  hears 
me,"  said  Billy,  who,  supposing  that  the  three  Mr.  Trenches  were 
skulking  the  avowal  of  their  principles,  resolved  to  assert  the  pre- 
eminence of  the  great  cause  single-handed  and  alone. 

"  '  Here's  the  Pope  in  the  pillory,  and  the  devil  pelting  him  with 
priests.' " 

At  these  words  a  kick  from  behind  apprised  the  loyal  champion 
that  a  very  ragged  auditory,  who  for  some  time  past  had  not  well 
understood  the  gist  of  his  eloquence,  had  at  length  comprehended 
enough  to  be  angry.  Ce  n'est  que  le  premier  pas  qui  codte,  certainly  in 
an  Irish  row.  "  The  merest  urchin  may  light  the  train  ;  one  hand- 
ful of  mud  often  ignites  a  shindy  that  ends  in  a  most  bloody  battle." 
And  here,  no  sooner  did  the  vis  a  tergo  impel  Billy  forward,  when  a 
severe  rap  of  a  closed  fist  in  the  eye  drove  him  back,  and  in  one  in- 
stant he  became  the  centre  to  a  periphery  of  kicks,  cuffs,  pullings,  and 
haulings,  that  left  the  poor  Deputy-Grand  not  only  orange,  but  blue. 

He  fought  manfully,  but  numbers  carried  the  day;  and  when 
the  coach  drove  off,  which  it  did  at  last  without  him,  the  last  thing 
visible  to  the  outsides  was  the  figure  of  Mr.  Crow,  whose  hat,  minus 
the  crown,  had  been  driven  over  his  head  down  upon  his  neck, 
where  it  remained  like  a  dress  cravat,  buffeting  a  mob  of  ragged 
vagabonds,  who  had  so  completely  metamorphosed  the  unfortunate 
man  with  mud  and  bruises,  that  a  committee  of  the  grand  lodge 
might  actually  have  been  unable  to  identify  him. 


DUBLIN.  97 

As  for  Mickey  and  his  friends  behind,  their  mirth  knew  no 
bounds ;  and,  except  the  respectable  insides,  there  was  not  an  indi- 
vidual about  the  coach  who  ceased  to  think  of  and  laugh  at  the 
incident  till  we  arrived  in  Dublin,  and  drew  up  at  the  Hibernian, 
in  Dawson  street. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

DUBLIN. 

NO  sooner  had  I  arrived  in  Dublin,  than  my  first  care  was  to 
present  myself  to  Dr.  Mooney,  by  whom  I  was  received  in  the 
most  cordial  manner.  In  fact,  in  my  utter  ignorance  of  such 
persons,  I  had  imagined  a  college  fellow  to  be  a  character  necessa- 
rily severe  and  unbending;  and  as  the  only  two  very  great  people 
I  had  ever  seen  in  my  life  were  the  Archbishop  of  Tuam,  and  the 
Chief  Baron,  when  on  circuit,  I  pictured  to  myself  that  a  University 
fellow  was  in  all  probability  a  cross  between  the  two,  and  feared 
him  accordingly. 

The  Doctor  read  over  my  uncle's  letter  attentively,  invited  me  to 
partake  of  his  breakfast,  and  then  entered  upon  something  like  an 
account  of  the  life  before  me,  for  which  Sir  Harry  Boyle  had,  how- 
ever, in  some  degree  prepared  me. 

"  Your  uncle,  I  find,  wishes  you  to  live  in  college ;  perhaps  it  is 
better,  too ;  so  that  I  must  look  out  for  chambers  for  you.  Let  me 
see :  it  will  be  rather  difficult  just  now  to  find  them."  Here  he  fell 
for  some  moments  into  a  musing  fit,  and  merely  muttered  a  few 
broken  sentences,  as,  "  To  be  sure,  if  other  chambers  could  be  had — 
but  then— and,  after  all,  perhaps,  as  he  is  young — besides,  Frank 
will  certainly  be  expelled  before  long,  and  then  he  will  have  them 
all  to  himself.  I  say,  O'Malley,  I  believe  I  must  quarter  you  for 
the  present  with  rather  a  wild  companion ;  but  as  your  uncle  says 
you're  a  prudent  fellow" — here  he  smiled  very  much,  as  if  my  uncle 
had  not  said  any  such  thing — "  why,  you  must  only  take  the  better 
care  of  yourself,  until  we  can  make  some  better  arrangement.  My 
pupil,  Frank  Webber,  is  at  this  moment  in  want  of  a  '  chum,'  as  the 
phrase  is,  his  last  three  having  only  been  domesticated  with  him 
for  as  many  weeks;  so  that,  until  we  find  you  a  more  quiet  rest- 
ing-place, you  may  take  up  your  abode  with  him." 

During  breakfast,  the  Doctor  proceeded  to  inform  me  that  my 
destined  companion  was  a  young  man  of  excellent  family  and  good 
fortune,  who,  with  very  considerable  talent  and  acquirements,  pre- 
ferred a  life  of  rackety  and  careless  dissipation  to  prospects  of  great 
7 


98  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

success  in  public  life,  which  his  connection  and  family  might  have 
secured  for  him ;  that  he  had  been  originally  entered  at  Oxford, 
which  he  was  obliged  to  leave ;  then  tried  Cambridge,  from  which 
he  escaped  expulsion  by  being  rusticated,  that  is,  having  incurred  a 
sentence  of  temporary  banishment ;  and,  lastly,  with  what  he  him- 
self believed  to  be  a  total  reformation,  to  stumble  on  to  a  degree  in 
the  "  silent  sister." 

"  This  is  his  third  year,"  said  the  doctor,  "  and  he  is  only  a  fresh- 
man, having  lost  every  examination,  with  abilities  enough  to  sweep 
the  University  of  its  prizes.  But  come  over  now,  and  I'll  present 
you  to  him." 

I  followed  him  down  stairs,  across  the  court,  to  an  angle  of  the 
old  square,  where,  up  the  first  floor  left,  to  use  the  college  direction, 
stood  the  name  of  Mr.  Webber,  a  large  No.  2  being  conspicuously 
painted  in  the  middle  of  the  door,  and  not  over  it,  as  is  usually  the 
custom.  As  we  reached  the  spot,  the  observations  of  my  companion 
were  lost  to  me  in  the  tremendous  noise  and  uproar  that  resounded 
from  within.  It  seemed  as  if  a  number  of  people  were  fighting, 
pretty  much  as  a  banditti  in  a  melodrama  do,  with  considerable 
more  of  confusion  than  requisite  ;  a  fiddle  and  a  French  horn  also 
lent  their  assistance  to  shouts  and  cries,  which,  to  say  the  best,  were 
not  exactly  the  aids  to  study  I  expected  in  such  a  place. 

Three  times  was  the  bell  pulled,  with  a  vigor  that  threatened  its 
downfall,  when,  at  last,  as  the  jingle  of  it  rose  above  all  other 
noises,  suddenly  all  became  hushed  and  still.  A  momentary  pause 
succeeded,  and  the  door  was  opened  by  a  very  respectable-looking 
servant,  who,  recognizing  the  Doctor,  at  once  introduced  us  into  the 
apartment  where  Mr.  Webber  was  sitting. 

In  a  large  and  very  handsomely-furnished  room,  where  Brussels 
carpeting  and  softly -cushioned  sofas  contrasted  strangely  with  the 
meagre  and  comfortless  chambers  of  the  Doctor,  sat  a  young  man  at 
a  small  breakfast-table  beside  the  fire.  He  was  attired  in  a  silk 
dressing-gown  and  black  velvet  slippers,  and  supported  his  forehead 
upon  a  hand  of  most  lady-like  whiteness,  whose  fingers  were  abso- 
lutely covered  with  rings  of  great  beauty  and  price.  His  long  silky 
brown  hair  fell  in  rich  profusion  upon  the  back  of  his  neck  and 
over  his  arm,  and  the  whole  air  and  attitude  was  one  which  a 
painter  might  have  copied.  So  intent  was  he  upon  +he  volumes 
before  him,  that  he  never  raised  his  head  at  our  approach,  but  con- 
tinued to  read  aloud,  totally  unaware  of  our  presence. 

"  Dr.  Mooney,  sir,"  said  the  servant. 

"  Ton  dapamey  bominos,  prosephe,  cr'wne  Agamemnon,"  repeated  the 
student,  in  an  ecstasy,  and  not  paying  the  slightest  attention  to  the 
announcement. 


DUBLIN.  99 

"  Dr.  Mooney,  sir,"  repeated  the  servant  in  a  louder  tone,  while 
the  Doctor  looked  around  on  every  side  for  an  explanation  of  the 
late  uproar,  with  a  face  of  the  most  puzzled  astonishment. 

"  Be  dakiown  para  thina  dolekoskion  enkos,"  said  Mr.  Webber, 
finishing  a  cup  of  coffee  at  a  draught. 

"  Well,  Webber,  hard  at  work,  I  see,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"  Ah,  Doctor,  I  beg  pardon !  Have  you  been  long  here  ?"  said 
the  most  soft  and  insinuating  voice,  while  the  speaker  passed  his 
taper  fingers  across  his  brow,  as  if  to  dissipate  the  traces  of  deep 
thought  and  study. 

While  the  Doctor  presented  me  to  my  future  companion,  I  could 
perceive,  in  the  restless  and  searching  look  he  threw  around,  that 
the  fracas  he  had  so  lately  heard  was  still  an  unexplained  and  vex- 
ata  questio  in  his  mind. 

"May  I  offer  you  a  cup  of  coffee,  Mr.  O'Malley?"  said  the  youth, 
with  an  air  of  almost  timid  bashfulness.  "  The  Doctor,  I  know, 
breakfasts  at  a  very  early  hour." 

"  I  say,  Webber,"  said  the  Doctor,  who  could  no  longer  restrain 
his  curiosity,  "  what  an  awful  row  I  heard  here  as  I  came  up  to  the 
door.  I  thought  Bedlam  was  broke  loose.  What  could  it  have 
been?" 

"Ah,  you  heard  it  too,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Webber,  smiling  most 
benignly. 

"  Hear  it?  to  be  sure  I  did.  O'Malley  and  I  could  not  hear  our- 
selves talking  with  the  uproar." 

"Yes,  indeed,  it  is  very  provoking;  but,  then,  what's  to  be  done? 
One  can't  complain  under  the  circumstances." 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?"  said  Mooney,  anxiously. 

"  Nothing,  sir, — nothing.  I'd  much  rather  you'd  not  ask  me ;  for, 
after  all,  I'll  change  my  chambers." 

"  But  why  ?    Explain  this  at  once.     I  insist  upon  it." 

"  Can  I  depend  upon  the  discretion  of  your  young  friend  ?"  said 
Mr.  Webber,  gravely. 

"Perfectly,"  said  the  Doctor,  now  wound  up  to  the  greatest 
anxiety  to  learn  a  secret. 

"  And  you'll  promise  not  to  mention  the  thing  except  among  your 
friends  ?" 

"  I  do,"  said  the  doctor. 

"Well,  then,"  said  he,  in  a  low  and  confident  whisper,  "it's  the 
Dean." 

"The  Dean!"  said  Mooney,  with  a  start.  "The  Dean!  Why, 
how  can  it  be  the  Dean  ?" 

"  Too  true,"  said  Mr.  Webber,  making  a  sign  of  drinking ;  "  too 
true,  Doctor.     And  then,  the  moment  he  is  so,  he  begins  smashing 


100  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

the  furniture.  Never  was  anything  heard  like  it.  As  for  me,  as  I 
am  now  become  a  reading  man,  I  must  go  elsewhere." 

Now,  it  so  chanced  that  the  worthy  Dean,  who,  albeit  a  man  of 
the  most  abstemious  habits,  possessed  a  nose  which,  in  color  and 
development,  was  a  most  unfortunate  witness  to  call  to  character, 
and  as  Mooney  heard  Webber  narrate  circumstantially  the  frightful 
excesses  of  the  great  functionary,  I  saw  that  something  like  convic- 
tion was  stealing  over  him. 

"  You'll  of  course  never  speak  of  this  except  to  your  most  intimate 
-friends,"  said  Webber. 

"  Of  course  not,"  said  the  Doctor,  as  he  shook  his  hand  warmly, 
and  prepared  to  leave  the  room.  "  O'Malley,  I  leave  you  here,"  said 
he ;  "  Webber  and  you  can  talk  over  your  arrangements." 

Webber  followed  the  Doctor  to  the  door,  whispered  something  in 
his  ear,  to  which  the  other  replied,  "  Very  well,  I  will  write ;  but  if 

your  father  sends  the  money,  I  must  insist "    The  rest  was  lost 

in  protestations  and  professions  of  the  most  fervent  kind,  amid 
which  the  door  was  shut,  and  Mr.  Webber  returned  to  the  room. 

Short  as  was  the  interspace  from  the  door  without  to  the  room 
within,  it  was  still  ample  enough  to  effect  a  very  thorough  and 
remarkable  change  in  the  whole  external  appearance  of  Mr.  Frank 
Webber;  for  scarcely  had  the  oaken  panel  shut  out  the  Doctor, 
when  he  appeared  no  longer  the  shy,  timid,  and  silvery -toned 
gentleman  of  five  minutes  before,  but  dashing  boldly  forward,  he 
seized  a  key-bugle  that  lay  hid  beneath  a  sofa-cushion,  and  blew  a 
tremendous  blast. 

"  Come  forth,  ye  demons  of  the  lower  world,"  said  he,  drawing  a 
cloth  from  a  large  table,  and  discovering  the  figures  of  three  young 
men,  coiled  up  beneath.  "  Come  forth,  and  fear  not,  most  timorous 
freshmen  that  ye  are,"  said  he,  unlocking  a  pantry,  and  liberating 
two  others.  "  Gentlemen,  let  me  introduce  to  your  acquaintance 
Mr.  O'Malley.  My  chum,  gentlemen.  Mr.  O'Malley,  this  is'Henry 
Nesbitt,  who  has  been  in  college  since  the  days  of  old  Perpendic- 
ular, and  numbers  more  cautions  than  any  man  who  ever  had  his 
name  on  the  books.  Here  is  my  particular  friend,  Cecil  Cavendish, 
the  only  man  who  could  ever  devil  kidneys.  Captain  Power,  Mr. 
O'Malley — a  dashing  dragoon,  as  you  see ;  aide-de-camp  to  his  Ex- 
cellency the  Lord  Lieutenant,  and  love-maker  general  to  Merrion 
Square  West.  These,"  said  he,  pointing  to  the  late  denizens  of  the 
pantry,  "  are  jibs,  whose  names  are  neither  known  to  the  proctor  nor 
the  police-office ;  but,  with  due  regard  to  their  education  and  morals, 
we  don't  despair." 

"By  no  means,"  said  Power;  "but  come,  let  us  resume  our 
game."     At  these  words  he  took  a  folio  atlas  of  maps  from  a  small 


DUBLIN.-  101 

table,  and  displayed  beneath  a  pack  of  cards,  dealt  as<>  i£  for  wMst. 
The  two  gentlemen  to  whom  I  was  introduced  by  name  returned  to 
their  places ;  the  unknown  two  put  on  their  boxing-gloves,  and  all 
resumed  the  hilarity  which  Dr.  Mooney's  advent  had  so  suddenly 
interrupted. 

"  Where's  Moore  ?"  said  Webber,  as  he  once  more  seated  himself 
at  his  breakfast. 

"  Making  a  spatch-cock,  sir,"  said  the  servant. 

At  the  same  instant,  a  little,  dapper,  jovial-looking  personage 
appeared  with  the  dish  in  question. 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,  Mr.  Moore,  the  gentleman  who,  by  repeated  re- 
monstrances to  the  board,  has  succeeded  in  getting  eatable  food  for 
the  inhabitants  of  this  penitentiary,  and  has  the  honored  reputation 
of  reforming  the  commons  of  college." 

"Anything  to  Godfrey  O'Malley,  may  I  ask,  sir?"  said  Moore. 

"  His  nephew,"  I  replied. 

"  Which  of  you  winged  the  gentleman  the  other  day  for  not  pass- 
ing the  decanter,  or  something  of  that  sort  ?" 

"  If  you  mean  the  affair  with  Mr.  Bodkin,  it  was  I." 

"  Glorious,  that ;  begad,  I  thought  you  were  one  of  us.  I  say, 
Power,  it  was  he  pinked  Bodkin." 

"Ah,  indeed,"  said  Power,  not  turning  his  head  from  his  game ; 
"  a  pretty  shot,  I  heard — two  by  honors — and  hit  him  fairly — the 
odd  trick.     Hammersley  mentioned  the  thing  to  me." 

"  Oh  !  is  he  in  town  ?"  said  I. 

"  No  ;  he  sailed  for  Portsmouth  yesterday.  He  is  to  join  the  11th 
— game — I  say,  Webber,  you've  lost  the  rubber." 

"  Double  or  quit,  and  a  dinner  at  Dunleary,"  said  Webber. 
"We  must  show  O'Malley — confound  the  Mister — something  of 
the  place." 

"Agreed." 

The  whist  was  resumed ;  the  boxers,  now  refreshed  by  a  leg  of 
the  spatch-cock,  returned  to  their  gloves,  Mr.  Moore  took  up  his 
violin,  Mr.  Webber  his  French  horn,  and  I  was  left  the  only  unem- 
ployed man  in  the  company. 

"  I  say,  Power,  you'd  better  bring  the  drag  over  here  for  us  ;  we 
can  all  go  down  together." 

"  I  must  inform  you,"  said  Cavendish,  "that,  thanks  to  your  phil- 
anthropic efforts  of  last  night,  the  passage  from  Grafton  street  to 
Stephen's  Green  is  impracticable."  A  tremendous  roar  of  laughter 
followed  this  announcement ;  and,  though  at  the  time  the  cause  was 
unknown  to  me,  I  may  as  well  mention  it  here,  as  I  subsequently 
learned  it  from  my  companions. 

Among  the  many  peculiar  tastes  which  distinguished  Mr.  Fran- 


102  OB AllUS  O'M ALLEY. 

cis  We^ber-j  vvas  an  extraordinary  fancy  for  street-begging ;  he  had 
over  and  over  won  large  sums  upon  his  success  in  that  difficult 
walk ;  and  so  perfect  were  his  disguises,  both  of  dress,  voice,  and 
manner,  that  he  actually  at  one  time  succeeded  in  obtaining  charity 
from  his  very  opponent  in  the  wager.  He  wrote  ballads  with  the 
greatest  facility,  and  sang  them  with  infinite  pathos  and  humor; 
and  the  old  woman  at  the  corner  of  College  Green  was  certain  of 
an  audience  when  the  severity  of  the  night  would  leave  all  other 
minstrelsy  deserted.  As  these  feats  of  jonglerie  usually  terminated 
in  a  row,  it  was  a  most  amusing  part  of  the  transaction  to  see  the 
singer's  part  taken  by  the  mob  against  the  college  men,  who,  grow- 
ing impatient  to  carry  him  off  to  supper  somewhere,  would  invari- 
ably be  obliged  to  have  a  fight  for  the  booty. 

Now,  it  chanced  that,  a  few  evenings  before,  Mr.  Webber  was  re- 
turning, with  a  pocket  well  lined  with  copper,  from  a  musical  re- 
union he  had  held  at  the  corner  of  York  street,  when  the  idea  struck 
him  to  stop  at  the  end  of  Grafton  street,  where  a  huge  stone  grating 
at  that  time  exhibited — perhaps  it  exhibits  still — the  descent  to  one 
of  the  great  main  sewers  of  the  city. 

The  light  was  shining  brightly  from  a  pastrycook's  shop,  and 
showed  the  large  bars  of  stone  beneath  which  the  muddy  water  was 
rushing  rapidly  down,  and  plashing  in  the  torrent  that  ran  boister- 
ously several  feet  beneath. 

To  stop  in  the  street  of  any  crowded  city  is,  under  any  circum- 
stances, an  invitation  for  others  to  do  likewise,  which  is  rarely  un- 
accepted ;  but  when,  in  addition  to  this,  you  stand  fixedly  in  one 
spot,  and  regard  with  stern  intensity  any  object  near  you,  the  chances 
are  ten  to  one  that  you  have  several  companions  in  your  curiosity 
before  a  minute  expires. 

Now,  Webber,  who  had  at  first  stood  still,  without  any  peculiar 
thought  in  view,  no  sooner  perceived  that  he  was  joined  by  others, 
than  the  idea  of  making  something  out  of  it  immediately  occurred 
to  him. 

"  What  is  it,  agra?"  inquired  an  old  woman,  very  much  in  his 
own  style  of  dress,  pulling  at  the  hood  of  his  cloak. 

"And  can't  you  see  for  yourself,  darling?"  replied  he,  sharply,  as 
he  knelt  down,  and  looked  most  intensely  at  the  sewer. 

"Are  ye  long  there,  avick?"  inquired  he  of  an  imaginary  indi- 
vidual below,  and  then  waiting  as  if  for  a  reply,  said,  "  Two  hours ! 
Blessed  Virgin  !  he's  two  hours  in  the  drain  !" 

By  this  time  the  crowd  had  reached  entirely  across  the  street,  and 
the  crushing  and  squeezing  to  get  near  the  important  spot  was  awful. 

"  Where  did  he  come  from  ?"  "  Who  is  he?"  "  How  did  he  get 
there  ?"  were  questions  on  every  side,  and  various  surmises  were 


DUBLIN.  103 

afloat,  till  Webber,  rising  from  his  knees,  said,  in  a  mysterious 
whisper  to  those  nearest  him,  "  He's  made  his  escape  to-night  out  o' 
Newgate  by  the  big  drain,  and  lost  his  way ;  he  was  looking  for  the 
Liffey,  and  took  the  wrong  turn." 

To  an  Irish  mob,  what  appeal  could  equal  this  ?  A  culprit  at  any 
time  has  his  claims  upon  their  sympathy ;  but  let  him  be  caught  in 
the  very  act  of  cheating  the  authorities  and  evading  the  law,  and  his 
popularity  knows  no  bounds.  Webber  knew  this  well,  and,  as  the* 
mob  thickened  around  him,  sustained  an  imaginary  conversation 
that  Savage  Landor  might  have  envied,  imparting  now  and  then  such 
hints  concerning  the  runaway  as  raised  their  interest  to  the  highest 
pitch,  and  fifty  different  versions  were  related  on  all  sides — of  the 
crime  he  was  guilty  of,  the  sentence  that  was  passed  on  him,  and  the 
day  he  was  to  suffer. 

"  Do  you  see  the  light,  dear  ?"  said  Webber,  as  some  ingeniously 
benevolent  individual  had  lowered  down  a  candle  with  a  string — 
"  do  ye  see  the  light  ?  Oh !  he's  fainted,  the  creature."  A  cry  of 
horror  from  the  crowd  burst  forth  at  these  words,  followed  by  a  uni- 
versal shout  of  "  Break  open  the  street." 

Pickaxes,  shovels,  spades,  and  crowbars  seemed  absolutely  the 
walking  accompaniments  of  the  crowd,  so  suddenly  did  they  appear 
upon  the  field  of  action,  and  the  work  of  exhumation  was  begun 
with  a  vigor  that  speedily  covered  nearly  half  the  street  with  mud  and 
paving-stones.  Parties  relieved  each  other  at  the  task,  and  ere  half 
an  hour  a  hole  capable  of  containing  a  mail  coach  was  yawning  in 
one  of  the  most  frequented  thoroughfares  of  Dublin.  Meanwhile,  as 
no  appearance  of  the  culprit  could  be  had,  dreadful  conjectures  as  to 
his  fate  began  to  gain  ground.  By  this  time  the  authorities  had 
received  intimation  of  what  was  going  forward,  and  attempted  to 
disperse  the  crowd ;  but  Webber,  who  still  continued  to  conduct  the 
prosecution,  called  on  them  to  resist  the  police,  and  save  the  poor 
creature.  And  now  began  a  most  terrific  fray.  The  stones,  forming 
a  ready  weapon,  were  hurled  at  the  unprepared  constables,  who,  on 
their  side,  fought  manfully,  but  against  superior  numbers  ;  so  that, 
at  last,  it  was  only  by  the  aid  of  a  military  force  the  mob  could  be 
dispersed,  and  a  riot,  which  had  assumed  a  very  serious  character, 
got  under.  Meanwhile,  Webber  had  reached  his  chambers,  changed 
his  costume,  and  was  relating  over  the  supper-table  the  narrative  of 
his  philanthropy  to  a  very  admiring  circle  of  his  friends. 

Such  was  my  chum,  Frank  Webber ;  and  as  this  was  the  first 
anecdote  I  had  heard  of  him,  I  relate  it  here  that  my  readers  may 
be  in  possession  of  the  grounds  upon  which  my  opinion  of  that 
celebrated  character  was  founded  while  yet  our  acquaintance  was  in 
its  infancy. 


104  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER   XV. 

CAPTAIN  POWER. 

WITHIN  a  few  weeks  after  my  arrival  in  town,  I  had  become 
a  matriculated  student  of  the  University,  and  the  possessor 
of  chambers  within  its  walls,  in  conjunction  with  the  sage 
and  prudent  gentleman  I  have  introduced  to  my  readers  in  the  last 
chapter.  Had  my  intentions  on  entering  college  been  of  the  most 
studious  and  regular  kind,  the  companion  into  whose  society  I  was 
then  immediately  thrown  would  have  quickly  dissipated  them.  He 
voted  morning  chapels  a  bore,  Greek  lectures  a  humbug,  examina- 
tions a  farce,  and  pronounced  the  statute-book,  with  its  attendant 
train  of  fines  and  punishment,  an  "  unclean  thing."  With  all  my 
country  habits  and  predilections  fresh  upon  me,  that  I  was  an  easily 
won  disciple  to  his  code  need  not  be  wondered  at,  and,  indeed,  ere 
many  days  had  passed  over,  my  thorough  indifference  to  all  college 
rules  and  regulations  had  given  me  a  high  place  in  the  esteem  of 
Webber  and  his  friends.  As  for  myself,  I  was  most  agreeably  sur- 
prised to  find  that  what  I  had  looked  forward  to  as  a  very  melan- 
choly banishment,  was  likely  to  prove  a  most  agreeable  sojourn. 
Under  Webber's  directions,  there  was  no  hour  of  the  day  that  hung 
heavily  upon  our  hands.  We  rose  about  eleven,  and  breakfasted ; 
after  which  succeeded  fencing,  sparring,  billiards,  or  tennis  in  the 
park;  about  three,  got  on  horseback,  and  either  cantered  in  the 
Phcenix  or  about  the  squares  till  visiting  time ;  after  which  made 
our  calls,  and  then  dressed  for  dinner,  which  we  never  thought  of 
taking  at  commons,  but  had  it  from  Morrison's,  we  both  being  re- 
ported sick  in  the  dean's  list,  and  thereby  exempt  from  the  routine 
fare  of  the  fellows'  table.  In  the  evening  our  occupations  became 
still  more  pressing.  There  were  balls,  suppers,  whist  parties,  rows  at 
.  the  theatre,  shindies  in  the  street,  devilled  drumsticks  at  Hayes's, 
select  oyster  parties  at  the  Carlingford;  in  fact,  in  every  known 
method  of  remaining  up  all  night,  and  appearing  both  pale  and 
penitent  the  following  morning. 

Webber  had  a  large  acquaintance  in  Dublin,  and  soon  made  me 
known  to  them  all.  Among  others,  the  officers  of  the  — th  Light 
Dragoons,  in  which  regiment  Power  was  captain,  were  his  particular 
friends,  and  we  had  frequent  invitations  to  dine  at  their  mess. 
There  it  was  first  that  military  life  presented  itself  to  me  in  its  most 
attractive  possible  form,  and  heightened  the  passion  I  already  so 
strongly  conceived  for  the  army.  Power,  above  all  others,  took  my 
fancy.  He  was  a  gay,  dashing-looking,  handsome  fellow  of  about 
eight-and-twenty,  who  had  already  seen  some  service,  having  joined 


CAPTAIN  POWER.  105 

while  his  regiment  was  in  Portugal ;  was  in  heart  and  soul  a  soldier, 
and  had  that  species  of  pride  and  enthusiasm  in  all  that  regarded  a 
military  career  that  form  no  small  part  of  the  charm  in  the  charac- 
ter of  a  young  officer. 

I  sat  near  him  the  second  day  we  dined  at  the  mess,  and  was  much 
pleased  at  many  slight  attentions  in  his  manner  towards  me. 

"I  called  on  you  to-day,  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  he,  "in  company 
with  a  friend,  who  is  most  anxious  to  see  you." 

"  Indeed,"  said  I ;  "  I  did  not  hear  of  it." 

"  We  left  no  cards  either  of  us,  as  we  were  determined  to  make 
you  out  on  another  day ;  my  companion  has  most  urgent  reasons  for 
seeing  you.  I  see  you  are  puzzled,"  said  he,  "and  although  I 
promised  to  keep  his  secret,  I  must  blab :  it  was  Sir  George  Dash- 
wood  who  was  with  me ;  he  told  us  of  your  most  romantic  adven- 
ture in  the  west,  and,  faith,  there  is  no  doubt  you  saved  the  lady's 
life." 

"Was  she  worth  the  trouble  of  it?"  said  the  old  major,  whose 
conjugal  experiences  imparted  a  very  crusty  tone  to  the  question. 

"  I  think,"  said  I,  "  I  need  only  tell  her  name  to  convince  you 
of  it." 

"  Here's  a  bumper  to  her,"  said  Power,  filling  his  glass ;  "  and 
every  true  man  will  follow  my  example." 

When  the  hip,  hipping  which  followed  the  toast  was  over,  I  found 
myself  enjoying  no  small  share  of  the  attention  of  the  party  as  the 
deliverer  of  Lucy  Dash  wood. 

"  Sir  George  is  cudgelling  his  brain  to  show  his  gratitude  to  you," 
said  Power. 

"  What  a  pity,  for  the  sake  of  his  peace  of  mind,  that  you  are  not 
in  the  army,"  said  another  ;  "  it's  so  easy  to  show  a  man  a  delicate 
regard  by  a  quick  promotion." 

"  A  devil  of  a  pity  for  his  own  sake,  too,"  said  Power,  again ; 
"  they're  going  to  make  a  lawyer  of  as  strapping  a  fellow  as  ever 
carried  a  sabretasche." 

"A  lawyer!"  cried  out  half  a  dozen  together,  pretty  much  with 
the  same  tone  and  emphasis  as  though  he  had  said  a  twopenny 
postman — "  the  devil  they  are." 

"  Cut  the  service  at  once — you'll  get  no  promotion  in  it,"  said  the 
colonel.  "  A  fellow  with  a  black  eye  like  you  would  look  much 
better  at  the  head  of  a  squadron  than  a  string  of  witnesses.  Trust 
me,  you'd  shine  more  in  conducting  a  picket  than  a  prosecution." 

"But  if  I  can't?"  said  I. 

"  Then  take  my  plan,"  said  Power,  "  and  make  it  cut  you." 

"  Yours  ?"  said  two  or  three  in  a  breath — "  yours  ?" 

"  Ay,  mine ;  did  you  never  know  that  I  was  bred  to  the  bar  ? 


106  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Come,  come,  if  it  was  only  for  O'Malley's  use  and  benefit — as  we 
say  in  the  parchments — I  must  tell  you  the  story." 

The  claret  was  pushed  briskly  round,  chairs  drawn  up  to  fill  any 
vacant  spaces,  and  Power  began  his  story. 

"  As  I  am  not  over  long-winded,  don't  be  scared  at  my  beginning 
my  history  somewhat  far  back.  I  began  life  that  most  unlucky  of 
all  earthly  contrivances  for  supplying  casualties  in  case  anything 
may  befall  the  heir  of  the  house — a  species  of  domestic  jury-mast? 
only  lugged  out  in  a  gale  of  wind — a  younger  son.  My  brother 
Tom,  a  thick-skulled,  pudding-headed  dog,  that  had  no  taste  for 
anything  save  his  dinner,  took  it  into  his  wise  head  one  morning 
that  he  would  go  into  the  army,  and,  although  I  had  been  origi- 
nally destined  for  a  soldier,  no  sooner  was  his  choice  made,  than  all 
regard  for  my  taste  and  inclination  was  forgotten ;  and  as  the 
family  interest  was  only  enough  for  one,  it  was  decided  that  I 
should  be  put  in  what  is  called  a  '  learned  profession,'  and  let  push 
my  fortune.  '  Take  your  choice,  Dick/  said  my  father,  with  a  most 
benign  smile — '  take  your  choice,  boy.  Will  you  be  a  lawyer,  a 
parson,  or  a  doctor  ?' 

"  Had  he  said,  '  Will  you  be  put  in  the  stocks,  the  pillory,  or 
publicly  whipped  V  I  could  not  have  looked  more  blank  than  at  the 
question. 

"As  a  decent  Protestant,  he  should  have  grudged  me  to  the 
Church  ;  as  a  philanthropist,  he  might  have  scrupled  at  making  me 
a  physician ;  but  as  he  had  lost  deeply  by  law-suits,  there  looked 
something  very  like  a  lurking  malice  in  sending  me  to  the  bar. 
Now,  so  far  I  concurred  with  him,  for  having  no  gift  for  enduring 
either  sermons  or  senna,  I  thought  I'd  make  a  bad  administrator  of 
either,  and  as  I  was  ever  regarded  in  the  family  as  rather  of  a  shrewd 
and  quick  turn,  with  a  very  natural  taste  for  roguery,  I  began  to 
believe  he  was  right,  and  that  nature  intended  me  for  the  circuit. 

"  From  the  hour  my  vocation  was  pronounced,  it  had  been  happy 
for  the  family  that  they  could  have  got  rid  of  me.  A  certain  ambi- 
tion to  rise  in  my  profession  laid  hold  on  me,  and  I  meditated  all 
day  and  night  how  I  was  to  get  on.  Every  trick,  every  subtle  inven- 
tion to  cheat  the  enemy  that  I  could  read  of,  I  treasured  up  care- 
fully, being  fully  impressed  with  the  notion  that  roguery  meant 
law,  and  equity  was  only  another  name  for  odd  and  even. 

"My  days  were  spent  haranguing  special  juries  of  housemaids 
and  laundresses,  cross-examining  the  cook,  charging  the  under 
butler,  and  passing  sentence  of  death  upon  the  pantry  boy,  who,  I 
may  add,  was  invariably  hanged  when  the  court  rose. 

"  If  the  mutton  were  overdone,  or  the  turkey  burned,  I  drew  up 
an  indictment  against  old  Margaret,  and  against  the  kitchen-maid 


CAPTAIN  PO  WEE.  107 

as  accomplice  ;  and  the  family  hungered  while  I  harangued ;  and, 
in  fact,  into  such  disrepute  did  I  bring  the  legal  profession,  by  the 
score  of  annoyance  of  which  I  made  it  the  vehicle,  that  my  father 
got  a  kind  of  holy  horror  of  law  courts,  judges,  and  crown  solicitors, 
and  absented  himself  from  the  assizes  the  same  year,  for  which, 
being  a  high  sheriff,  he  paid  a  penalty  of  £500. 

"  The  next  day  I  was  sent  off  in  disgrace  to  Dublin,  to  begin  my 
career  in  college,  and  eat  the  usual  quartos  and  folios  of  beef  and 
mutton  which  qualify  a  man  for  the  woolsack. 

"Years  rolled  over,  in  which,  after  an  ineffectual  effort  to  get 
through  college, — the  only  examination  I  ever  got  being  a  jubilee 
for  the  king's  birthday,— I  was  at  length  called  to  the  Irish  bar,  and 
saluted  by  my  friends  as  Counsellor  Power.  The  whole  thing  was 
so  like  a  joke  to  me,  that  it  kept  me  in  laughter  for  three  terms, 
and,  In  fact,  it  was  tfte  best  thing  that  could  happen  to  me,  for  I  had 
nothing  else  to  do.  The  hall  of  the  Four  Courts  was  a  very  plea- 
sant lounge,  plenty  of  agreeable  fellows  that  never  earned  sixpence, 
or  were  likely  to  uo  so.  Then  the  circuits  were  so  many  country 
excursions,  that  supplied  fun  of  one  kind  or  other,  but  no  profit. 
As  for  me,  I  was  what  was  called  a  good  junior.  I  knew  how  to 
look  after  the  waiters,  to  inspect  the  decanting  of  the  wine,  and  the 
airing  of  the  claret,  and  was  always  attentive  to  the  father  of  the 
circuit,  the  crossest  old  villain  that  ever  was  a  king's  counsel. 
These  eminent  qualities,  and  my  being  able  to  sing  a  song  in  honor 
of  our  own  bar,  were  recommendations  enough  to  make  me  a  favor- 
ite, and  I  was  one. 

"  Now,  the  reputation  I  obtained  was  pleasant  enough  at  first, 
but  I  began  to  wonder  that  I  never  got  a  brief.  Somehow,  if  it 
rained  civil  bills  or  declarations,  devil  a  one  would  fall  upon  my 
head,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  only  object  I  had  in  life  was  to  accom- 
pany the  circuit,  a  kind  of  deputy-assistant  commissary-general, 
never  expected  to  come  into  action.  To  be  sure,  I  was  not  alone  in 
misfortune ;  there  were  several  promising  youths,  who  cut  great 
figures  in  Trinity,  in  the  same  predicament,  the  only  difference 
being  that  they  attributed  to  jealousy  what  I  expected  was  for- 
getfulness,  for  I  don't  think  a  single  attorney  in  Dublin  knew 
one  of  us. 

"  Two  years  passed  over,  and  then  I  walked  the  hall  with  a  bag 
filled  with  newspapers,  to  look  like  briefs,  and  was  regularly  called 
by  two  or  three  criers  from  one  court  to  the  other.  It  never  took  ; 
even  when  I  used  to  seduce  a  country  friend  to  visit  the  courts,  and 
get  him  into  an  animated  conversation  in  a  corner  between  two 
pillars,  devil  a  one  would  believe  him  to  be  a  client,  and  I  was 
fairly  nonplussed. 


108  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  -  How  is  a  man  ever  to  distinguish  himself  in  such  a  walk  as 
this  ?'  was  my  eternal  question  to  myself  every  morning  as  I  put  on 
my  wig.  '  My  face  is  as  well  known  here  as  Lord  Manners' ;  every 
one  says,  "  How  are  you,  Dick?"  "  How  goes  it,  Power?"  hut  ex- 
cept Holmes,  that  said  one  morning,  as  he  passed  me,  "  Eh,  always 
busy?"  no  one  alludes  to  the  possibility  of  my  having  anything 
to  do.' 

"  '  If  I  could  only  get  a  footing,'  thought  I,  '  Lord,  how  I'd  aston- 
ish them  !     As  the  song  says, — 

"  Perhaps  a  recruit 
Might  chance  to  shoot 

Great  General  Bonapartfi." 

So,'  said  I  to  myself,  '  I'll  make  these  halls  ring  for  it  some  day  or 
other,  if  the  occasion  ever  present  itself.'  But,  faith,  it  seemed  as  if 
some  cunning  solicitor  overheard  me,  and  told  his  associates,  for 
they  avoided  me  like  a  leprosy.  The  home  circuit  I  had  adopted 
for  some  time  past,  for  the  very  palpable  reason  that,  being  near 
town,  it  was  least  costly,  and  it  had  all  the  advantages  of  any  other 
for  me,  in  getting  me  nothing  to  do.  Well,  one  morning  we  were  in 
Philipstown  ;  I  was  lying  awake  in  bed,  thinking  how  long  it  would 
be  before  I'd  sum  up  resolution  to  cut  the  bar,  where  certainly  my 
prospects  were  not  the  most  cheering,  when  some  one  tapped  gently 
at  my  door. 

"  '  Come  in/  said  I. 

"  The  waiter  opened  gently,  and  held  out  his  hand  with  a  large 
roll  of  paper,  tied  round  with  a  piece  of  red  tape. 

"  '  Counsellor,'  said  he,  '  handsel.' 

"'  What  do  you  mean?'  said  I,  jumping  out  of  bed;  'what  is  it, 
you  villain  ?' 

"  '  A  brief.' 

"'A  brief:  so  I  see;  but  it's  for  Counsellor  Kinshella,  below 
stairs.'     That  was  the  first  name  written  on  it. 

"  '  Bethershin,'  said  he  ;  '  Mr.  M'Grath  bid  me  to  give  it  to  you, 
carefully.' 

"  By  this  time  I  had  opened  the  envelope,  and  read  my  own  name 
at  full  length  as  junior  counsel  in  the  important  case  of  Mona- 
ghan  v.  M'Shean,  to  be  tried  in  the  Record  Court  at  Ballinasloe. 
'  That  will  do,'  said  I,  flinging  it  on  the  bed  with  a  careless  air,  as  if 
it  were  a  very  every-day  matter  with  me. 

"  '  But,  counsellor,  darlin',  give  us  a  thrifle  to  dhrink  your  health 
with  your  first  cause,  and  the  Lord  send  you  plenty  of  them.' 

"  'My  first,'  said  I,  with  a  smile  of  most  ineffable  compassion  at 
his  simplicity :  '  I'm  worn  out  with  them ;  do  you  know,  Peter,  I 


CAPTAIN  POWER.  109 

was  thinking  seriously  of  leaving  the  bar,  when  you  came  into  the 
room?    Upon  my  conscience,  it's  in  earnest  I  am.' 

"  Peter  believed  me,  I  think,  for  I  saw  him  give  a  very  peculiar 
look  as  he  pocketed  his  half-crown  and  left  the  room. 

"  The  door  was  scarcely  closed  when  I  gave  way  to  the  free  trans- 
port of  my  ecstasy ;  there  it  lay  at  last,  the  long  looked-for,  long 
wished-for  object  of  all  my  happiness,  and  though  I  well  knew  that  a 
junior  counsel  has  about  as  much  to  do  in  the  conducting  of  a  case  ;is 
a  rusty  handspike  has  in  a  naval  engagement,  yet  I  suffered  not  such' 
thoughts  to  mar  the  current  of  my  happiness.  There  was  my  name 
in  conjunction  with  the  two  mighty  leaders  on  the  circuit,  and 
though  they  each  pocketed  a  hundred,  I  doubt  very  much  if  they 
received  their  briefs  with  one  half  the  satisfaction.  My  joy  at 
length  subdued  a  little.  I  opened  the  roll  of  paper,  and  began 
carefully  to  peruse  about  fifty  pages  of  narrative  regarding  a  water- 
course that  once  had  turned  a  mill ;  but,  from  some  reasons 
doubtless  known  to  itself  or  its  friends,  would  do  so  no  longer, 
and  thus  set  two  respectable  neighbors  at  loggerheads,  and  in- 
volved them  in  a  record  that  had  been  now  heard  three  several 
times. 

"  Quite  forgetting  the  subordinate  part  I  was  destined  to  fill,  I 
opened  the  case  in  the  most  flowery  oration,  in  which  I  descanted 
upon  the  benefits  accruing  to  mankind  from  water-communication 
since  the  days  of  Noah ;  remarked  upon  the  antiquity  of  mills,  and 
especially  of  millers,  and  consumed  half  an  hour  in  a  preamble  of 
generalities  that  I  hoped  would  make  a  very  considerable  impres- 
sion upon  the  court.  Just  at  the  critical  moment  when  I  was  about 
to  enter  more  particularly  into  the  case,  three  or  four  of  the 
great  unbriefed  came  rattling  into  my  room,  and  broke  in  upon  the 
oration. 

"  '  I  say,  Power/  said  one  *  come  and  have  an  hour's  skating  on 
the  canal ;  the  courts  are  filled,  and  we  sha'n't  be  missed.' 

"  *  Skate,  my  dear  friend,'  said  I,  in  a  most  dolorous  tone ;  '  out 
of  the  question ;  see,  I  am  chained  to  a  devilish  knotty  case  with 
Kinshella  and  Mills.' 

"  '  Confound  your  humbugging  !'  said  another  ;  '  that  may  do  very 
well  in  Dublin  for  the  attorneys,  but  not  with  us.' 

"  '  I  don't  well  understand  you,'  I  replied ;  ?  there  is  the  brief. 
Hennesy  expects  me  to  report  upon  it  this  evening,  and  so  I  am 
hurried.' 

"  Here  a  very  chorus  of  laughing  broke  forth,  in  which,  after 
several  vain  efforts  to  resist,  I  was  forced  to  join,  and  kept  it  up 
with  the  others. 

"  When  our  mirth  was  over,  my  friends  scrutinized  the  red  tape- 


110  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

tied  packet,  and  pronounced  it  a  real  brief,  with  a  degree  of  sur- 
prise that  certainly  augured  little  for  their  familiarity  with  such 
objects  of  natural  history. 

"  When  they  had  left  the  room,  I  leisurely  examined  the  all-im- 
portant document,  spreading  it  out  before  me  upon  the  table,  and 
surveying  it  as  a  newly-anointed  sovereign  might  be  supposed  to 
contemplate  a  map  of  his  dominions. 

"  '  At  last/  said  I  to  myself — '  at  last,  and  here  is  the  footstep  to 
the  woolsack.'  For  more  than  an  hour  I  sat  motionless,  my  eyes 
fixed  upon  the  outspread  paper,  lost  in  a  very  maze  of  reverie.  The 
ambition  which  disappointments  had  crushed,  and  delay  had 
chilled,  came  suddenly  back,  and  all  my  day-dreams  of  legal  suc- 
cess, my  cherished  aspirations  after  silk-gowns,  and  patents  of  pre- 
cedence, rushed  once  more  upon  me,  and  I  resolved  to  do  or  die. 
Alas !  a  very  little  reflection  showed  me  that  the  latter  was  per- 
fectly practicable,  but  that,  as  a  junior  counsel,  five  minutes  of  very 
commonplace  recitation  was  all  my  province,  and  with  the  main 
business  of  the  day  I  had  about  as  much  to  do  as  the  call-boy  of  a 
playhouse  has  with  the  success  of  a  tragedy. 

" '  My  lord,  this  is  an  action  brought  by  Timothy  Higgin,'  &c, 
and  down  I  go,  no  more  to  be  remembered  and  thought  of  than  if  I 
had  never  existed.  How  different  it  would  be  were  I  the  leader ! 
Zounds,  how  I  would  worry  the  witnesses,  browbeat  the  evidence, 
cajole  the  jury,  and  soften  the  judges !  If  the  Lord  were  in  his 
mercy  to  remove  old  Mills  and  Kinshella  before  Tuesday,  who 
knows  but  my  fortune  might  be  made?  This  supposition  once 
started,  set  me  speculating  upon  all  the  possible  chances  that  might 
cut  off  two  king's  counsel  in  three  days,  and  left  me  fairly  con- 
vinced that  my  own  elevation  was  certain  were  they  only  removed 
from  my  path. 

"  For  two  whole  days  the  thought  never  left  my  mind ;  and  on  the 
evening  of  the  second  day  I  sat  moodily  over  my  pint  of  port,  in  the 
Clonbrock  Arms,  with  my  friend,  Timothy  Casey,  Captain  in  the 
North  Cork  Militia,  for  my  companion. 

"  '  Fred,'  said  Tim,  '  take  off  your  wine,  man.  When  does  this 
confounded  trial  come  on  ?' 

"  '  To-morrow,'  said  I,  with  a  deep  groan. 

"  '  Well,  well,  and  if  it  does,  what  matter?"  he  said ;  'you'll  do  well 
enough,  never  be  afraid.' 

"'Alas!'  said  I,  'you  don't  understand  the  cause  of  my  depres- 
sion.' I  here  entered  upon  an  account  of  my  sorrows,  which  lasted 
for  above  an  hour,  and  only  concluded  just  as  a  tremendous  noise  in 
the  street  without  announced  an  arrival.  For  several  minutes,  such 
was  the  excitement  in  the  house,  such  running  hither  and  thither, 


CAPTA IN  PO  WER.  Ill 

such  confusion  and  such  hubbub,  that  we  could  not  make  out  who 
had  arrived. 

"At  last  a  door  opened  quite  near  us,  and  we  saw  the  waiter 
assisting  a  very  portly-looking  gentleman  off  with  his  greatcoat, 
assuring  him  the  while  that,  if  he  would  only  walk  into  the  coffee- 
room  for  ten  minutes,  the  fire  in  his  apartment  should  be  got  ready. 
The  stranger  accordingly  entered  and  seated  himself  at  the  fireplace, 
having  never  noticed  that  Casey  and  myself — the  only  persons 
there — were  in  the  room. 

" '  I  say,  Phil,  who  is  he  ?'  inquired  Casey  of  the  waiter. 

"  'Counsellor  Mills,  Captain,'  said  the  waiter,  and  left  the  room. 

"'That's  your  friend,'  said  Casey. 

" '  I  see,'  said  I ;  '  and  I  wish  with  all  my  heart  he  was  at  home 
with  his  pretty  wife  in  Leeson  street.' 

"  "  Is  she  good-looking?'  inquired  Tim. 

" '  Devil  a  better,'  said  I ;  '  and  he's  as  jealous  as  Old  Nick/ 

" '  Hem,'  said  Tim ;  '  mind  your  cue,  and  I'll  give  him  a  start.' 
Here  he  suddenly  changed  his  whispering  tone  for  one  in  a  louder 
key,  and  resumed :  '  I  say,  Power,  it  will  make  some  work  for  you 
lawyers.  But  who  can  she  be?  that's  the  question.'  Here  he  took 
a  much  crumpled  letter  from  his  pocket,  and  pretended  to  read : 
' "  A  great  sensation  was  created  in  the  neighborhood  of  Merrion 
square  yesterday,  by  the  sudden  disappearance  from  her  house  of 

the  handsome  Mrs. "     Confound  it — what's  the  name? — what  a 

hand  he  writes !  Hill,  or  Miles,  or  something  like  that — "the  lady 
of  an  eminent  barrister,  now  on  circuit.  The  gay  Lothario  is,  they 
say,  the  Hon.  George "  '  I  was  so  thunderstruck  at  the  rash- 
ness of  the  stroke,  I  could  say  nothing,  while  the  old  gentleman 
started  as  if  he  had  sat  down  on  a  pin.     Casey,  meanwhile,  went  on. 

"  '  Hell  and  fury !'  said  the  king's  counsel,  rushing  over ;  '  what  is 
it  you're  saying  ?' 

"  '  You  appear  warm,  old  gentleman,'  said  Casey,  putting  up  the 
letter,  and  rising  from  the  table. 

"'Show  me  that  letter — show  me  that  infernal  letter,  sir,  this 
instant !' 

" '  Show  you  my  letter,'  said  Casey ;  '  cool,  that,  anyhow.  You 
are  certainly  a  good  one.' 

" '  Do  you  know  me,  sir  ?  answer  me  that,'  said  the  lawyer,  burst- 
ing with  passion. 

" ' Not  at  present/  said  Tim,  quietly;  'but  I  hope  to  do  so  in  the 
morning,  in  explanation  of  your  language  and  conduct.'  A  tre- 
mendous ringing  of  the  bell  here  summoned  the  waiter  to  the  room. 

"'Who  is  that  ?'   inquired  the  lawyer.      The  epithet  he 

judged  it  safe  to  leave  unsaid,  as  he  pointed  to  Casey. 


112  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

" '  Captain  Casey,  sir ;  the  commanding  officer  here/ 

"  '  Just  so,'  said  Casey ;  '  and  very  much  at  your  service,  any 
hour  after  five  in  the  morning.' 

" '  Then  you  refuse,  sir,  to  explain  the  paragraph  I  have  just 
heard  you  read  ?' 

"'Well  done,  old  gentleman;  so  you  have  been  listening  to  a 
private  conversation  I  held  with  my  friend  here.  In  that  case  we 
had  better  retire  to  our  room.'  So  saying,  he  ordered  the  waiter  to 
send  a  fresh  bottle  and  glasses  to  No.  14,  and,  taking  my  arm,  very 
politely  wished  Mr.  Mills  good  night,  and  left  the  coffee-room. 

"  Before  we  had  reached  the  top  of  the  stairs,  the  house  was  once 
more  in  commotion.  The  new  arrival  had  ordered  out  fresh  horses, 
and  was  hurrying  every  one  in  his  impatience  to  get  away.  In  ten 
minutes  the  chaise  rolled  off  from  the  door,  and  Casey,  putting  his 
head  out  of  the  window,  wished  him  a  pleasant  journey ;  while 
turning  to  me,  he  said, — 

"  *  There's  one  of  them  out  of  the  way  for  you,  if  we  are  even 
obliged  to  fight  the  other.' 

"  The  port  was  soon  despatched,  and  with  it  went  all  the  scruples 
of  conscience  I  had  at  first  felt  for  the  cruel  ruse  we  had  just  prac- 
tised. Scarcely  was  the  other  bottle  called  for,  when  we  heard  the 
landlord  calling  out  in  a  stentorian  voice, — 

" '  Two  horses,  for  Goran  Bridge,  to  meet  Counsellor  Kinshella.' 

"  '  That's  the  other  fellow  ?'  said  Casey. 

"'It  is,' said  I. 

" '  Then  we  must  be  stirring,'  said  he.  '  Waiter,  chaise  and  pair 
in  five  minutes — d'ye  hear?  Power,  my  boy,  I  don't  want  you ;  stay 
here  and  study  your  brief.  It's  little  trouble  Counsellor  Kinshella 
will  give  you  in  the  morning." 

"  All  he  would  tell  me  of  his  plan  was,  that  he  didn't  mean  any 
serious  bodily  harm  to  the  counsellor,  but  that  certainly  he  was  not 
likely  to  be  heard  of  for  twenty-four  hours. 

"'Meanwhile,  Power,  go  in  and  win,  my  boy,'  said  he;  'such 
another  walk  over  may  never  occur.' 

"I  must  not  make  my  story  longer.  The  next  morning,  the 
great  record  of  Monaghan  v.  M'Shean  was  called  on,  and  as  the 
senior  counsel  were  not  present,  the  attorney  wished  a  postponement 
I,  however,  was  firm ;  told  the  court  I  was  quite  prepared,  and  with 
such  an  air  of  assurance  that  I  actually  puzzled  the  attorney.  The 
case  was  accordingly  opened  by  me  in  a  very  brilliant  speech,  and 
the  witnesses  called ;  but  such  was  my  unlucky  ignorance  -of  the 
whole  matter,  that  I  actually  broke  down  the  testimony  of  our  own, 
and  fought  like  a  Trojan  for  the  credit  and  character  of  the  per- 
jurers against  us!     The  judge  rubbed  his  eyes — the  jury  looked 


CAPTAIN  PO  WER.  113 

amazed — and  the  whole  bar  laughed  outright.  However,  on  I 
went,  blundering,  floundering,  and  foundering  at  every  step,  and  at 
half-past  four,  amid  the  greatest  and  most  uproarious  mirth  of  the 
whole  court,  heard  the  jury  deliver  a  verdict  against  us  just  as  old 
Kinshella  rushed  into  the  court,  covered  with  mud  and  spattered 
with  clay.  He  had  been  sent  for  twenty  miles  to  make  a  will  for 
Mr.  Daly  of  Daly's  Mount,  who  was  supposed  to  be  at  the  point  of 
death,  but  who,  on  his  arrival,  threatened  to  shoot  him  for  causing 
an  alarm  to  his  family  by  such  an  imputation. 

"The  rest  is  soon  told.  They  moved  for  a  new  trial,  and  I 
moved  out  of  the  profession.  I  cut  the  bar,  for  it  cut  me.  I  joined 
the  gallant  14th  as  a  volunteer,  and  here  I  am  without  a  single 
regret,  I  must  confess,  that  I  didn't  succeed  in  the  great  record  of 
Monaghan  v.  M'Shean." 

Once  more  the  claret  went  briskly  round,  and  while  we  canvassed 
Power's  story,  many  an  anecdote  of  military  life  was  told,  as  every 
instant  increased  the  charm  of  that  career  I  longed  for. 

"Another  cooper,  Major,"  said  Power. 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  said  the  rosy  little  officer,  as  he  touched 
the  bell  behind  him  ;  "  and  now  let's  have  a  song." 

"Yes,  Power,"  said  three  or  four  together,  "let  us  have  'The 
Irish  Dragoon/  if  it's  only  to  convert  your  friend  O'Malley  there." 

"  Here  goes,  then,"  said  Dick,  taking  off  a  bumper  as  he  began  the 
following  chant  to  the  air  of  "  Love  is  the  soul  of  a  gay  Irishman :" 

"THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 
"  Oh  love  is  the  soul  of  an  Irish  Dragoon, 
In  battle,  in  bivouac,  or  in  saloon — 

From  the  tip  of  his  spur  to  his  bright  sabretasche. 
With  his  soldierly  gait  and  his  bearing  so  high, 
His  gay  laughing  look,  and  his  light  speaking  eye, 
He  frowns  at  his  rivals,  he  ogles  his  wench, 
He  springs  in  his  saddle  and  chasses  the  French — 
With  his  jingling  spur  and  his  bright  sabretasche. 

"  His  spirits  are  high,  and  he  little  knows  care, 
Whether  sipping  his  claret  or  charging  a  square — 

With  his  jingling  spur  and  his  bright  sabretasche. 
As  ready  to  sing  or  to  skirmish  he's  found, 
To  take  off  his  wine,  or  to  take  up  his  ground; 
When  the  bugle  may  call  him,  how  little  he  fears, 
To  charge  forth  in  column,  and  beat  the  Mounseers — 

With  his  jingling  spur  and  his  bright  sabretasche. 

"When  the  battle  is  over,  he  gayly  rides  back 
To  cheer  every  soul  in  the  night  bivouac— 

With  his  jingling  spur  and  his  bright  sabretasche. 
Oh !  there  you  may  see  him  in  full  glory  crown'd, 
As  he  sits  'mid  his  friends  on  the  hardly-won  ground, 
And  hear  with  what  feeling  the  toast  he  will  give, 
As  he  drinks  to  the  land  where  all  Irishmen  live — 
With  his  jingling  spur  and  his  bright  sabretasche." 
8 


114  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

It  was  late  when  we  broke  up ;  but  among  all  the  recollections  of 
that  pleasant  evening,  none  clung  to  me  so  forcibly,  none  sunk  so 
deeply  in  my  heart,  as  the  gay  and  careless  tone  of  Power's  manly 
voice;  and  as  I  fell  asleep  towards  morning,  the  words  of  "The 
Irish  Dragoon"  were  floating  through  my  mind,  and  followed  me  in 
my  dreams. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  VICE-PROVOST. 

I  HAD  now  been  for  some  weeks  a  resident  within  the  walls  of  the 
University,  and  yet  had  never  presented  my  letter  of  introduc- 
tion to  Dr.  Barret.  Somehow  my  thoughts  and  occupations 
had  left  me  little  lebure  to  reflect  upon  my  college  course,  and  I 
had  not  felt  the  necessity,  suggested  by  my  friend  Sir  Harry,  of 
having  a  supporter  in  the  very  learned  and  gifted  individual  to 
whom  I  was  accredited.  How  long  I  might  have  continued  in  this 
state  of  indifference,  it  is  hard  to  say,  when  chance  brought  about 
my  acquaintance  with  the  Doctor. 

Were  I  not  inditing  a  true  history  in  this  narrative  of  my  life,  to 
the  events  and  characters  of  which  so  many  are  living  witnesses,  I 
should  certainly  fear  to  attempt  anything  like  a  description  of  this 
very  remarkable  man,  so  liable  would  any  sketch,  however  faint  and 
imperfect,  be  to  the  accusation  of  caricature,  when  all  was  so  singu- 
lar and  so  eccentric. 

Dr.  Barret  was,  at  the  time  I  speak  of,  close  upon  seventy  years 
of  age,  scarcely  five  feet  in  height,  and  even  that  diminutive  stature 
lessened  by  a  stoop.  His  face  was  thin,  pointed,  and  russet-colored ; 
his  nose  so  aquiline  as  nearly  to  meet  his  projecting  chin,  and  his 
small  gray  eyes,  red  and  bleary,  peered  beneath  his  well-worn  cap, 
with  a  glance  of  mingled  fear  and  suspicion.  His  dress  was  a  suit 
of  the  rustiest  black,  threadbare,  and  patched  in  several  places, 
while  a  pair  of  large  brown  leather  slippers,  far  too  big  for  his  feet, 
imparted  a  sliding  motion  to  his  waik/  that  added  an  air  of  indescri- 
bable meanness  to  his  appearance ;  a  gown  that  had  been  worn  for 
twenty  years,  browned  and  coated  with  the  learned  dust  of  the 
Fagel,  covered  his  rusty  habiliments,  and  completed  the  equipments 
of  a  figure  that  it  was  somewhat  difficult  for  the  young  student  to 
recognize  as  the  Vice-Provost  of  the  University.  Such  was  he  in 
externals.  Within,  a  greater  or  more  profound  scholar  never 
graced  the  walls  of  the  college ;  a  distinguished  Grecian,  learned  in 


THE  VICE-PROVOST.  115 

all  the  refinements  of  a  hundred  dialects ;  a  deep  Orientalist,  cun- 
ning in  all  the  varieties  of  Eastern  languages,  and  able  to  reason 
with  a  Moonshee  or  chat  with  a  Persian  ambassador.  With  a  mind 
that  never  ceased  acquiring,  he  possessed  a  memory  ridiculous  for 
its  retentiveness  even  of  trifles ;  no  character  in  history,  no  event  in 
chronology,  was  unknown  to  him,  and  he  was  referred  to  by  his  co- 
temporaries  for  information  in  doubtful  and  disputed  cases,  as  men 
consult  a  lexicon  or  dictionary.  With  an  intellect  thus  stored 
with  deep  and  far-sought  knowledge,  in  the  affairs  of  the  world  he 
was  a  child.  Without  the  walls  of  the  college,  for  above  forty  years  he 
had  not  ventured  half  as  many  times,  and  knew  absolutely  nothing 
of  the  busy,  active  world  that  fussed  and  fumed  so  near  him ;  his 
farthest  excursion  was  to  the  Bank  of  Ireland,  to  which  he  made 
occasional  visits  to  fund  the  ample  income  of  his  office,  and  add 
to  the  wealth  which  already  had  acquired  for  him  a  well-merited 
repute  of  being  the  richest  man  in  college. 

His  little  intercourse  with  the  world  had  left  him,  in  all  his  habits 
and  manners,  in  every  respect  exactly  as  when  he  entered  the  col- 
lege, nearly  half  a  century  before ;  and  as  he  had  literally  risen 
from  the  ranks  in  the  University,  all  the  peculiarities  of  voice, 
accent,  and  pronunciation  which  distinguished  him  as  a  youth  ad- 
hered to  him  in  old  age.  This  was  singular  enough,  and  formed  a 
very  ludicrous  contrast  with  the  learned  and  deep-read  tone  of  his 
conversation  ;  but  another  peculiarity,  still  more  striking,  belonged 
to  him.  When  he  became  a  fellow,  he  was  obliged,  by  the  rjules  of 
the  college,  to  take  holy  orders  as  a  sine  qua  non  to  his  holding  his 
fellowship.  This  he  did  as  he  would  have  assumed  a  red  hood  or  a 
blue  one,  as  bachelor  of  laws  or  doctor  of  medicine,  and  thought  no 
more  of  it ;  but  frequently,  in  his  moments  of  passionate  excitement, 
the  venerable  character  with  which  he  was  invested  was  quite  for- 
gotten, and  he  would  utter  some  sudden  and  terrific  oath,  more  pro- 
ductive of  mirth  to  his  auditors  than  was  seemly,  and  for  which, 
once  spoken,  the  poor  Doctor  felt  the  greatest  shame  and  contrition. 
These  oaths  were  no  less  singular  than  forcible,  and  many  a  trick 
was  practised,  and  many  a  plan  devised,  that  the  learned  Vice- 
Provost  might  be  entrapped  into  his  favorite  exclamation  of  "  May 
the  devil  admire  me !"  which  no  place  or  presence  could  restrain. 

My  servant  Mike,  who  had  not  been  long  in  making  himself  ac- 
quainted with  all  the  originals  about  him,  was  the  cause  of  my  first 
meeting  the  Doctor,  before  whom  I  received  a  summons  to  appear, 
on  the  very  serious  charge  of  treating  with  disrespect  the  heads  of 
the  college. 

The  circumstances  were  shortly  these: — Mike  had,  among  the 
other  gossip  of  the  place,  heard  frequent  tales  of  the  immense  wealth 


11G  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

and  great  parsimony  of  the  Doctor,  of  his  anxiety  to  amass  money 
on  all  occasions,  and  the  avidity  with  which  even  the  smallest  trifle 
was  added  to  his  gains.  He  accordingly  resolved  to  amuse  himself 
at  the  expense  of  this  trait,  and  proceeded  thus : — Boring  a  hole  in 
a  halfpenny,  he  attached  a  long  string  to  it,  and  having  dropped  it 
on  the  Doctor's  step,  stationed  himself  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
court,  concealed  from  view  by  the  angle  of  the  commons  wall.  He 
waited  patiently  for  the  chapel  bell,  at  the  first  toll  of  which  the 
door  opened,  and  the  Doctor  issued  forth.  Scarcely  was  his  foot 
upon  the  step,  when  he  saw  the  piece  of  money,  and  as  quickly 
stooped  to  seize  it ;  but  just  as  his  finger  had  nearly  touched  it,  it 
evaded  his  grasp,  and  slowly  retreated.  He  tried  again,  but  with 
the  like  success.  At  last,  thinking  he  miscalculated  the  distance,  he 
knelt  leisurely  down,  and  put  forth  his  hand ;  but  lo !  it  again 
escaped  him  ;  on  which,  slowly  rising  from  his  posture,  he  shambled 
on  towards  the  chapel,  where  meeting  the  senior  lecturer  at  the 
door,  he  cried  out,  "  H —  to  my  soul,  Wall,  but  I  saw  the  halfpenny 
walk  away  [" 

For  the  sake  of  the  grave  character  whom  he  addressed,  I  need 
not  recount  how  such  a  speech  was  received;  suffice  it  to  say, 
that  Mike  had  been  seen  by  a  college  porter,  who  reported  him  as 
my  servant. 

I  was  in  the  very  act  of  relating  the  anecdote  to  a  large  party  at 
breakfast  in  my  rooms,  when  a  summons  arrived  requiring  my  im- 
mediate attendance  at  the  Board,  then  sitting  in  solemn  conclave  at 
the  examination-hall. 

I  accordingly  assumed  my  academic  costume  as  speedily  as  pos- 
sible, and,  escorted  by  that  most  august  functionary,  Mr.  M'Alister, 
presented  myself  before  the  seniors. 

The  members  of  the  Board,  with  the  Provost  at  their  head,  were 
seated  at  a  long  oak  table,  covered  with  books,  papers,  &c,  and  from 
the  silence  they  maintained,  as  I  walked  up  the  hall,  I  argued  that 
a  very  solemn  scene  was  before  me. 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  the  Dean,  reading  my  name  from  a  paper 
he  held  in  his  hand,  "  you  have  been  summoned  here  at  the  desire 
of  the  Vice-Provost,  whose  questions  you  will  reply  to." 

I  bowed.  A  silence  of  a  few  minutes  followed,  when,  at  length, 
the  learned  Doctor,  hitching  up  his  nether  garments  with  both 
hands,  put  his  old  and  bleary  eyes  close  to  my  face,  while  he  croaked 
out,  with  an  accent  that  no  hackney-coachman  could  have  exceeded 
in  vulgarity, 

"Eh,  O'Malley;  you're  quartvs,  I  believe;  a'n't  you?" 

"  I  believe  not.  I  think  I  am  the  only  person  of  that  name  now 
on  the  books." 


THE  VICE-PBOVOST.  117 

'*  That's  thrue  :  but  there  were  three  O'Malleys  before  you.  God- 
frey O'Malley,  that  construed  Calve  Neroni  to  Nero  the  Calvinist — 
ha !  ha  !  ha ! — was  cautioned  in  1788." 

"  My  uncle,  I  believe,  sir." 

"  More  than  likely,  from  what  I  hear  of  you — Ex  uno,  &c.  I  see 
your  name  every  day  on  the  punishment  roll.  Late  hours,  never  at 
chapel,  seldom  at  morning  lecture.  Here  ye  are,  sixteen  shillings, 
wearing  a  red  coat." 

"Never  knew  any  harm  in  that,  Doctor." 

"Ay,  but  d'ye  see  me,  now  ?  '  Grave  raiment,'  says  the  statute. 
And  then,  ye  keep  numerous  beasts  of  prey,  dangerous  in  their 
habits,  and  unseemly  to  behold." 

"A  bull-terrier,  sir,  and  two  game-cocks,  are,  I  assure  you,  the 
only  animals  in  my  household." 

"  Well,  I'll  fine  you  for  it." 

"  I  believe,  Doctor,"  said  the  Dean,  interrupting,  in  an  under 
tone,  "  that  you  cannot  impose  a  penalty  in  this  matter." 

"Ay,  but  I  can.  '  Singing-birds,'  says  the  statute,  '  are  forbidden 
within  the  walls.' 

"And  then,  ye  dazzled  my  eyes  at  commons  with  a  bit  of  looking- 
glass,  on  Friday.     I  saw  you.    May  the  devil — ahem ! As  I 

was  saying,  that's  casting  reflections  on  the  heads  of  the  college ;  and 
your  servant  it  was,  Michaelis  Liber,  Mickey  Free — may  the  flames 
of — ahem ! — an  insolent  varlet !  called  me  a  sweep." 

"  You,  Doctor ;  impossible  !"  said  I,  with  pretended  horror. 

"Ay,  but  d'ye  see  me,  now  ?  It's  thrue,  for  I  looked  about  me  at 
the  time,  and  there  wasn't  another  sweep  in  the  place  but  myself. 
Hell  to — I  mean — God  forgive  me  for  swearing !  but  I'll  fine  you 
a  pound  for  this." 

As  I  saw  the  Doctor  was  getting  on  at  such  a  pace,  I  resolved, 
notwithstanding  the  august  presence  of  the  Board,  to  try  the  efficacy 
of  Sir  Harry's  letter  of  introduction,  which  I  had  taken  in  my 
pocket,  in  the  event  of  its  being  wanted. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,  if  the  time  be  an  unsuitable  one ;  but 
may  I  take  the  opportunity  of  presenting  this  letter  to  you  ?" 

"  Ha  !  I  know  the  hand — Boyle's.  Boyle  secundus.  Hem,  ha, 
ay  !  '  My  young  friend ;  and  assist  him  by  your  advice.'  To  be 
sure !  Oh !  of  course.  Eh,  tell  me,  young  man,  did  Boyle  say 
nothing  to  you  about  the  copy  of  Erasmus,  bound  in  vellum,  that  I 
sold  him  in  Trinity  term,  1782?" 

"  I  rather  think  not,  sir,"  said  I,  doubtfully. 

"  Well,  then  he  might.  He  owes  me  two-and-fourpence  of  the 
balance." 

"  Oh  !  I  beg  pardon,  sir ;  I  now  remember  he  desired  me  to  repay 


118  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

you  that  'sum ;  but  he  had  just  sealed  the  letter  when  he  recol- 
lected it," 

"  Better  late  than  never,"  said  the  Doctor,  smiling  graciously. 
"  Where's  the  money  ?  Ay  !  half-a-crown.  I  haven't  twopence— 
never  mind.  Go  away,  young  man  ;  the  case  is  dismissed.  Vehem- 
enter  miror  quare  hue  venisti.  You're  more  fit  for  anything  than  a 
college  life.     Keep  good  hours ;  mind  the  terms ;  and  dismiss  Mi~ 

chaelis  Liber.     Ha,  ha,  ha !     May  the  devil !  hem  !  that  is,  do " 

So  saying,  the  little  Doctor's  hand  pushed  me  from  the  hall,  his 
mind  evidently  relieved  of  all  the  griefs  from  which  he  had  been 
suffering  by  the  recovery  of  his  long  lost  two-and-fourpence. 

Such  was  my  first  and  last  interview  with  the  Vice-Provost,  and 
it  made  an  impression  upon  me  that  all  the  intervening  years  have 
neither  dimmed  nor  erased. 


CHAPTER     XVII. 

TRINITY   COLLEGE — A   LECTURE. 

I  HAD  not  been  many  weeks  a  resident  of  Old  Trinity  ere  the 
flattering  reputation  my  chum,  Mr.  Francis  Webber,  had 
acquired  extended  also  to  myself,  and  by  universal  consent  we 
were  acknowledged  the  most  riotous,  ill-conducted,  disorderly  men 
on  the  books  of  the  University.  Were  the  lamps  of  the  squares 
extinguished,  and  the  college  left  in  total  darkness,  we  were  sum- 
moned before  the  Dean;  was  the  Vice-Provost  serenaded  with  a 
chorus  of  trombones  and  French  horns,  to  our  taste  in  music  was 
the  attention  ascribed ;  did  a  sudden  alarm  of  fire  disturb  the  con- 
gregation at  morning  chapel,  Messrs.  Webber  and  O'Malley  were 
brought  before  the  Board;  and  I  must  do  them  the  justice  to  say 
that  the  most  trifling  circumstantial  evidence  was  ever  sufficient  to 
bring  a  conviction.  Reading  men  avoided  the  building  where  we 
resided  as  they  would  have  done  the  plague.  Our  doors,  like  those 
of  a  certain  classic  precinct  commemorated  by  a  Latin  writer,  lay 
open  night  and  day;  while  moustached  dragoons,  knowingly  dressed 
four-in-hand  men,  fox-hunters  in  pink  issuing  forth  to  the  Dubber,' 
or  returning  splashed  from  a  run  with  the  Kildare  hounds,  were 
everlastingly  seen  passing  and  repassing.  Within,  the  noise  and 
confusion  resembled  rather  the  mess-room  of  a  regiment  towards 
eleven  at  night  than  the  chambers  of  a  college  student;  while,  with 
the  double  object  of  affecting  to  be  in  ill  health,  and  to  avoid  the 
reflections  that  daylight  occasionally  inspires,   the  shutters  were 


TRINITY  COLLEGE— A  LECTURE.  119 

never  opened,  but  lamps  and  candles  kept  always  burning.  Such 
was  No.  2,  Old  Square,  in  the  goodly  days  I  write  of.  All  the  ter- 
rors of  fines  and  punishments  fell  scathless  on  the  head  of  my 
worthy  chum.  In  fact,  like  a  well-known  political  character,  whose 
pleasure  and  amusement  it  has  been  for  some  years  past  to  drive 
through  acts  of  Parliament  and  deride  the  powers  of  the  law,  so  did 
Mr.  Webber  tread  his  way,  serpenting  through  the  statute-book,  ever 
gazing,  but  rarely  trespassing,  upon  some  forbidden  ground,  which 
might  involve  the  great  punishment  of  expulsion.  So  expert,  too, 
had  he  become  in  his  special  pleadings,  so  dexterous  in  the  law  of 
the  University,  that  it  was  no  easy  matter  to  bring  crime  home  to 
him ;  and  even  when  this  was  done,  his  pleas  of  mitigation  rarely 
failed  of  success. 

There  was  a  sweetness  of  demeanor,  a  mild,  subdued  tone  about 
him,  that  constantly  puzzled  the  worthy  heads  of  the  college  how  the 
accusations  ever  brought  against  him  could  be  founded  on  truth ; 
that  the  pale,  delicate-looking  student,  whose  harsh,  hacking  cough 
terrified  the  hearers,  could  be  the  boisterous  performer  upon  a  key- 
bugle,  or  the  terrific  assailant  of  watchmen,  was  something  too 
absurd  for  belief ;  and  when  Mr.  Webber,  with  his  hand  upon  his 
heart,  and  in  his  most  dulcet  accents,  assured  them  that  the  hours 
he  was  not  engaged  in  reading  for  the  medal  were  passed  in  the 
soothing  society  of  a  few  select  and  intimate  friends  of  literary 
tastes  and  refined  minds,  who  knowing  the  delicacy  of  his  health — 
.  here  he  would  cough — were  kind  enough  to  sit  with  him  for  an  hour 
or  so  in  the  evening,  the  delusion  was.  perfect ;  and  the  story  of  the 
Dean's  riotous  habits  having  got  abroad,  the  charge  was  usually 
suppressed. 

Like  most  idle  men,  Webber  never  had  a  moment  tc  spare. 
Except  read,  there  was  nothing  he  did  not  do ;  training  a  hack  for 
a  race  in  the  Phoenix — arranging  a  rowing-match — getting  up  a 
mock  duel  between  two  white-feather  acquaintances,  were  his  almost 
daily  avocations.  Besides  that,  he  was  at  the  head  of  many  organ- 
ized societies,  instituted  for  various  benevolent  purposes.  One  was 
called  "The  Association  for  Discountenancing  Watchmen ;"  another 
"The  Board  of  Works,"  whose  object  was  principally  devoted  to 
the  embellishment  of  the  University,  in  which,  to  do  them  justice, 
their  labors  were  unceasing,  and  what  with  the  assistance  of  some 
black  paint,  a  ladder,  and  a  few  pounds  of  gunpowder,  they  cer- 
tainly contrived  to  effect  many  important  changes.  Upon  an  exam- 
ination morning,  some  hundred  luckless  "jibs"  might  be  seen 
perambulating  the  courts,  in  the  vain  effort  to  discover  their  tutors' 
chambers,  the  names  having  undergone  an  alteration  that  left  all 
trace   of  their  original   proprietors   unattainable ;    Doctor  Francis 


120  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Mooney  having  become  Doctor  Full  Moon — Doctor  Hare  being,  by 
the  change  of  two  letters,  Doctor  Ape — Eomney  Robinson,  Romulus 
and  Remus,  &c.  While,  upon  occasions  like  these,  there  could  be 
but  little  doubt  of  Master  Frank's  intentions,  upon  many  others,  so 
subtle  were  his  inventions,  so  well-contrived  his  plots,  it  became  a 
matter  of  considerable  difficulty  to  say  whether  the  mishap  which 
befell  some  luckless  acquaintance  were  the  result  of  design  or  mere 
accident ;  and  not  unfrequently  well-disposed  individuals  were  found 
condoling  with  "  Poor  Frank  I"  upon  his  ignorance  of  some  college 
rule  or  etiquette,  his  breach  of  which  had  been  long  and  deliber- 
ately planned.  Of  this  latter  description  was  a  circumstance  which 
occurred  about  this  time,  and  which  some  who  may  throw  an  eye 
over  these  pages  will  perhaps  remember. 

The  Dean  having  heard  (and,  indeed,  the  preparations  were  not 
intended  to  secure  secrecy)  that  Webber  destined  to  entertain  a 
party  of  his  friends  at  dinner  on  a  certain  day,  sent  a  most  peremp- 
tory order  for  his  appearance  at  commons,  his  name  being  erased 
from  the  sick  list,  and  a  pretty  strong  hint  conveyed  to  him  that 
any  evasion  upon  his  part  wOuld  be  certainly  followed  by  an  in- 
quiry into  the  real  reasons  for  his  absence.  What  was  to  be  done  ? 
That  was  the  very  day  he  had  destined  for  his  dinner.  To  be  sure, 
the  majority  of  his  guests  were  college  men,  who  would  understand 
the  difficulty  at  once ;  but  still  there  were  some  others,  officers  of 
the  14th,  with  whom  he  was  constantly  dining,  and  whom  he  could 
not  so  easily  put  off.  The  affair  was  difficult ;  but  still,  Webber  was 
the  man  for  a  difficulty — in  fact,  he  rather  liked  one.  A  very  brief 
consideration  accordingly  sufficed,  and  he  sat  down  and  wrote  to  his 
friends  at  the  Royal  Barracks  thus : — 

"  Dear  Power  : — I  have  a  better  plan  for  Tuesday  than  that  I 
had  proposed.  Lunch  here  at  three — (we'll  call  it  dinner) — in  the 
hall  with  the  great  guns.  I  can't  say  much  for  the  grub,  but  the 
company — glorious  I  After  that  we'll  start  for  Lucan  in  the  drag — 
take  our  coffee,  strawberries,  &c,  and  return  to  No.  2  for  supper  at 
ten.  Advertise  your  fellows  of  this  change,  and  believe  me, 
"  Most  unchangeably  yours, 

"Frank  Webber. 

"  Saturday." 

Accordingly,  as  three  o'clock  struck,  six  dashing-looking  light 
dragoons  were  seen  slowly  sauntering  up  the  middle  of  the  dining- 
hall,  escorted  by  Webber,  who,  in  full  academic  costume,  was  leis- 
urely ciceroning  his  friends,  and  expatiating  upon  the  excellencies 
of  the  very  remarkable  portraits  which  graced  the  walls. 

The  porters  looked  on  with  some  surprise  at  the  singular  hour 


TRINITY  COLLEGE— A  LECTURE.  121 

selected  for  sight-seeing,  but  what  was  their  astonishment  to  find 
that  the  party,  having  arrived  at  the  end  of  the  hall,  instead  of 
turning  back  again,  very  composedly  unbuckled  their  belts,  and, 
having  disposed  of  their  sabres  in  a  corner,  took  their  places  at  the 
fellows'  table,  and  sat  down  amid  the  collective  wisdom  of  Greek 
Lecturers  and  Regius  Professors,  as  though  they  had  been  mere 
mortals  like  themselves. 

Scarcely  was  the  long  Latin  grace  concluded,  when  Webber,  lean- 
ing forward,  enjoined  his  friends,  in  a  very  audible  whisper,  that  if 
they  intended  to  dine,  no  time  was  to  be  lost. 

"  We  have  but  little  ceremony  here,  gentlemen,  and  all  we  ask  is 
a  fair  start,"  said  he,  as  he  drew  over  the  soup,  and  proceeded  to 
help  himself. 

The  advice  was  not  thrown  away,  for  each  man,  with  an  alacrity 
a  campaign  usually  teaches,  made  himself  master  of  some  neighbor- 
ing dish — a  very  quick  interchange  of  good  things  speedily  follow- 
ing the  appropriation.  It  was  in  vain  that  the  Senior  Lecturer 
looked  aghast — that  the  Professor  of  Astronomy  frowned — the 
whole  table,  indeed,  were  thunderstruck,  even  to  the  poor  Vice- 
Provost  himself,  who,  albeit  given  to  the  comforts  of  the  table, 
could  not  lift  a  morsel  to  his  mouth,  but  muttered  between  his  teeth, 
"  May  the  devil  admire  me,  but  they're  dragoons."  The  first  shock 
of  surprise  over,  the  porters  informed  them  that  except  fellows  of 
the  University  or  fellow-commoners,  none  were  admitted  to  the 
table.  Webber,  however,  assured  them  that  it  was  a  mistake,  there 
being  nothing  in  the  statute  to  exclude  the  14th  Light  Dragoons,  as 
he  was  prepared  to  prove.  Meanwhile  dinner  proceeded,  Power  and 
his  party  performing  with  great  self-satisfaction  upon  the  sirloins 
and  saddles  about  them,  regretting  only,  from  time  to  time,  that 
there  was  a  most  unaccountable  absence  of  wine,  and  suggesting 
the  propriety  of  napkins  whenever  they  should  dine  there  again. 
Whatever  chagrin  these  unexpected  guests  caused  among  their 
entertainers  of  the  upper  table,  in  the  lower  part  of  the  hall  the 
laughter  was  loud  and  unceasing,  and  long  before  the  hour  con- 
cluded, the  fellows  took  their  departure,  leaving  to  Master  Frank 
Webber  the  task  of  doing  the  honors  alone  and  unassisted.  When 
summoned  before  the  Board  for  the  offence  on  the  following  morn- 
ing, Webber  excused  himself  by  throwing  the  blame  upon  his 
friends,  with  whom,  he  said,  nothing  short  of  a  personal  quarrel — a 
thing  for  a  reading  man  not  to  be  thought  of— could  have  prevented 
intruding  in  the  manner  related.  Nothing  less  than  his  tact  could 
have  saved  him  on  this  occasion,  and  at  last  he  carried  the  day  ; 
while,  by  an  act  of  the  Board,  the  14th  Light  Dragoons  were  pro- 
nounced the  most  insolent  corps  in  the  service. 


122  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Aii  adventure  of  his,  however,  got  wind  about  this  time,  and 
served  to  enlighten  many  persons  as  to  his  real  character,  who  had 
hitherto  been  most  lenient  in  their  expressions  about  him.  Our 
worthy  tutor,  with  a  zeal  for  our  welfare  far  more  praiseworthy 
than  successful,  was  in  the  habit  of  summoning  to  his  chambers  on 
certain  mornings  of  theweek  his  various  pupils,  whom  he  lectured  in 
the  books  for  the  approaching  examinations.  Now,  as  these  seances 
were  held  at  six  o'clock  in  winter  as  well  as  summer,  in  a  cold,  fire- 
less  chamber, — the  lecturer  lying  snug  amid  his  blankets,  while  we 
stood  shivering  around  the  walls, — the  ardor  of  learning  must,  in- 
deed, have  proved  strong  that  prompted  a  regular  attendance.  As 
to  Frank,  he  would  as  soon  have  thought  of  attending  chapel  as  of 
presenting  himself  on  such  an  occasion.  Not  so  with  me.  I  had 
not  yet  grown  hackneyed  enough  to  fly  in  the  face  of  authority,  and 
I  frequently  left  the  whist-table,  or  broke  off  in  a  song,  to  hurry 
over  to  the  Doctor's  chambers,  and  spout  Homer  and  Hesiod.  I 
suffered  on  in  patience,  till  at  last  the  bore  became  so  insupport- 
able, that  I  told  my  sorrows  to  my  friend,  who  listened  to  me  out, 
and  promised  me  succor. 

It  so  chanced  that  upon  some  evening  in  each  week  Dr.  Mooney- 
was  in  the  habit  of  visiting  some  friends  who  resided  a  short  dis- 
tance from  town,  and  spending  the  night  at  their  house.  He,  of 
course,  did  not  lecture  the  following  morning — a  paper  placard 
announcing  no  lecture  being  affixed  to  the  door  on  such  occasions. 
Frank  waited  patiently  till  he  perceived  the  Doctor  affixing  this 
announcement  upon  his  door  one  evening ;  and  no  sooner  had  he 
left  the  college  than  he  withdrew  the  paper  and  departed. 

On  the  next  morning  he  rose  early,  and,  concealing  himself  on 
the  staircase,  waited  the  arrival  of  the  venerable  damsel  who  acted 
as  servant  to  the  Doctor.  No  sooner  had  she  opened  the  door  and 
groped  her  way  into  the  sitting-room,  than  Frank  crept  forward, 
and,  stealing  gently  into  the  bed-room,  sprang  into  the  bed,  and 
wrapped  himself  up  in  the  blankets.  The  great  bell  boomed  forth 
at  six  o'clock,  and  soon  after  the  sounds  of  feet  were  heard  upon 
the  stairs.  One  by  one  they  came  along,  and  gradually  the  room 
was  filled  with  cold  and  shivering  wretches,  more  than  half 
asleep,  and  trying  to  arouse  themselves  into  an  approach  to  at- 
tention. 

"  Who's  there  ?"  said  Frank,  mimicking  the  Doctor's  voice,  as  he 
yawned  three  or  four  times  in  succession,  and  turned  in  the  bed. 

"  Collisson,  O'Malley,  Nesbitt,"  &c,  said  a  number  of  voices, 
anxious  to  have  all  the  merit  such  a  penance  could  confer. 

"Where's  Webber?" 

"  Absent,  sir,"  chorused  the  whole  party. 


TRINITY  COLLEGE— A  LECTURE.  123 

"  Sorry  for  it,"  said  the  mock  doctor.  "  Webber  is  a  man  of  first- 
rate  capacity,  and  were  he  only  to  apply,  I  am  not  certain  to  what 
eminence  his  abilities  might  raise  him.  Come,  Collisson.  Any 
three  angles  of  a  triangle  are  equal  to — are  equal  to — what  are 
they  equal  to?"  Here  he  yawned  as  though  he  would  dislocate 
his  jaw. 

"  Any  three  angles  of  a  triangle  are  equal  to  two  right  angles," 
said  Collisson,  in  the  usual  sing-song  tone  of  a  freshman. 

As  he  proceeded  to  prove  the  proposition,  his  monotonous  tone 
seemed  to  have  lulled  the  Doctor  into  a  doze,  for  in  a  few  minutes 
a  deep,  long-drawn  snore  announced  from  the  closed  curtains  that 
he  listened  no  longer.  After  a  little  time,  however,  a  short  snort 
from  the  sleeper  awoke  him  suddenly,  and  he  called  out, — 

"  Go  on  ;  I'm  waiting.  Do  you  think  I  can  arouse  at  this  hour 
of  the  morning  for  nothing  but  to  listen  to  your  bungling  ?  Can  no 
one  give  me  a  free  translation  of  the  passage  ?" 

This  digression  from  mathematics  to  classics  did  not  surprise  the 
hearers,  though  it  somewhat  confused  them,  no  one  being  precisely 
aware  what  the  line  in  question  might  be. 

"  Try  it,  Nesbitt — you,  O'Malley — silent  all.  Keally,  this  is  too 
bad  !"  An  indistinct  muttering  here  from  the  crowd  was  followed 
by  an  announcement  from  the  Doctor  that  "the  speaker  was  an 
ass,  and  his  head  a  turnip  !  Not  one  of  you  capable  of  translating 
a  chorus  from  Euripides — '  Ou,  ou,  papai,  papai,'  &c,  which,  after 
all,  means  no  more  than — '  Oh,  whilleleu,  murder,  why  did  you 
die  ?'  &c.  What  are  you  laughing  at,  gentlemen  ?  May  I  ask,  does 
it  become  a  set  of  ignorant,  ill-informed  savages — yes,  savages,  I 
repeat  the  word — to  behave  in  this  manner  ?  Webber  is  the  only 
man  I  have  with  common  intellect — the  only  man  among  you 
capable  of  distinguishing  himself.  But  as  for  you — I'll  bring  you 
before  the  Board — I'll  write  to  your  friends — I'll  stop  your  college 
indulgences — I'll  confine  you  to  the  walls — I'll  be  d — ,  eh " 

This  lapse  confused  him.  He  stammered,  stuttered,  endeavored 
to  recover  himself;  but  by  this  time  we  had  approached  the  bed, 
just  at  the  moment  when  Master  Frank,  well  knowing  what  he 
might  expect  if  detected,  had  bolted  from  the  blankets  and  rushed 
from  the  room.  In  an  instant  we  were  in  pursuit;  but  he  regained 
his  chambers,  and  double-locked  the  door  before  we  could  over- 
take him,  leaving  us  to  ponder  over  the  insolent  tirade  we  had  so 
patiently  submitted  to. 

That  morning  the  affair  got  wind  all  over  college.  As  for  us, 
we  were  scarcely  so  much  laughed  at  as  the  Doctor,  the  world  wisely 
remembering,  if  such  were  the  nature  of  our  morning's  orisons,  we 
might  nearly  as  profitably  have  remained  snug  in  our  quarters. 


124  CHARLES  O'M  ALLEY. 

Such  was  our  life  in  Old  Trinity  ;  and  strange  enough  it  is  that 
one  should  feel  tempted  to  the  confession;  but  I  really  must 
acknowledge  these  were,  after  all,  happy  times,  and  I  look  back 
upon  them  with  mingled  pleasure  and  sadness.  The  noble  lord 
who  so  pathetically  lamented  that  the  devil  was  not  so  strong  in 
him  as  he  used  to  be  forty  years  before,  has  an  eclio  in  my  regrets 
that  the  student  is  not  as  young  in  me  as  when  those  scenes  were 
enacting  of  which  I  write. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  INVITATION— THE  WAGER. 

I  WAS  sitting  at  breakfast  with  Webber,  a  few  mornings  after 
the  mess  dinner  I  have  spoken  of,  when  Power  came  in 
hastily. 

"Ha,  the  very  man  !"  said  he.  "I  say,  O'Malley,  here's  an  invi- 
tation for  you  from  Sir  George,  to  dine  on  Friday.  He  desired  me 
to  say  a  thousand  civil  things  about  his  not  having  made  you  out, 
regrets  that  he  was  not  at  home  when  you  called  yesterday,  and  all 
that.  By  Jove,  I  know  nothing  like  the  favor  you  stand  in ;  and, 
as  for  Miss  Dash  wood,  faith !  the  fair  Lucy  blushed,  and  tore  her 
glove  in  most  approved  style,  when  the  old  General  began  his 
laudation  of  you." 

"  Pooh,  nonsense,"  said  I ;  "  that  silly  affair  in  the  west." 

"  Oh,  very  probably ;  there's  reason  the  less  for  your  looking  so 
excessively  conscious.  But  I  must  tell  you,  in  all  fairness,  that  you 
have  no  chance  ;  nothing  short  of  a  dragoon  will  go  down." 

"  Be  assured,"  said  I,  somewhat  nettled,  "  my  pretensions  do  not 
aspire  to  the  fair  Miss  Dashwood." 

"  Tant  mieux  et  tant  pis,  won  cher.  I  wish  to  Heaven  mine  did ;  and, 
by  St.  Patrick,  if  I  only  played  the  knight-errant  half  as  gallantly 
as  yourself,  I  would  not  relinquish  my  claims  to  the  Secretary  at 
War  himself." 

"  What  the  devil  brought  the  old  General  down  to  your  wild  re- 
gions ?"  inquired  Webber. 

"  To  contest  the  county." 

"A  bright  thought,  truly.  When  a  man  was  looking  for  a  seat, 
why  not  try  a  place  where  the  law  is  occasionally  heard  of?" 

"  I  am  sure  I  can  give  you  no  information  on  that  head ;  nor  have 
I  ever  heard  how  Sir  George  came  to  learn  that  such  a  place  as 
Galway  existed." 


THE  IN  VI TA  TION—  THE  WA  GEE.  1 25 

"  I  believe  I  can  enlighten  you,"  said  Power.  "  Lady  Daslrwood 
'—rest  her  soul ! — came  west  of  the  Shannon ;  she  had  a  large  prop- 
erty somewhere  in  Mayo,  and  owned  some  hundred  acres  of  swamp, 
with  some  thousand  starving  tenantry  thereupon,  that  people  dig- 
nified as  an  estate  in  Connaught.  This  first  suggested  to  him  the 
notion  of  setting  up  for  the  county,  probably  supposing  that  the 
people  who  never  paid  in  rent  might  like  to  do  so  in  gratitude.  How 
he  was  undeceived,  O'Malley  there  can  inform  us.  Indeed,  I  believe 
the  worthy  General,  who  was  confoundedly  hard  up  when  he  mar- 
ried, expected  to  have  got  a  great  fortune,  and  little  anticipated  the 
three  Chancery  suits  he  succeeded  to,  nor  the  fourteen  rent-charges 
to  his  wife's  relatives  that  made  up  the  bulk  of  the  dower.  It  was 
an  unlucky  hit  for  him  when  he  fell  in  with  the  old  '  maid'  at  Bath ; 
and  had  she  lived,  he  must  have  gone  to  the  colonies.  But  the  Lord 
took  her  one  day,  and  Major  Dashwood  was  himself  again.  The 
Duke  of  York,  the  story  goes,  saw  him  at  Hounslow  during  a  re- 
view— was  much  struck  with  his  air  and  appearance — made  some 
inquiries — found  him  to  be  of  excellent  family  and  irreproachable 
conduct — made  him  an  aide-de-camp — and,  in  fact,  made  his  for- 
tune. I  do  not  believe  that,  while  doing  so  kind,  he  could  by  possi- 
bility have  done  a  more  popular,  thing.  Every  man  in  the  army 
rejoiced  at  his  good  fortune ;  so  that,  after  all,  though  he  has  had 
some  hard  rubs,  he  has  come  well  through,  the  only  vestige  of  his 
unfortunate  matrimonial  connection  being  a  correspondence  kept  up 
by  a  maiden  sister  of  his  late  wife's  with  him.  She  insists  upon 
claiming  the  ties  of  kindred  upon  about  twenty  family  eras  during 
the  year,  when  she  regularly  writes  a  most  loving  and  ill-spelled 
epistle,  containing  the  latest  information  from  Mayo,  with  all 
particulars  of  the  Macan  family,  of  which  she  is  a  worthy  member. 
To  her  constant  hints  of  the  acceptable  nature  of  certain  small  re- 
mittances, the  poor  General  is  never  inattentive ;  but  to  the  pleasing 
prospect  of  a  visit  in  the  flesh  from  Miss  Judy  Macan,  the  good 
man  is  dead.  In  fact,  nothing  short  of  being  broke  by  a  general 
court-martial  could  at  all  complete  his  sensations  of  horror  at  such 
a  stroke  of  fortune ;  and  I  am  not  certain,  if  choice  were  allowed 
him,  that  he  would  not  prefer  the  latter." 

"Then  he  has  never  yet  seen  her?"  said  Webber. 

"  Never,"  replied  Power ;  "  and  he  hopes  to  leave  Ireland  without 
that  blessing,  the  prospect  of  which,  however  remote  and  unlikely, 
has,  I  know  well,  more  than  once  terrified  him  since  his  arrival." 

"  I  say,  Power,  and  has  your  worthy  General  sent  me  a  card  for 
his  ball?" 

"  Not  through  me,  Master  Frank." 

"  Well,  now,  I  call  that  devilish  shabby,  do  you  know.     He  asks 


126  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

O'Malley  there  from  my  chambers,  and  never  notices  the  other  man, 
the  superior  in  the  firm.     Eh,  O'Malley,  what  say  you  ?" 

"  Why,  I  didn't  know  you  were  acquainted." 

"And  who  said  we  were?  It  was  his  fault,  though,  entirely, 
that  we  were  not.  I  am,  as  I  ever  have  been,  the  most  easy  fellow 
in  the  world  on  that  score — never  give  myself  airs  to  military 
people — endure  anything,  everything — and  you  see  the  result — hard, 
ain't  it?" 

"  But,  Webber,  Sir  George  must  really  be  excused  in  this  matter. 
He  has  a  daughter,  a  most  attractive,  lovely  daughter,  just  at  that 
budding,  unsuspecting  age  when  the  heart  is  most  susceptible  of  im- 
pressions ;  and  where,  let  me  ask,  could  she  run  such  a  risk  as  in  the 
chance  of  a  casual  meeting  with  the  redoubted  lady  killer,  Master 
Frank  Webber?  If  he  has  not  sought  you  out,  then  here  be  his 
apology." 

"A  very  strong  case,  certainly,"  said  Frank ;  "  but,  still,  had  he 
confided  his  critical  position  to  my  honor  and  secrecy,  he  might 
have  depended  on  me ;  now,  having  taken  the  other  line " 

"Well,  what  then?" 

"  Why,  he  must  abide  the  consequences.  I'll  make  fierce  love  to 
Louisa ;  isn't  that  the  name  ?" 

"  Lucy,  so  please  you." 

"  Well,  be  it  so — to  Lucy — talk  the  little  girl  into  a  most  deplora- 
ble attachment  for  me." 

"  But  how,  may  I  ask,  and  when  ?" 

"  I'll  begin  at  the  ball,  man." 

"  Why,  I  thought  you  said  you  were  not  going?" 

"  There  you  mistake  seriously.  I  merely  said  that  I  had  not  been 
invited." 

"  Then,  of  course,"  said  I,  "  Webber,  you  can't  think  of  going, 
in  any  case,  on  my  account." 

"  My  very  dear  friend,  I  go  entirely  upon  my  own.  I  not  only 
shall  go,  but  I  intend  to  have  most  particular  notice  and  attention 
paid  me.  I  shall  be  prime  favorite  with  Sir  George — kiss  Lucy " 

"  Come,  come,  this  is  too  strong." 

"  What  do  you  bet  I  don't  ?  There,  now,  I'll  give  you  a  pony  a 
piece,  I  do.     Do  you  say,  done  ?" 

"  That  you  kiss  Miss  Dashwood,  and  are  not  kicked  down  stairs 
for  your  pains;  are  those  the  terms  of  the  wager?"  inquired 
Power. 

"  With  all  my  heart.  That  I  kiss  Miss  Dashwood,  and  am  not 
kicked  down  stairs  for  my  pains." 

"  Then  I  say,  done." 

"And  with  you  too,  O'Malley  ?" 


THE  BALL.  127 

"  I  thank  you,"  said  I,  coldly ;  "  I'm  not  disposed  to  make  such  a 
return  for  Sir  George  Dashwood's  hospitality  as  to  make  an  insult  to 
his  family  the  subject  of  a  bet." 

"  Why,  man,  what  are  you  dreaming  of?  Miss  Dashwood  will 
not  refuse  my  chaste  salute.  Come,  Power,  I'll  give  you  the  other 
pony." 

"Agreed !"  said  he.  "At  the  same  time,  understand  me  distinctly 
— that  I  hold  myself  perfectly  eligible  to  winning  the  wager  by  my 
own  interference ;  for,  if  you  do  kiss  her,  by  Jove !  I'll  perform  the 
remainder  of  the  compact." 

"  So  I  understand  the  agreement,"  said  Webber,  arranging  his 
curls  before  the  looking-glass.  "  Well,  now,  who's  for  Howth  ?  the 
drag  will  be  here  in  half  an  hour." 

"  Not  I,"  said  Power ;  "  I  must  return  to  the  barracks." 

"Nor  I,"  said  I,  "  for  I  shall  take  this  opportunity  of  leaving  my 
card  at  Sir  George  Dashwood's." 

"  I  have  won  my  fifty,  however,"  said  Power,  as  we  walked  out  in 
the  courts. 

"  I  am  not  quite  certain " 

"  Why,  the  devil,  he  would  not  risk  a  broken  neck  for  that  sum  ; 
besides,  if  he  did,  he  loses  the  bet." 

"  He's  a  devilish  keen  fellow." 

"  Let  him  be.  In  any  case  I  am  determined  to  be  on  my  guard 
here." 

So  chatting,  we  strolled  along  to  the  Eoyal  Hospital,  when,  hav- 
ing dropped  my  pasteboard,  I  returned  to  the  college. 


CHAPTER    XIX 


THE   BALL. 


I  HAVE  often  dressed  for  a  storming  party  with  less  of  trepida- 
tion than  I  felt  on  the  evening  of  Sir  George  Dashwood's  ball. 
Since  the  eventful  day  of  the  election  I  had  never  seen  Miss 
Dashwood ;  therefore,  as  to  what  precise  position  I  might  occupy  in 
her  favor  was  a  matter  of  great  doubt  in  my  mind,  and  great  import 
to  my  happiness.  That  I  myself  loved  her  was  a  matter  of  which 
all  the  badinage  of  my  friends  regarding  her  made  me  painfully 
conscious ;  but  that,  in  our  relative  positions,  such  an  attachment 
was  all  but  hopeless,  I  could  not  disguise  from  myself.  Young  as  I 
was,  I  well  knew  to  what  a  heritage  of  debt,  lawsuit,  and  difficulty 
I  was  born  to  succeed.     In  my  own  resources  and  means  of  advance- 


128  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

ment  I  had  no  confidence  whatever,  had  even  the  profession  to 
which  I  was  destined  been  more  of  my  choice.  I  daily  felt  that  it 
demanded  greater  exertions,  if  not  far  greater  abilities,  than  I  could 
command  to  make  success  at  all  likely ;  and  then,  even  if  such  a 
result  were  in  store,  years,  at  least,  must  elapse  before  it  could  hap- 
pen, and  where  would  she  then  be,  and  where  should  I  ? — where  the 
ardent  affection  I  now  felt  and  gloried  in — perhaps  all  the  more  for 
its  desperate  hopelessness — when  the  sanguine  and  buoyant  spirit  to 
combat  with  difficulties  which  youth  suggests,  and  which  later  man- 
hood refuses,  should  have  passed  away  ?  And  even  if  all  these  sur- 
vived the  toil  and  labor  of  anxious  days  and  painful  nights,  what  of 
her?  Alas !  I  now  reflected  that,  although  only  of  my  own  age,  her 
manner  to  me  had  taken  all  that  tone  of  superiority  and  patronage 
which  an  elder  assumes  towards  one  younger,  and  which,  in  the 
spirit  of  protection  it  proceeds  upon,  essentially  bars  up  every  inlet 
to  a  dearer  or  warmer  feeling — at  least,  when  the  lady  plays  the 
former  part.  "What,  then,  is  to  be  done?"  thought  I.  "Forget 
her? — but,  how?  How  shall  I  renounce  all  my  plans,  and  unweave 
the  web  of  life  I  have  been  spreading  around  me  for  many  a  day, 
without  that  one  golden  thread  that  lent  it  more  than  half  its  bril- 
liancy and  all  its  attraction  ?  But  then,  the  alternative  is  even 
worse,  if  I  encourage  expectations  and  nurture  hopes  never  to  be 
realized.  Well,  we  meet  to-night,  after  a  long  and  eventful  absence  ; 
let  my  future  fate  be  ruled  by  the  results  of  this  meeting.  If  Lucy 
Dashwood  does  care  for  me — if  I  can  detect  in  her  manner  enough 
to  show  me  that  my  affection  may  meet  a  return,  the  whole  effort  of 
my  life  shall  be  to  make  her  mine ;  if  not — if  my  own  feelings  be  all 
that  I  have  to  depend  upon  to  extort  a  reciprocal  affection — then 
shall  I  take  my  last  look  of  her,  and  with  it  the  first  and  brightest 
dream  of  happiness  my  life  has  hitherto  presented." 

It  need  not  be  wondered  at  if  the  brilliant  coup  d'aeil  of  the  ball- 
room, as  I  entered,  struck  me  with  astonishment,  accustomed  as  I 
had  hitherto  been  to  nothing  more  magnificent  than  an  evening 
party  of  squires  and  their  squiresses,  or  the  annual  garrison  ball  at 
the  barracks.  The  glare  of  wax-lights,  the  well-furnished  saloons, 
the  glitter  of  uniforms,  and  the  blaze  of  plumed  and  jewelled  dames, 
with  the  clang  of  military  music,  was  a  species  of  enchanted  atmos- 
phere which,  breathed  for  the  first  time,  rarely  fails  to  intoxicate. 
Never  before  had  I  seen  so  much  beauty :  lovely  faces,  dressed  in  all 
the  seductive  flattery  of  smiles,  were  on  every  side,  and,  as  I  walked 
from  room  to  room,  I  felt  how  much  more  fatal  to  a  man's  peace 
and  heart's  ease  the  whispered  words  and  silent  glances  of  those 
fair  damsels,  than  all  the  loud  gayety  and  boisterous  freedom  of 


THE  BALL.  129 

our  country  belles,  who  sought  to  take  the  heart  by  storm  and  es- 
calade. 

As  yet  I  had  seen  neither  Sir  George  nor  his  daughter ;  and  while 
I  looked  on  every  side  for  Lucy  Dash  wood,  it  was  with  a  beating  and 
anxious  heart  that  I  longed  to  see  how  she  would  bear  comparison 
with  the  blaze  of  beauty  around.  * 

Just  at  this  moment  a  very  gorgeously-dressed  hussar  stepped 
from  a  doorway  beside  me,  as  if  to  make  a  passage  for  some  one, 
and  the  next  moment  she  appeared  leaning  upon  the  arm  of  ano- 
ther lady.  One  look  was  all  that  I  had  time  for,  when  she  recog- 
nized me. 

"  Ah,  Mr.  O'Malley — how  happy — has  Sir  George — has  my  father 
seen  you  ?" 

" I  have  only  arrived  this  moment ;  I  trust  he  is  quite  well?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  thank  you " 

"  I  beg  your  pardon  with  all  humility,  Miss  Dashwood,"  said  the 
hussar,  in  a  tone  of  the  most  knightly  courtesy,  "  but  they  are  wait- 
ing for  us." 

"  But,  Captain  Fortescue,  you  must  excuse  me  one  moment  more. 
Mr.  Lechmere,  will  you  do  me  the  kindness  to  find  out  Sir  George? 
Mr.  O'Malley — Mr.  Lechmere."  Here  she  said  something  in  French 
to  her  companion,  but  so  rapidly  that  I  could  not  detect  what  it 
was,  but  merely  heard  the  reply — "Pas  mal!" — which,  as  the  lady 
continued  to  canvass  me  most  deliberately  through  her  eye-glass,  I 

supposed  referred  to  me.   "  And  now,  Captain  Fortescue "   And 

with  a  look  of  most  courteous  kindness  to  me,  she  disappeared  in 
the  crowd. 

The  gentleman  to  whose  guidance  I  was  entrusted  was  one  of  the 
aides-de-camp,  and  was  not  long  in  finding  Sir  George.  No  sooner 
had  the  good  old  General  heard  my  name,  than  he  held  out  both 
his  hands  and  shook  mine  most  heartily. 

"  At  last,  O'Malley — at  last  I  am  able  to  thank  you  for  the  great- 
est service  man  ever  rendered  me.  He  saved  Lucy,  my  lord — res- 
cued her  under  circumstances  where  anything  short  of  his  courage 
and  determination  must  have  cost  her  her  life." 

"  Ah !  very  pretty  indeed,"  said  the  stiff  old  gentleman  addressed, 
as  he  bowed  a  most  superbly-powdered  scalp  before  me;  "most 
happy  to  make  your  acquaintance." 

"  Who  is  he  ?"  added  he  in  nearly  as  loud  a  tone  to  Sir  George. 

"Mr.  O'Malley,  of  O'Malley  Castle." 

"  True,  I  forgot.     Why  is  he  not  in  uniform  ?" 

"  Because,  unfortunately,  my  lord,  we  don't  own  him  ;  he's  not  in 
the  army." 

"  Ha !  ha !  thought  he  was." 
9 


130  CHARLES  0' MAI  LEY. 

"You  dance,  O'Malley,  I  suppose?  I'm  sure  you'd  rather  be 
over  there  than  hearing  all  my  protestations  of  gratitude,  sincere 
and  heartfelt  as  they  really  are. 

"  Lechmere,  introduce  my  friend  Mr.  O'Malley.  Get  him  a 
partner." 

I  had  not  followed  my  new  acquaintance  many  steps,  when  Power 
came  up  to  me.  "  I  say,  Charley,"  cried  he,  "  I  have  been  tormented 
to  death  by  half  the  ladies  in  the  room  to  present  you  to  them,  and 
have  been  in  quest  of  you  this  half  hour.  Your  brilliant  exploit  in 
savage  land  has  made  you  a  regular  preux  chevalier;  and  if  you  don't 
trade  on  that  adventure  to  your  most  lasting  profit,  you  deserve  to 
be — a  lawyer.  Come  along  here  !  Lady  Muckleman,  the  adjutant- 
general's  lady  and  chief,  has  four  Scotch  daughters  you  are  to  dance 
with ;  then  I  am  to  introduce  you  in  all  form  to  the  Dean  of  Some- 
thing's niece ;  she  is  a  good-looking  girl,  and  has  two  livings  in  a 
safe  county.  Then  there's  the  town-major's  wife ;  and  in  fact  I  have 
several  engagements  from  this  to  supper-time." 

"  A  thousand  thanks  for  all  your  kindness  in  prospective,  but  I 
think  perhaps  it  were  right  I  should  ask  Miss  Dashwood  to  dance, 
if  only  as  a  matter  of  form — you  understand  ?" 

"And  if  Miss  Dashwood  should  say,  'With  pleasure,  sir,'  only  as 
a  matter  of  form — you  understand  V  "  said  a  silvery  voice  beside 
me.  I  turned,  and  saw  Lucy  Dashwood,  who,  having  overheard 
my  very  free-and-easy  suggestion,  replied  to  me  in  this  manner. 

I  here  blundered  out  my  excuses.  What  I  said,  and  what  I  did 
not  say,  I  do  not  now  remember ;  but,  certainly,  it  was  her  turn 
now  to  blush,  and  her  arm  trembled  within  mine  as  I  led  her  to  the 
top  of  the  room.  In  the  little  opportunity  which  our  quadrille 
presented  for  conversation,  I  could  not  help  remarking  that,  after 
the  surprise  of  her  first  meeting  with  me,  Miss  Dashwood's  manner 
became  gradually  more  and  more  reserved,  and  that  there  was  an 
evident  struggle  between  her  wish  to  appear  grateful  for  what  had 
occurred  and  a  sense  of  the  necessity  of  not  incurring  a  greater 
degree  of  intimacy.  Such  was  my  impression,  at  least,  and  such  the 
conclusion  which  I  drew  from  a  certain  quiet  tone  in  her  manner, 
that  went  much  further  to  wound  my  feelings  and  mar  my  happiness 
than  any  other  line  of  conduct  towards  me  could  possibly  have 
effected. 

Our  quadrille  over,  I  was  about  to  conduct  her  to  a  seat,  when  Sir 
George  came  hurriedly  up,  his  face  greatly  flushed,  and  betraying 
every  semblance  of  high  excitement. 

"  Dear  papa,  has  anything  occurred  ?  Pray  what  is  it?"  inquired 
she. 

He  smiled  faintly,  and  replied,  "  Nothing  very  serious,  my  dear. 


THE  BALL.  131 

that  I  should  alarm  you  in  this  way ;  but,  certainly,  a  more  dis- 
agreeable contretemps  could  scarcely  occur." 

"  Do  tell  me ;  what  can  it  be  ?" 

"  Read  this,"  said  he,  presenting  a  very  dirty -looking  note,  which 
bore  the  mark  of  a  red  wafer  most  infernally  plain  upon  its  out- 
side. 

Miss  Dashwood  unfolded  the  billet,  and,  after  a  moment's  silence, 
instead  of  participating,  as  he  expected,  in  her  father's  feelings  of 
distress,  burst  out  a-laughing,  while  she  said,  "  Why,  really,  papa,  I 
do  not  see  why  this  should  put  you  out  much,  after  all.  Aunt  may 
be  somewhat  of  a  character,  as  her  note  evinces,  but  after  a  few 
days " 

"  Nonsense,  child ;  there's  nothing  in  this  world  I  have  such  a 
dread  of  as  that  confounded  woman — and  to  come  at  such  a  time." 

"  When  does  she  speak  of  paying  her  visit  ?" 

"  I  knew  you  had  not  read  the  note,"  said  Sir  George,  hastily ; 
"she's  coming  here  to-night — is  on  her  way  this  instant,  perhaps. 
What  js  to  be  done  ?  If  she  forces  her  way  in  here,  I  shall  go  de- 
ranged outright.  O'Malley,  my  boy,  read  this  note,  and  you  will 
not  feel  surprised  if  I  appear  in  the  humor  you  see  me." 

I  took  the  billet  from  the  hands  of  Miss  Dashwood,  and  read  as 
follows : — 

"  Dear  Brother  : — When  this  reaches  your  hand,  I'll  not  be  far 
off.  I'm  on  my  way  up  to  town,  to  be  under  Dr.  Dease  for  the  ould 
complaint.  Cowley  mistakes  my  case  entirely ;  he  says  it's  nothing 
but  religion  and  wind.  Father  Magrath,  who  understands  a  good 
deal  about  females,  thinks  otherwise ;  but  God  knows  who's  right. 
Expect  me  to  tea,  and,  with  love  to  Lucy,  believe  me  yours,  in 
haste, 

"Judith  Macan. 

"  Let  the  sheets  be  well  aired  in  my  room  ;  and  if  you  have  a 
spare  bed,  perhaps  we  could  prevail  upon  Father  Magrath  to  stop 
too." 

I  scarcely  could  contain  my  laughter  till  I  got  to  the  end  of  this 
very  free-and-easy  epistle,  when  at  last  I  burst  forth  in  a  hearty  fit, 
in  which  I  was  joined  by  Miss  Dashwood. 

From  the  account  Power  had  given  me  in  the  morning,  I  had  no 
difficulty  in  guessing  that  the  writer  was  the  maiden  sister  of  the 
late  Lady  Dashwood,  and  for  whose  relationship  Sir  George  had 
ever  testified  the  greatest  dread,  even  at  the  distance  of  two  hundred 
miles,  and  for  whom,  in  any  nearer  intimacy,  he  was  in  nowise  pre- 
pared. 


132  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

" 1  say,  Lucy,"  said  he,  "  there's  only  one  thing  to  be  done.  If 
this  horrid  woman  does  arrive,  let  her  be  shown  to  her  room,  and 
for  the  few  days  of  her  stay  in  town,  we'll  neither  see  nor  be  seen 
by  any  one." 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply,  Sir  George  was  turning  away  to  give 
the  necessary  instructions,  when  the  door  of  the  drawing-room  was 
thrown  open,  and  the  servant  announced,  in  his  loudest  voice, 
"Miss  Macan."  Never  shall  I  forget  the  poor  General's  look  of 
horror  as  the  words  reached  him ;  for  as  yet  he  was  too  far  off  to 
catch  even  a  glimpse  of  its  fair  owner.  As  for  me,  I  was  already 
so  much  interested  in  seeing  what  she  was  like,  that  I  made  my 
way  through  the  crowd  towards  the  door.  It  is  no  common  occur- 
rence that  can  distract  the  various  occupations  of  a  crowded  ball- 
room, where,  amid  the  crash  of  music  and  the  din  of  conversation, 
goes  on  the  soft,  low  voice  of  insinuating  flattery,  or  the  light  flirta- 
tion of  a  first  acquaintance ;  every  clique,  every  coterie,  every  little 
group  of  three  or  four,  has  its  own  separate  and  private  interests, 
forming  a  little  world  of  its  own,  and  caring  for  and  heeding 
nothing  that  goes  on  around  ;  and  even  when  some  striking  charac- 
ter or  illustrious  personage  makes  his  entree,  the  attention  he 
attracts  is  so  momentary,  that  the  buzz  of  conversation  is  scarcely, 
if  at  all,  interrupted,  and  the  business  of  pleasure  continues  to  flow 
on.  Not  so  now,  however.  No  sooner  had  the  servant  pronounced 
the  magical  name  of  Miss  Macan,  than  all  seemed  to  stand  still. 
The  spell  thus  exercised  over  the  luckless  General  seemed  to  have 
extended  to  his  company,  for  it  was  with  difficulty  that  any  one 
could  continue  his  train  of  conversation,  while  every  eye  was  di- 
rected towards  the  door.  About  two  steps  in  advance  of  the  ser- 
vant, who  still  stood  door  in  hand,  was  a  tall,  elderly  lady,  dressed 
in  an  antique  brocade  silk,  with  enormous  flowers  gaudily  em- 
broidered upon  it.  Her  hair  was  powdered,  and  turned  back,  in  the 
fashion  of  fifty  years  before,  while  her  high-pointed  and  heeled 
shoes  completed  a  costume  that  had  not  been  seen  for  nearly  a  cen- 
tury. Her  short,  skinny  arms  were  bare  and  partly  covered  by  a 
falling  flower  of  old  point  lace,  while  on  her  hands  she  wore  black 
silk  mittens ;  a  pair  of  green  spectacles  scarcely  dimmed  the  lustre  of 
a  most  piercing  pair  of  eyes,  to  whose  effect  a  very  palpable  touch  of 
rouge  on  the  cheeks  certainly  added  brilliancy.  There  stood  this 
most  singular  apparition,  holding  before  her  a  fan  about  the  size  of 
a  modern  tea-tray,  while  at  each  repetition  of  her  name  by  the  ser- 
vant she  courtesied  deeply,  bestowing  the  while  upon  the  gay  crowd 
before  her  a  very  curious  look  of  maidenly  modesty  at  her  solitary 
and  unprotected  position. 

As  no  one  had  ever  heard  of  the  fair  Judith  save  one  or  two  of 


THE  BALL.  133 

Sir  George's  most  intimate  friends,  the  greater  part  of  the  company- 
were  disposed  to  regard  Miss  Macan  as  some  one  who  had  mistaken 
the  character  of  the  invitation,  and  had  come  in  a  fancy  dress.  But 
this  delusion  was  but  momentary,  as  Sir  George,  armed  with  the 
courage  of  despair,  forced  his  way  through  the  crowd,  and  taking 
her  hand  affectionately,  bade  her  welcome  to  Dublin.  The  fair  Judy 
at  this  threw  her  arms  about  his  neck,  and  saluted  him  with  a 
hearty  smack,  that  was  heard  all  over  the  room. 

"  Where's  Lucy,  brother  ?  Let  me  embrace  my  little  darling," 
said  the  lady,  in  an  accent  that  told  more  of  Miss  Macan  than  a 
three- volume  biography  could  have  done.  "  There  she  is,  I'm  sure ; 
kiss  me,  my  honey." 

This  office  Miss  Dashwood  performed  with  an  effort  at  courtesy 
really  admirable ;  then,  taking  her  aunt's  arm,  she  led  her  to  a 
sofa. 

It  needed  all  the  poor  General's  tact  to  get  over  the  sensation  of 
this  most  mat  a  propos  addition  to  his  party  ;  but  by  degrees  the 
various  groups  renewed  their  occupations,  although  many  a  smile, 
and  more  than  one  sarcastic  glance  at  the  sofa,  betrayed  that  the 
maiden  aunt  had  not  escaped  criticism. 

Power,  whose  propensity  for  fun  very  considerably  outstripped 
his  sense  of  decorum  to  his  commanding  officer,  had  already  made 
his  way  towards  Miss  Dashwood,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  for- 
mal introduction  to  Miss  Macan. 

"  I  hope  you  will  do  me  the  favor  to  dance  the  next  set  with  me, 
Miss  Macan  ?" 

"Keally,  Captain,  it's  very  polite  of  you,  but  you  must  excuse 
me.     I  was  never  anything  great  in  quadrilles ;  but  if  a  reel  or  a 

jig " 

"  Oh,  dear  aunt,  don't  think  of  it,  I  beg  of  you." 

"  Or  even  Sir  Roger  de  Coverley,"  resumed  Miss  Macan. 

"  I  assure  you,  quite  equally  impossible." 

"  Then  I'm  certain  you  waltz,"  said  Power. 

"  What  do  you  take  me  for,  young  man  ?  I  hope  I  know  better. 
I  wish  Father  Magrath  heard  you  ask  me  that  question,  and  for  all 
your  laced  jacket " 

"  Dearest  aunt,  Captain  Power  didn't  mean  to  offend  you ;  I'm 
certain  he " 

"  Well,  why  did  he  dare  to— sob,  sob — did  he  see  anything  light 
about  me,  that  he — sob,  sob,  sob — oh  dear !  oh  dear !  is  it  for  this  I 
came  up  from  my  little  peaceful  place  in  the  west  ? — sob,  sob,  sob — 
General,  George,  dear ;  Lucy,  my  love,  I'm  taken  bad.  Oh  dear ! 
oh  dear !  is  there  any  whisky  negus  ?" 

Whatever  sympathy  Miss  Macan's  sufferings  might  have  excited 


134  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

in  the  crowd  about  her  before,  this  last  question  totally  routed  it, 
and  a  hearty  fit  of  laughter  broke  forth  from  more  than  one  of  the 
bystanders. 

At  length,  however,  she  was  comforted,  and  her  pacification  com- 
pletely effected  by  Sir  George  setting  her  down  to  a  whist-table. 
From  this  moment  I  lost  sight  of  her  for  above  two  hours.  Mean- 
while, I  had  little  opportunity  of  following  up  my  intimacy  with 
Miss  Dashwood,  and  as  I  rather  suspected  that,  on  more  than  one 
occasion,  she  seemed  to  avoid  our  meeting,  I  took  especial  care,  on 
my  part,  to  spare  her  the  annoyance. 

For  one  instant  only  had  I  any  opportunity  of  addressing  her, 
and  then  there  was  such  an  evident  embarrassment  in  her  manner, 
that  I  readily  perceived  how  she  felt  circumstanced — that  the  sense 
of  gratitude  to  one  whose  further  advances  she  might  have  feared 
rendered  her  constrained  and  awkward.  "  Too  true,"  said  I ;  "  she 
avoids  me.  My  being  here  is  only  a  source  of  discomfort  and  pain 
to  her ;  therefore,  I'll  take  my  leave,  and,  whatever  it  may  cost  me, 
never  to  return."  With  this  intention,  resolving  to  wish  Sir  George 
a  very  good  night,  I  sought  him  out  for  some  minutes.  At  length  I 
saw  him  in  a  corner,  conversing  with  the  old  nobleman  to  whom  he 
had  presented  me  early  in  the  evening, 

"  True,  upon  my  honor,  Sir  George,"  said  he ;  "  I  saw  it  myself, 
and  she  did  it  just  as  dexterously  as  the  oldest  blackleg  in  Paris." 

"Why,  you  don't  mean  to  say  that  she  cheated?" 

"  Yes,  but  I  do,  though — turned  the  ace  every  time.  Lady  Her- 
bert said  to  me,  '  Very  extraordinary  it  is — four  by  honors  again.' 
So  I  looked,  and  then  I  perceived  it — a  very  old  trick  it  is ;  but  she 
did  it  beautifully.     What's  her  name?" 

"  Some  western  name ;  I  forget  it,"  said  the  poor  General,  ready 
to  die  with  shame. 

"  Clever  old  woman— very !"  said  the  old  lord,  taking  a  pinch  of 
snuff;  "  but  revokes  too  often." 

Supper  was  announced  at  this  critical  moment,  and  before  I  had 
further  thought  of  my  determination  to  escape,  I  felt  myself  hurried 
along  in  the  crowd  towards  the  staircase.  The  party  immediately 
in  front.of  me  were  Power  and  Miss  Macan,  who  now  appeared  re- 
conciled, and  certainly  testified  most  openly  their  mutual  feelings  of 
good  will. 

"  I  say,  Charley,"  whispered  Power,  as  I  came  along,  "  it  is  capital 
fun— never  met  anything  equal  to  her;  but  the  poor  General  will 
never  live  through  it,  and  I'm  certain  of  ten  days'  arrest  for  this 
night's  proceeding." 

"Any  news  of  Webber?"  I  inquired. 

"  Oh  yes,  I  fancy  I  can  tell  something  of  him  ;  for  I  heard  of  some 


THE  BALL.  135 

one  presenting  himself,  and  being  refused  the  entree,  so  that  Master 
Frank  has  lost  his  money.  Sit  near  us,  I  pray  you,  at  supper.  We 
must  take  care  of  the  dear  aunt  for  the  niece's  sake,  eh  ?" 

Not  seeing  the  force  of  this  reasoning,  I  soon  separated  myself 
from  them,  and  secured  a  corner  at  a  side  table.  Every  supper,  on 
such  an  occasion  as  this,  is  the  same  scene  of  soiled  white  muslin, 
faded  flowers,  flushed  faces,  torn  gloves,  blushes,  blanc-mange,  cold 
chicken,  jelly,  sponge  cakes,  spooney  young  gentlemen  doing  the 
attentive,  and  watchful  mammas  calculating  what  precise  degree  of 
propinquity  in  the  crush  is  safe  or  seasonable  for  their  daughters  to 
the  moustached  and  unmarrying  lovers  beside  them.  There  are 
always  the  same  set  of  gratified  elders,  like  the  benchers  in  King's 
Inn,  marched  up  to  the  head  of  the  table,  to  eat,  drink,  and  be 
happy — removed  from  the  more  profane  looks  and  soft  speeches  of 
the  younger  part  of  the  creation.  Then  there  are  the  oi  polloi  of 
outcasts,  younger  sons  of  younger  brothers,  tutors,  governesses,  por- 
tionless cousins,  and  curates,  all  formed  in  a  phalanx  round  the  side 
tables,  whose  primitive  habits  and  simple  tastes  are  evinced  by  their 
all  eating  off  the  same  plate  and  drinking  from  nearly  the  same 
wine-glass, — too  happy  if  some  better-off  acquaintance  at  the  long 
table  invites  them  to  "  wine,"  though  the  ceremony  on  their  part  is 
limited  to  the  pantomime  of  drinking.  To  this  miserable  tiers  6tat 
I  belonged,  and  bore  my  fate  with  unconcern  ;  for,  alas  !  my  spirits 
were  depressed  and  my  heart  heavy.  Lucy's  treatment  of  me  was 
every  moment  before  me,  contrasted  with  her  gay  and  courteous 
demeanor  to  all  save  myself,  and  I  longed  for  the  moment  to  get 
away. 

Never  had  I  seen  her  looking  so  beautiful ;  her  brilliant  eyes  were 
lit  with  pleasure,  and  her  smile  was  enchantment  itself.  What  would 
I  not  have  given  for  one  moment's  explanation,  as  I  took  my  leave 
forever! — one  brief  avowal  of  my  love,  my  unalterable,  devoted 
love ;  for  which  I  sought  not  nor  expected  return,  but  merely  that  I 
might  not  be  forgotten. 

Such  were  my  thoughts,  when  a  dialogue  quite  near  me  aroused 
me  from  my  reverie.  I  was  not  long  in  detecting  the  speakers,  who, 
with  their  backs  turned  to  us,  were  seated  at  the  great  table,  discus- 
sing a  very  liberal  allowance  of  pigeon  pie,  a  flask  of  champagne 
standing  between  them. 

"  Don't,  now !  don't,  I  tell  ye ;  it's  little  ye  know  Galway,  or  ye 
wouldn't  think  to  make  up  to  me,  squeezing  my  foot." 

"  Upon  my  soul,  you're  an  angel,  a  regular  angel.  I  never  saw  a 
woman  suit  my  fancy  before." 

"  Oh,  behave  now.     Father  Magrath  says " 

"Who's  he?" 


136  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"The  priest;  no  less." 

"Oh!  confound  him." 

"  Confound  Father  Magrath,  young  man  ?" 

"  Well,  then,  Judy,  don't  be  angry ;  I  only  meant  that  a  dragoon 
knows  rather  more  of  these  matters  than  a  priest." 

"  Well,  then,  I'm  not  so  sure  of  that.  But  anyhow,  I'd  have  you 
to  remember  it  ain't  a  Widow  Malone  you  have  beside  you." 

"  Never  heard  of  the  lady,"  said  Power. 

"  Sure,  it's  a  song — poor  creature — it's  a  song  they  made  about 
her  in  the  North  Cork,  when  they  were  quartered  down  in  our 
county." 

"  I  wish  to  Heaven  you'd  sing  it." 

"  What  will  you  give  me,  then,  if  I  do  ?" 

"Anything — everything — my  heart,  my  life." 

"  I  wouldn't  give  a  trauneen  for  all  of  them.  Give  me  that  old 
green  ring  on  your  finger,  then." 

"  It's  yours,"  said  Power,  placing  it  gracefully  upon  Miss  Macan's 
finger,  "  and  now  for  your  promise." 

"  Maybe  my  brother  might  not  like  it." 

"  He'd  be  delighted,"  said  Power ;  "  he  dotes  on  music." 

"  Does  he,  now  ?" 

"  On  my  honor,  he  does." 

"  Well,  mind  you  get  up  a  good  chorus,  for  the  song  has  one,  and 
here  it  is." 

"  Miss  Macan's  song !"  said  Power,  tapping  the  table  with  his 
knife. 

"  Miss  Macan's  song  !"  was  re-echoed  on  all  sides ;  and  before  the 
luckless  General  could  interfere,  she  had  begun.  How  to  explain 
the  air  I  know  not,  for  I  never  heard  its  name ;  bat  at  the  end  of 
each  verse  a  species  of  echo  followed  the  last  word,  thai  rendered  it 
irresistibly  ridiculous. 

"  THE  WIDOW   MALONE. 

"  Did  ye  hear  of  the  Widow  Malone, 

OhoneV 
Who  lived  in  the  town  of  Athlone 

Alone  ? 
Oh  !  she  melted  the  hearts 
Of  the  swains  in  them  parts, 
So  lovely  the  Widow  Malone, 

Ohonef 
So  lovely  the  Widow  Malone. 

"  Of  lovers  she  had  a  full  score, 

Or  more; 
And  fortunes  they  all  had  galore, 

In  store ; 


THE  BALL.  137 

From  the  minister  down 

To  the  clerk  of  the  crown, 

All  were  courting  the  Widow  Malone, 

Ohone ! 
All  were  courting  the  Widow  Malone. 

"  But  so  modest  was  Mrs.  Malone, 

'Twas  known 
No  one  ever  could  see  her  alone, 

Ohone ! 
Let  them  ogle  and  sigh, 
They  could  ne'er  catch  her  eye, 
So  bashful  the  Widow  Malone, 
a  Ohone ! 

So  bashful  the  Widow  Malone. 

"  Till  one  Mr.  O'Brien  from  Clare, 

How  quare! 

It's  little  for  blushin'  they  care 

Down  there; 

Put  his  arm  round  her  waist, 

Gave  ten  kisses  at  laste, 

'  Oh,'  says  he,  '  you're  my  Molly  Malone, 
My  own ; 

•  Oh,'  says  he, '  you're  my  Molly  Malone.' 

"  And  the  widow  they  all  thought  so  shy, 

My  eye ! 
Ne'er  thought  of  a  simper  or  sigh, 

For  why? 
But '  Lucius,'  says  she, 
!  Since  you've  made  now  so  free, 
You  may  marry  your  Mary  Malone, 

Ohone ! 
You  may  marry  your  Mary  Malone.' 

"  There's  a  moral  contained  in  my  song, 
Not  wrong, 

And  one  comfort  it's  not  very  long, 

But  strong ; 

If  for  widows  you  die, 

Larn  to  kiss,  not  to  sigh, 

For  they're  all  like  sweet  Mistress  Malone, 
Ohone ! 

Oh !  they're  very  like  Mistress  Malone." 

Never  did  song  create  such  a  sensation  as  Miss  Macan's ;  and  cer- 
tainly her  desires  as  to  the  chorus  were  followed  to  the  letter,  for 
"  The  Widow  Malone,  ohone  !"  resounded  from  one  end  of  the  table 
to  the  other,  amid  one  universal  shout  of  laughter.  None  could 
resist  the  ludicrous  effect  of  her  melody ;  and  even  poor  Sir  George, 
sinking  under  the  disgrace  of  his  relationship,  which  she  had  con- 
trived to  make  public  by  frequent  allusions  to  her  "  dear  brother  the 
General,"  yielded  at  last,  and  joined  in  the  mirth  around  him. 

"  I  insist  upon  a  copy  of '  The  Widow,'  Miss  Macan,"  said  Power. 

"  To  be  sure ;  give  me  a  call  to-morrow — let  me  see — about  two. 


138  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

Father  Magrath  won't  be  at  home,"  said  she,  with  a  coquettish 
look. 

"Where,  pray,  may  I  pay  my  respects?" 

"  No.  22  South  Anne  street — very  respectable  lodgings.  I'll  write 
the  address  in  your  pocket-book." 

Power  produced  a  card  and  pencil,  while  Miss  Macan  wrote  a  few 
lines,  saying,  as  she  handed  it, — 

"  There,  now,  don't  read  it  here  before  the  people  ;  they'll  think 
it  mighty  indelicate  in  me  to  make  an  appointment." 

Power  pocketed  the  card,  and  the  next  minute  Miss  Macan's  car- 
riage was  announced. 

Sir  George  Dashwood,  who  little  flattered  himself  that  his  fair 
guest  had  any  intention  of  departure,  became  now  most  consider- 
ately attentive — reminded  her  of  the  necessity  of  muffling  against 
the  night  air — hoped  she  would  escape  cold — and  wished  her  a  most 
cordial  good  night,  with  a  promise  of  seeing  her  early  the  following 
day. 

Notwithstanding  Power's  ambition  to  engross  the  attention  of  the 
lady,  Sir  George  himself  saw  her  to  her  carriage,  and  only  returned 
to  the  room  as  a  group  was  collecting  around  the  gallant  Captain,  to 
whom  he  was  relating  some  capital  traits  of  his  late  conquest — for 
such  he  dreamed  she  was. 

"  Doubt  it  who  will,"  said  he,  "  she  has  invited  me  to  call  on  her 
to-morrow — written  her  address  on  my  card — told  me  the  hour  she 
is  certain  of  being  alone.  See  here  V  At  these  words  he  pulled 
forth  the  card,  and  handed  it  to  Lechmere. 

Scarcely  were  the  eyes  of  the  other  thrown  upon  the  writing,  when 
he  said,  "  So,  this  isn't  it,  Power." 

"  To  be  sure  it  is,  man,"  said  Power.  "Anne  street  is  devilish 
seedy — but  that's  the  quarter." 

"  Why,  confound  it,  man,"  said  the  other,  "  there's  not  a  word  of 
that  here." 

"  Head  it  out,"  said  Power.     "  Proclaim  aloud  my  victory." 

Thus  urged,  Lechmere  read : — 

"  Dear  P., — Please  pay  to  my  credit — and  soon,  mark  ye — the  two 
ponies  lost  this  evening.  I  have  done  myself  the  pleasure  of  enjoy- 
ing your  ball,  kissed  the  lady,  quizzed  the  papa,  and  walked  into  the' 
cunning  Fred  Power.  Yours, 

"  Frank  Webber. 

"  '  The  Widow  Malone,  ohone  !'  is  at  your  service." 

Had  a  thunderbolt  fallen  at  his  feet,  his  astonishment  could  not 
have   equalled  the  result  of  this  revelation.     He  stamped,  swore, 


THE  LAST  NIGHT  IN  TRINITY.  139 

raved,  laughed,  and  almost  went  deranged.  The  joke  was  soon 
spread  through  the  room,  and  from  Sir  George  to  poor  Lucy,  now 
covered  with  blushes  at  her  part  in  the  transaction,  all  was  laughter 
and  astonishment. 

"  Who  is  he  ?  that  is  the  question,"  said  Sir  George,  who,  with  all 
the  ridicule  of  the  affair  hanging  over  him,  felt  no  common  relief  at 
the  discovery  of  the  imposition. 

"  A  friend  of  O'Malley's,"  said  Power,  delighted,  in  his  defeat,  to 
involve  another  with  himself. 

"  Indeed  I"  said  the  General,  regarding  me  with  a  look  of  a  very 
mingled  cast. 

"  Quite  true,  sir,"  said  I,  replying  to  the  accusation  that  his  man- 
ner implied ;  "  but  equally  so,  that  I  neither  knew  of  his  plot  nor 
recognized  him  when  here." 

"  I  am  perfectly  sure  of  it,  my  boy,"  said  the  General ;  "  and,  after 
all,  it  was  an  excellent  joke — carried  a  little  too  far,  it's  true ;  eh, 
Lucy?" 

But  Lucy  either  heard  not  or  affected  not  to  hear;  and,  after 
some  little  further  assurance  that  he  felt  not  the  least  -annoyed,  the 
General  turned  to  converse  with  some  other  friends,  while  I,  burn- 
ing with  indignation  against  Webber,  took  a  cold  farewell  of  Miss 
Dashwood,  and  retired. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  LAST  NIGHT  IN  TRINITY. 

HOW  I  might  have  met  Master  Webber  after  his  impersona- 
tion of  Miss  Macan,  I  cannot  possibly  figure  to  myself.  For- 
tunately, indeed,  for  all  parties,  he  left  town  early  the  next 
morning,  and  it  was  some  weeks  ere  he  returned.  In  the  mean- 
while, I  became  a  daily  visitor  at  the  General's,  dined  there  usually 
three  or  four  times  a  week,  rode  out  with  Lucy  constantly,  and 
accompanied  her  every  evening  either  to  the  theatre  or  into  society. 
Sir  George,  possibly  from  my  youth,  seemed  to  pay  little  attention 
to  an  intimacy  which  he  perceived  every  hour  growing  closer,  and 
frequently  gave  his  daughter  into  my  charge  in  our  morning  excur- 
sions on  horseback.  As  for  me,  my  happiness  was  all  but  perfect. 
I  loved,  and  already  began  to  hope  that  I  was  not  regarded  with 
indifference  ;  for  although  Lucy's  manner  never  absolutely  evinced 
any  decided  preference  towards  me,  yet  many  slight  and  casual  cir- 
cumstances served  to  show  me  that  my  attentions  to  her  were  nei- 


140  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

ther  unnoticed  nor  uncared  for.  Among  the  many  gay  and  dashing 
companions  of  our  rides,  I  remarked  that,  however  anxious  for  such 
a  distinction,  none  ever  seemed  to  make  any  way  in  her  good 
graces ;  and  I  had  already  gone  far  in  my  self-deception  that  I  was 
destined  for  good  fortune,  when  a  circumstance  which  occurred  one 
morning  at  length  served  to  open  my  eyes  to  the  truth,  and  blast, 
by  one  fatal  breath,  the  whole  harvest  of  my  hopes. 

We  were  about  to  set  out  one  morning  on  a  long  ride,  when  Sir 
George's  presence  was  required  by  the  arrival  of  an  officer  who  had 
been  sent  from  the  Horse  Guards  on  official  business.  After  half 
an  hour's  delay,  Colonel  Cameron,  the  officer  in  question,  was  intro- 
duced, and  entered  into  conversation  with  our  party.  He  had  only 
landed  in  England  from  the  Peninsula  a  few  days  before,  and  had 
abundant  information  of  the  stirring  events  enacting  there.  At  the 
conclusion  of  an  anecdote — I  forget  what — he  turned  suddenly 
round  to  Miss  Dashwood,  who  was  standing  beside  me,  and  said,  in 
a  low  voice, — 

"  And,  now,  Miss  Dashwood,  I  am  reminded  of  a  commission  I 
promised  a  »very  old  brother  officer  to  perform.  Can  I  have  one 
moment's  conversation  with  you  in  the  window  ?" 

As  he  spoke,  I  perceived  that  he  crumpled  beneath  his  glove 
something  like  a  letter. 

"  To  me  ?"  said  Lucy,  with  a  look  of  surprise  that  sadly  puzzled 
me  whether  to  ascribe  it  to  coquetry  or  innocence — "  to  me  ?" 

"  To  you,"  said  the  Colonel,  bowing ;  "  and  I  am  sadly  deceived 
by  my  friend  Hammersley " 

"  Captain  Hammersley  ?"  said  she,  blushing  deeply  as  she  spoke. 

I  heard  no  more.  She  turned  towards  the  window  with  the 
Colonel,  and  all  I  saw  was,  that  he  handed  her  a  letter,  which,  hav- 
ing hastily  broken  open,  and  thrown  her  eyes  over,  she  grew  at  first 
deadly  pale,  then  red,  and,  while  her  eyes  filled  with  tears,  I  heard 
her  say,  "  How  like  him  ! — how  truly  generous  this  is  !"  I  listened 
for  no  more — my  brain  was  whirling  round  and  my  senses  reeling. 
I  turned  and  left  the  room.  In  another  moment  I  was  on  my  horse, 
galloping  from  the  spot,  despair,  in  all  its  blackness,  in  my  heart — 
and,  in  my  broken-hearted  misery,  wishing  for  death. 

I  was  miles  away  from  Dublin  ere  I  remembered  well  what  had 
occurred,  and  even  then,  not  over-clearly.  The  fact  that  Lucy 
Dashwood,  whom  I  imagined  to  be  my  own  in  heart,  loved  another, 
was  all  that  I  really  knew.  That  one  thought  was  all  that  my  mind 
was  capable  of,  and  in  it  my  misery,  my  wretchedness,  were  centred. 

Of  all  the  grief  my  life  has  known,  I  have  had  no  moments  like 
the  long  hours  of  that  dreary  night.  My  sorrow,  in  turn,  took 
every  shape  and  assumed  every  guise.     Now  I  remembered  how  the 


THE  LAST  NIGHT  IN  TRINITY.  141 

Dashwoods  had  courted  my  intimacy  and  encouraged  my  visits ; 
how  Lucy  herself  had  evinced,  in  a  thousand  ways,  that  she  felt  a 
preference  for  me.  I  called  to  mind  the  many  unequivocal  proofs  I 
had  given  her  that  my  feeling,  at  least,  was  no  common  one ;  and 
yet,  how  had  she  sported  with  my  affections  and  jested  with  my 
happiness  !  That  she  loved  Hammersley  I  had  now  a  palpable 
proof;  that  this  affection  must  have  been  mutual,  and  prosecuted 
at  the  very  moment  I  was  not  only  professing  my  own  love  for  her, 
but  actually  receiving  all  but  an  avowal  of  its  return — oh !  it  was 
too,  too  base ;  and  in  my  deepest  heart  I  cursed  my  folly,  and  vowed 
never  to  see  her  more. 

It  was  late  on  the  next  day  ere  I  retraced  my  steps  towards  town, 
my  heart  sad  and  heavy,  careless  what  became  of  me  for  the  future, 
and  pondering  whether  I  should  not  at  once  give  up  my  college 
career  and  return  to  my  uncle.  When  I  reached  my  chambers,  all 
was  silent  and  comfortless.  Webber  had  not  returned  ;  my  servant 
was  from  home ;  and  I  felt  myself  more  than  ever  wretched  in  the 
solitude  of  what  had  been  so  oft  the  scene  of  noisy  and  festive 
gayety.  I  sat  some  hours  in  a  half-musing  state,  every  sad,  depress- 
ing thought  that  blighted  hopes  can  conjure  up  rising  in  turn  before 
me.  A  loud  knocking  at  the  door  at  length  aroused  me.  I  got  up 
and  opened  it.  No  one  was  there.  I  looked  around,  as  well  as  the 
coming  gloom  of  evening  would  permit,  but  saw  nothing.  I  lis- 
tened, and  heard  at  some  distance  off  my  friend  Power's  manly 
voice,  as  he  sang, — 

"  Oh  love  is  the  soul  of  an  Irish  dragoon !" 

I  hallooed  out,  "  Power !" 

"  Eh,  O'Malley,  is  that  you  ?"  inquired  he.  "  Why,  then,  it  seems 
it  required  some  deliberation  whether  you  opened  your  door  or  not. 
Why,  man,  you  can  have  no  great  gift  of  prophecy,  or  you  wouldn't 
have  kept  me  so  long  there." 

"  And  have  you  been  so  ?" 

"  Only  twenty  minutes,  for  as  I  saw  the  key  in  tfte  lock,  I  had 
determined  to  succeed,  if  noise  would  do  it." 

"  How  strange !   I  never  heard  it." 

"  Glorious  sleeper  you  must  be.  But  come,  my  dear  fellow,  you 
don't  appear  altogether  awake  yet." 

"  I  have  not  been  quite  well  these  few  days." 

"  Oh,  indeed !  The  Dashwoods  thought  there  must  have  been 
something  of  that  kind  the  matter,  by  your  brisk  retreat.  They  sent 
me  after  you  yesterday ;  but  wherever  you  went,  Heaven  knows ! 
I  never  could  come  up  with  you,  so  that  your  great  good  news  has 
been  keeping  twenty-four  hours  longer  than  need  be." 


142  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  I  am  not  aware  what  you  allude  to." 

"  Well,  you  are  not  over-likely  to  be  the  wiser  when  you  hear  it, 
if  you  can  assume  no  more  intelligent  look  than  that.  Why,  mail, 
there's  great  luck  in  store  for  you." 

"  As  how,  pray?  Come,  Power,  out  with  it,  though  I  can't  pledge 
myself  to  feel  half  as  grateful  for  my  good  fortune  as  I  should  do. 
What  is  it?" 

"  You  know  Cameron  ?" 

"  I  have  seen  him,"  said  I,  reddening. 

"Well,  Old  Camy,  as  we  used  to  call  him,  has  brought  over, 
among  his  other  news,  your  gazette." 

"  My  gazette  !  what  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  Confound  your  uncommon  stupidity  this  evening.  I  mean,  man, 
that  you  are  one  of  us — gazetted  to  the  14th  Light — the  best  fellows 
for  love,  war,  and  whisky  that  ever  sported  a  sabretasche.  '  Oh  love 
is  the  soul  of  an  Irish  dragoon  V  By  Jove !  I  am  as  delighted  to 
have  rescued  you  from  the  black  harness  of  the  King's  Bench  as 
though  you  had  been  a  prisoner  there.  Know,  then,  friend  Charley, 
that  on  Wednesday  we  proceed  to  Fermoy,  join  some  score  of  gal- 
lant fellows — all  food  for  powder — and,  with  the  aid  of  a  rotten 
transport  and  the  stormy  winds  that  blow,  will  be  bronzing  our 
beautiful  faces  in  Portugal  before  the  month's  out.  But  come, 
now,  let's  see  about  supper.  Some  of  ours  are  coming  over  here 
at  eleven,  and  I  promised  them  a  devilled  bone.  And  as  it's  your 
last  night  among  these  classic  precincts,  let  us  have  a  shindy  of  it." 

While  I  despatched  Mike  to  Morrison's  to  provide  supper,  I 
heard  from  Power  that  Sir  George  Dashwood  had  interested  him- 
self so  strongly  for  me,  that  I  had  obtained  my  cornetcy  in  the  14th; 
that,  fearful  lest  any  disappointment  might  arise,  he  had  never 
mentioned  the  matter  to  me,  but  that  he  had  previously  obtained 
my  uncle's  promise  to  concur  in  the  arrangement  if  his  negotiation 
succeeded.  It  had  done  so,  and  now  the  long  sought-for  object  of 
many  days  was  within  my  grasp.  But,  alas!  the  circumstance 
which  lent  it  fill  its  fascinations  was  a  vanished  dream ;  and  what 
but  two  days  before  had  rendered  my  happiness  perfect,  I  listened 
to  listlessly  and  almost  without  interest.  Indeed,  my  first  impulse, 
on  finding  that  I  owed  my  promotion  to  Sir  George,  was  to  return  a 
positive  refusal  of  the  cornetcy ;  but  then  I  remembered  how  deeply 
such  conduct  would  hurt  my  poor  uncle,  to  whom  I  never  could 
give  an  adequate  explanation.  So  I  heard  Power  in  silence  to  the 
end,  thanked  him  sincerely  for  his  own  good-natured  kindness  in 
the  matter,  which  already,  by  the  interest  he  had  taken  in  me,  went 
far  to  heal  the  wounds  that  my  own  solitary  musings  were  deepen- 
ing in  my  heart.     At  eighteen,  fortunately,  consolations  are  attain- 


THE  LAST  NIGHT  IN  TRINITY.  143 

able  that  become  more  difficult  at  eight-and-twenty,  and  impossible 
at  eiglrt-arid-thirty. 

While  Power  continued  to  dilate  upon  the  delights  of  a  soldier's 
life, — a  theme  which  many  a  boyish  dream  had  long  since  made 
hallowed  to  my  thoughts, — I  gradually  felt  my  enthusiasm  rising, 
and  a  certain  throbbing  at  my  heart  betrayed  to  me  that,  sad  and 
dispirited  as  1  felt,  there  was  still  within  that  buoyant  spirit  which 
youth  possesses  as  its  privilege,  and  which  answers  to  the  call  of 
enterprise  as  the  war-horse  to  the  trumpet.  That  a  career  worthy 
of  manhood,  great,  glorious,  and  inspiriting,  opened  before  me, 
coming  so  soon  after  the  late  downfall  of  my  hopes,  was  in  itself  a 
source  of  such  true  pleasure,  that  ere  long  I  listened  to  my  friend, 
and  heard  his  narrative  with  breathless  interest.  A  lingering  sense 
of  pique,  too,  had  its  share  in  all  this.  I  longed  to  come  forward  in 
some  manly  and  dashing  part,  where  my  youth  might  not  be  ever 
remembered  against  me,  and  when,  having  brought  myself  to  the 
test,  I  might  no  longer  be  looked  upon  and  treated  as  a  boy. 

We  were  joined  at  length  by  the  other  officers  of  the  14th,  and,  to 
the  number  of  twelve,  sat  down  to  supper. 

It  was  to  be  my  last  night  in  Old  Trinity,  and  we  resolved  that 
the  farewell  should  be  a  solemn  one.  Mansfield,  one  of  the  wildest 
young  fellows  in  the  regiment,  had  vowed  that  the  leave-taking 
should  be  commemorated  by  some  very  decisive  and  open  expression 
of  our  feelings,  and  had  already  made  some  progress  in  arrange- 
ments for  blowing  up  the  great  bell,  which  had  more  than  once 
obtruded  upon  our  morning  convivialities  ;  but  he  was  overruled  by 
his  more  discreet  associates,  and  we  at  length  assumed  our  places  at 
table,  in  the  midst  of  which  stood  a  hecatomb  of  all  my  college 
equipments,  cap,  gown,  bands,  &c.  A  funeral  pile  of  classics  was 
arrayed  upon  the  hearth,  surmounted  by  my  "  Book  on  the  Cellar," 
and  a  punishment-roll  waved  its  length,  like  a  banner,  over  the 
doomed  heroes  of  Greece  and  Rome. 

It  is  seldom  that  any  very  determined  attempt  to  be  gay  par 
excellence  has  a  perfect  success,  but  certainly  upon  this  evening  ours 
had.  Songs,  good  stories,  speeches,  toasts,  bright  visions  of  the  cam- 
paign before  us,  the  wild  excitement  which  such  a  meeting  cannot  be 
free  from,  gradually,  as  the  wine  passed  from  hand  to  hand,  seized 
upon  all,  and  about  four  in  the  morning,  such  was  the  uproar  we 
caused,  and  so  terrific  the  noise  of  our  proceedings,  that  the  accumu- 
lated force  of  porters,  sent  one  by  one  to  demand  admission,  was 
now  a  formidable  body  at  the  door ;  and  Mike  at  last  came  in  to 
assure  us  that  the  Bursar,  the  most  dread  official  of  all  collegians, 
was  without,  and  insisted,  with  a  threat  of  his  heaviest  displeasure 
in  case  of  refusal,  that  the  door  should  be  opened. 


144  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

A  committee  of  the  whole  house  immediately  sat  upon  the  ques- 
tion, and  it  was  at  length  resolved,  nemine  contradicente,  that  the 
request  should  be  complied  with.  A  fresh  bowl  of  punch,  in  honor 
of  our  expected  guest,  was  immediately  concocted,  a  new  broil 
put  on  the  gridiron,  and,  having  seated  ourselves  with  as  great  a 
semblance  of  decorum  as  four  bottles  a  man  admits  of,  Curtis, 
the  junior  Captain,  being  most  drunk,  was  at  once  deputed  to 
receive  the  Bursar  at  the  door,  and  introduce  him  into  our  august 
presence. 

Mike's  instructions  were,  that  immediately  on  Dr.  Stone  (the 
Bursar)  entering,  the  door  was  to  be  slammed  to,  and  none  of  his 
followers  admitted.  This  done,  the  Doctor  was  to  be  ushered  in, 
and  left  to  our  own  polite  attentions. 

A  fresh  thundering  from  without  scarcely  left  time  for  further 
deliberation ;  and  at  last  Curtis  moved  towards  the  door,  in  execu- 
tion of  his  mission. 

"  Is  there  any  one  there  ?"  said  Mike,  in  a  tone  of  most  unsoph- 
isticated innocence,  to  a  rapping  that,  having  lasted  three-quarters 
of  an  hour,  threatened  now  to  break  in  the  panel.  "  Is  there  any 
one  there?" 

"  Open  the  door  this  instant — the  senior  Bursar  desires  you — this 
instant." 

"  Sure  it's  night,  and  we're  all  in  bed,"  said  Mike. 

"Mr.  Webber — Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  the  Bursar,  now  boiling 
with  indignation,  "  I  summon  you,  in  the  name  of  the  Board,  to 
admit  me." 

"  Let  the  gemman  in,"  hiccupped  Curtis ;  and  at  the  same  instant 
the  heavy  bars  were  withdrawn,  and  the  doors  opened,  but  so 
sparingly  as  with  difficulty  to  permit  the  passage  of  the  burly  figure 
of  the  Bursar. 

Forcing  his  way  through,  and  regardless  of  what  became  of  the 
rest,  he  pushed  on  vigorously  through  the  ante-chamber,  and  before 
Curtis  could  perform  his  functions  of  usher,  stood  in  the  midst  of 
us.  What  were  his  feelings  at  the  scene  before  him,  Heaven  knows. 
The  number  of  figures  in  uniform  at  once  betrayed  how  little  his 
jurisdiction  extended  to  the  great  mass  of  the  company,  and  he  im- 
mediately turned  towards  me. 

"  Mr.  Webber " 

"  O'Malley,  if  you  please,  Mr.  Bursar,"  said  I,  bowing  with  most 
ceremonious  politeness. 

"  No  matter,  sir ;  arcades  arnbo,  I  believe." 

"  Both  Archdeacons,"  said  Melville,  translating,  with  a  look  of 
withering  contempt  upon  the  speaker. 

The  Doctor  continued,  addressing  me : 


THE  LAST  NIGHT  IN  TRINITY.  145 

"  May  I  ask,  sir,  if  you  believe  yourself  possessed  of  any  privilege 
for  converting  this  University  into  a  common  tavern  ?" 

"I  wish  to  Heaven  he  did,"  said  Curtis;  "capital  tap  your  old 
commons  would  make." 

"  Really,  Mr.  Bursar,"  replied  I,  modestly,  "  I  had  begun  to  natter 
myself  that  our  little  innocent  gayety  had  inspired  you  with  the 
idea  of  joining  our  party." 

"  I  humbly  move  that  the  old  cove  in  the  gown  do  take  the  chair," 
gang  out  one.  "All  who  are  of  this  opinion  say  'Aye.' "  .  A  perfect 
yell  of  ayes  followed  this.  "All  who  are  of  the  contrary  say  ■  No.' 
The  ayes  have  it." 

Before  the  luckless  Doctor  had  a  moment  for  thought,  his  legs 
were  lifted  from  under  him,  and  he  was  jerked,  rather  than  placed, 
upon  a  chair,  and  put  sitting  upon  the  table. 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,  your  expulsion  within  twenty-four  hours " 

"Hip,  hip,  hurra,  hurra,  hurra!"  drowned  the  rest,  while  Power, 
taking  off  the  Doctor's  cap,  replaced  it  by  a  foraging  cap,  very  much 
to  the  amusement  of  the  party. 

"  There  is  no  penalty  that  the  law  permits  of  that  I  shall  not " 

"  Help  the  Doctor,"  said  Melville,  placing  a  glass  of  punch  in  his 
unconscious  hand. 

"  Now  for  a  '  Viva  la  Compagnie  V  "  said  Telford,  seating  himseli 
at  the  piano,  and  playing  the  first  bars  of  that  well-known  air,  to 
which,  in  our  meetings,  we  were  accustomed  to  improvise  a  doggerel 
in  turn : 

"  I  drink  to  the  graces,  Law,  Physic,  Divinity, 

Viva  la  Compagnie ! 
And  here's  to  the  worthy  old  Bursar  of  Trinity, 

Viva  la  Compagnie !" 

"  Viva,  viva  la  va !"  &c,  was  chorused  with  a  shout  that  shook 
the  old  walls,  while  Power  took  up  the  strain : 

"Though  with  lace  caps  and  gowns  they  look  so  like  asses, 
Viva  la  Compagnie ! 
They'd  rather  have  punch  than  the  springs  of  Parnassus, 
Viva  la  Compagnie !" 

"  What  a  nose  the  old  gentleman  has,  by  the  way, 

Viva  la  Compagnie ! 
Since  he  smelt  out  the  devil  from  Botany  Bay,* 

Viva  la  Compagnie !" 

Words  cannot  give  even  the  faintest  idea  of  the  poor  Bursar's 
feelings  while  these  demoniacal  orgies  were  enacting  around  him. 
Held  fast  in  his  chair  by  Lechmere  and  another,  he  glowered  on  the 

*  Botany  Bay  was  the  slang  name  given  by  college  men  to  a  new  square  rather 
remotely  situated  from  the  remainder  of  the  college. 
10 


146  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

riotous  mob  around  like  a  maniac,  and  astonishment  that  such  lib- 
erties could  be  taken  with  one  in  his  situation  seemed  to  have  sur- 
passed even  his  rage  and  resentment ;  and  every  now  and  then  a 
stray  thought  would  flash  across  his  mind  that  we  were  mad, — a 
sentiment  which,  unfortunately,  our  conduct  was  but  too  well  calcu- 
lated to  inspire. 

"  So  you're  the  morning  lecturer,  old  gentleman,  and  have  just 
dropped  in  here  in  the  way  of  business  ;  pleasant  life  you  must  have 
of  it,"  said  Casey,  now  by  far  the  most  tipsy  man  present. 

"  If  you  think,  Mr.  O'Malley,  that  the  events  of  this  evening  are 
to  end  here " 

"  Very  far  from  it,  Doctor,"  said  Power ;  "  I'll  draw  up  a  little 
account  of  the  affair  for  '  Saunders.'  They  shall  hear  of  it  in  every 
corner  and  nook  of  the  kingdom." 

"  The  Bursar  of  Trinity  shall  be  a  proverb  for  a  good  fellow  that 
loveth  his  lush,"  hiccupped  out  Fegan. 

"And  if  you  believe  that  such  conduct  is  academical,"  said  the 
Doctor,  with  a  withering  sneer. 

"Perhaps  not,"  lisped  Melville,  tightening  his  belt;  "but  yet  it's 
devilish  convivial — eh,  Doctor?" 

"Is  that  like  him?"  said  Moreton,  producing  a  caricature,  which 
he  had  just  sketched. 

"  Capital — very  good — perfect.  M'Cleary  shall  have  it  in  his  win- 
dow by  noon  to-day,"  said  Power. 

At  this  instant  some  of  the  combustibles  disposed  among  the  re- 
jected habiliments  of  my  late  vocation  caught  fire,  and  squibs,  crack- 
ers, and  detonating  shots  went  off  on  all  sides.  The  Bursar,  who 
had  not  been  deaf  to  several  hints  and  friendly  suggestions  about 
setting  fire  to  him,  blowing  him  up,  &c,  with  one  vigorous  spring 
burst  from  his  antagonists,  and,  clearing  the  table  at  a  bound, 
reached  the  floor.  Before  he  could  be  seized,  he  had  gained  the 
door,  opened  it,  and  was  away.  We  gave  chase,  yelling  like  so  many 
devils;  but  wine  and  punch,  songs  and  speeches,  had  done  their 
work,  and  more  than  one  among  the  pursuers  measured  his  length 
upon  the  pavement ;  while  the  terrified  Bursar,  with  the  speed  of 
terror,  held  on  his  way,  and  gained  his  chambers,  by  about  twenty 
yards  in  advance  of  Power  and  Melville,  whose  pursuit  only  ended 
when  the  oaken  panel  of  the  door  shut  them  out  from  their  victim. 
One  loud  cheer  beneath  his  window  served  for  our  farewell  to  our 
friend,  and  we  returned  to  my  rooms.  By  this  time  a  regiment  of 
those  classic  functionaries  yclept  porters  had  assembled  around  the 
door,  and  seemed  bent  upon  giving  battle  in  honor  of  their  mal- 
treated ruler ;  but  Power  explained  to  them,  in  a  neat  speech,  replete 
with  Latin  quotations,  that  their  cause  was  a  weak  one,  that  we  were 


THE  PIICENIX  PARK.  147 

more  than  their  match,  and,  finally,  proposed  to  them  to  finish  the 
punch-bowl — to  which  we  were  really  incompetent — a  motion  that 
met  immediate  acceptance ;  and  old  Duncan,  with  his  helmet  in  one 
hand  and  a  goblet  in  the  other,  wished-  me  many  happy  days,  and 
every  luck  in  this  life,  as  I  stepped  from  the  massive  archway,  and 
took  my  last  farewell  of  Old  Trinity. 

Should  any  kind  reader  feel  interested  as  to  the  ulterior  course 
assumed  by  the  Bursar,  I  have  only  to  say  that  the  terrors  of  the 
"  Board"  were  never  fulminated  against  me,  harmless  and  innocent 
as  I  should  have  esteemed  them.  The  threat  of  giving  publicity  to 
the  entire  proceedings  by  the  papers,  and  the  dread  of  figuring  in  a 
sixpenny  caricature  in  M'Cleary's  window,  were  too  much  for  the 
worthy  Doctor,  and  he  took  the  wiser  course,  under  the  circum- 
stances, and  held  his  peace  about  the  matter.  I,  too,  have  done  so 
for  many  a  year,  and  only  now  recall  the  scene  among  the  wild 
transactions  of  early  days  and  boyish  follies. 


CHAPTEK  XXI. 

THE   PHCENIX   PARK. 

WHAT  a  glorious  thing  it  is  when  our  first  waking  thoughts 
not  only  dispel  some  dark  depressing  dream,  but  arouse  us 
to  the  consciousness  of  a  new  and  bright  career  suddenly 
opening  before  us,  buoyant  in  hope,  rich  in  promise  for  the  future ! 
Life  has  nothing  better  than  this.  The  bold  spring  by  which  the 
mind  clears  the  depth  that  separates  misery  from  happiness,  is 
ecstasy  itself;  and,  then,  what  a  world  of  bright  visions  come  teem- 
ing before  us — what  plans  we  form — what  promises  we  make  to  our- 
selves in  our  own  hearts — how  prolific  is  the  dullest  imagination — 
how  excursive  the  tamest  fancy,  at  such  a  moment !  In  a  few  short 
and  fleeting  seconds,  the  events  of  a  whole  life  are  planned  and 
pictured  before  us.  Dreams  of  happiness  and  visions  of  bliss,  oi 
which  all  our  after  years  are  insufficient  to  eradicate  the  prestige  a 
come  in  myriads  about  us ;  and  from  that  narrow  aperture  through 
which  this  new  hope  pierces  into  our  heart,  a  flood  of  light  is  poured 
that  illumes  our  path  to  the  very  verge  of  the  grave.  How  many  a 
success  in  after-days  is  reckoned  but  as  one  step  in  that  ladder  of 
ambition  some  boyish  review  has  framed, — perhaps,  after  all,  des- 
tined to  be  the  first  and  only  one !  With  what  triumph  we  hail 
some  goal  attained,  some  object  of  our  wishes  gained,  less  for  its 
present  benefit  than  as  the  accomplishment  of  some  youthful  pro- 


148  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

phecy,  when,  picturing  to  our  hearts  all  that  we  would  have  in  life, 
we  whispered  within  us  the  flattery  of  success. 

Who  is  there  who  has  not  had  some  such  moment  ?  and  who  would 
exchange  it,  with  all  the  delusive  and  deceptive  influences  by  which 
it  comes  surrounded,  for  the  greatest  actual  happiness  he  has  par- 
taken of?  Alas !  alas !  it  is  only  in  the  boundless  expanse  of  such 
imaginations,  unreal  and  fictitious  as  they  are,  that  we  are  truly 
blessed.  Our  choicest  blessings  in  life  come  even  so  associated 
with  some  sources  of  care,  that  the  cup  of  enjoyment  is  not  pure, 
but  dregged  in  bitterness. 

To  such  a  world  of  bright  anticipation  did  I  awake  on  the  morn- 
ing after  the  events  I  have  detailed  in  my  last  chapter.  The 
first  thing  my  eyes  fell  upon  was  an  oflicial  letter  from  the  Horse 
Guards : — 

"  The  Commander  of  the  Forces  desires  that  Mr.  O'Malley  will 
report  himself,  immediately  on  receipt  of  this  letter,  at  the  head- 
quarters of  the  regiment  to  which  he  is  gazetted." 

Few  and  simple  as  the  lines  were,  how  brimful  of  pleasure  they 
sounded  to  my  ears.  The  regiment  to  which  I  was  gazetted !  And 
so  I  was  a  soldier  at  last !  the  first  wish  of  my  boyhood  was  then 
really  accomplished.  And  my  uncle — what  will  he  say  ? — what  will 
he  think  ? 

"A  letter,  sir,  by  the  post,"  said  Mike,  at  the  moment. 

I  seized  it  eagerly ;  it  came  from  home,  but  was  in  Considine's 
handwriting.  How  my  heart  failed  me  as  I  turned  to  look  at  the 
seal.  "  Thank  God I"  said  I,  aloud,  on  perceiving  that  it  was  a  red 
one.    I  now  tore  it  open  and  read : 

"  My  Dear  Charley  :— Godfrey  being  laid  up  with  the  gout, 
has  desired  me  to  write  to  you  by  this  day's  post.  Your  appoint- 
ment to  the  14th,  notwithstanding  all  his  prejudices  about  the  army, 
has  given  him  sincere  pleasure.  I  believe,  between  ourselves,  that 
your  college  career,  of  which  he  has  heard  something,  convinced 
him  that  your  forte  did  not  lie  in  the  classics ;  you  know  I  said  so 
always,  but  nobody  minded  me.  Your  new  prospects  are  all  that 
your  best  friends  could  wish  for  you.  You  begin  early ;  your  corps 
is  a  crack  one ;  you  are  ordered  for  service.  What  could  you  have 
more? 

"  Your  uncle  hopes,  if  you  can  get  a  few  days'  leave,  that  you  will 
come  down  here  before  you  join,  and  I  hope  so  too ;  for  he  is  un- 
usually low-spirited,  and  talks  about  never  seeing  you  again,  and  all 
that  sort  of  thing. 

"  I  have  written  to  Merivale,  your  colonel,  on  this  subject,  as  well 


THE  PIKENIX  PARK.  149 

as  generally  on  your  behalf;  we  were  cornets  together  forty  years 
ago  ;  a  strict  fellow  you'll  find  him,  but  a  trump  on  service.  If  you 
can't  manage  the  leave,  write  a  long  letter  home,  at  all  events  ;  and 
so  God  bless  you,  and  all  success. 

"  Yours,  sincerely, 

"W.   CONSIDINE. 

"  I  had  thought  of  writing  you  a  long  letter  of  advice  for  yous 
new  career,  and,  indeed,  half  accomplished  one.  After  all,  however, 
I  can  tell  you  little  that  your  own  good  sense  will  not  teach  you  as 
you  go  on,  and  experience  is  ever  better  than  precept.  I  know  of 
but  one  rule  in  life  which  admits  of  scarcely  any  exception,  and 
having  followed  it  upwards  of  sixty  years,  approve  of  it  only  the 
more.  Never  quarrel  when  you  can  help  it ;  but  meet  any  man — 
your  tailor,  your  hairdresser — if  he  wishes  to  have  you  out. 

"  W.  C." 

I  had  scarcely  come  to  the  end  of  this  very  characteristic  epistle, 
when  two  more  letters  were  placed  upon  my  table.  One  was  from 
Sir  George  Dashwood,  inviting  me  to  dinner,  to  meet  some  of  my 
"brother  officers."  How  my  heart  beat  at  the  expression.  The 
other  was  a  short  note,  marked  "  Private,"  from  my  late  tutor,  Dr. 
Mooney,  saying,  "  that  if  I  made  a  suitable  apology  to  the  Bursar 
for  the  late  affair  at  my  room,  he  might  probably  be  induced  to 
abandon  any  further  step ;  otherwise" — then  followed  innumerable 
threats  about  fine,  penalties,  expulsion,  &c,  that  fell  harmlessly 
upon  my  ears.  I  accepted  the  invitation ;  declined  the  apology  ; 
and,  having  ordered  my  horse,  cantered  off  to  the  barracks  to  con- 
sult my  friend  Power  as  to  all  the  minor  details  of  my  career. 

As  the  dinner  hour  drew  near,  my  thoughts  became  again  fixed 
upon  Miss  Dashwood,  and  a  thousand  misgivings  crossed  my  mind 
as  to  whether  I  should  have  nerve  enough  to  meet  her,  without  dis- 
closing in  my  manner  the  altered  state  of  my  feelings — a  possibility 
which  1  now  dreaded  fully  as  much  as  I  had  longed  some  days  before 
to  avow  my  affection  for  her,  however  slight  its  prospects  of  return. 
All  my  valiant  resolves,  and  well-contrived  plans  for  appearing  un- 
moved and  indifferent  in  her  presence,  with  which  I  stored  my  mind 
while  dressing,  and  when  on  the  way  to  dinner,  were,  however, 
needless,  for  it  was  a  party  exclusively  of  men ;  and  as  the  coffee  was 
served  in  the  dining-room,  no  move  was  made  to  the  drawing-room 
by  any  of  the  company.  "  Quite  as  well  as  it  is  !"  was  my  muttered 
opinion,  as  I  got  into  my  cab  at  the  door.  "  All  is  at  an  end  as  re- 
gards me  in  her  esteem,  and  I  must  not  spend  my  days  sighing  for  a 
young  lady  that  cares  for  another."  Very  reasonable,  very  proper 
resolutions  these ;  but,  alas !  I  went  home  to  bed  only  to  think  half 


150  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

the  night  long  of  the  fair  Lucy,  and  dream  of  her  the  remainder 
of  it. 

When  morning  dawned,  my  first  thought  was,  Shall  I  see  her 
once  more  ?  shall  I  leave  her  forever  thus  abruptly  ?  or,  rather,  shall 
I  not  unburden  my  bosom  of  its  secret,  confess  my  love,  and  say 
farewell  ?  I  felt  such  a  course  much  more  in  unison  with  my  wishes 
than  the  day  before ;  and,  as  Power  had  told  me  that  before  a  week 
we  should  present  ourselves  at  Fermoy,  I  knew  that  no  time  was  to 
be  lost. 

My  determination  was  taken.  I  ordered  my  horse,  and,  early  as 
it  was,  rode  out  to  the  Royal  Hospital.  My  heart  beat  so  strongly 
as  1  rode  up  to  the  door,  that  I  half  resolved  to  return.  I  rang  the 
bell.  Sir  George  was  in  town.  Miss  Dashwood  had  just  gone  five 
minutes  before  to  spend  some  days  at  Carton.  "  It  is  fate  I"  thought 
I,  as  I  turned  from  the  spot,  and  walked  slowly  beside  my  horse 
towards  Dublin. 

In  the  few  days  that  intervened  before  my  leaving  town,  my  time 
was  occupied  from  morning  to  night ;  the  various  details  of  my  uni- 
form, outfit,  &c,  were  undertaken  for  me  by  Power.  My  horses 
were  sent  for  to  Galway,  and  I  myself,  with  innumerable  persons  to 
see,  and  a  mass  of  business  to  transact,  contrived,  at  least  three  times 
a  day,  to  ride  out  to  the  Royal  Hospital,  always  to  make  some  trifling 
inquiry  for  Sir  George,  and  always  to  hear  repeated  that  Miss  Dash- 
wood  had  not  returned. 

Thus  passed  five  of  my  last  six  days  in  Dublin,  and  as  the  morn- 
ing of  the  last  opened,  it  was  with  a  sorrowing  spirit  that  I  felt  my 
hour  of  departure  approach,  without  one  only  opportunity  of  seeing 
Lucy,  even  to  say  good-bye. 

While  Mike  was  packing  in  one  corner,  and  I  in  another  was  con- 
cluding a  long  letter  to  my  poor  uncle,  my  door  opened  and  Webber 
entered. 

"  Eh,  O'Malley,  I'm  only  in  time  to  say  adieu  !  it  seems.  To  my 
surprise  this  morning  I  found  you  had  cut  the 'Silent  Sister.'  I 
feared  I  should  be  too  late  to  catch  one  glimpse  of  you  ere  you  started 
for  the  wars." 

"  You  are  quite  right,  Master  Frank,  and  I  scarcely  expected  to 
have  seen  you.  Your  last  brilliant  achievement  at  Sir  George's  very 
nearly  involved  me  in  a  serious  scrape." 

"  A  mere  trifle.  How  confoundedly  silly  Power  must  have  looked, 
eh  ?  Should  have  liked  so  much  to  have  seen  his  face.  He  booked 
up  next  day — very  proper  fellow.  By  the  bye,  O'Malley,  I  rather  like 
the  little  girl ;  she  is  decidedly  pretty ;  and  her  foot — did  you  remark 
her  foot? — capital." 

"  Yes,  she's  very  good-looking,"  said  I,  carelessly. 


THE  PJIGIXIX  PABK.  151 

"  I'm  thinking  of  cultivating  her  a  little,"  said  Webber,  pulling 
up  his  cravat  and  adjusting  hi*  hair  at  the  glass.  "  She's  spoiled  by- 
all  the  tinsel  vaporing  of  her  hussar  and  aide-de-camp  acquaintances ; 
but  something  may  be  done  for  her,  eh?" 

"  With  your  most  able  assistance  and  kind  intentions." 

"  That's  what  I  mean  exactly.  Sorry  you're  going — devilish  sorry. 
You  served  out  Stone  gloriously  :  perhaps  it's  as  well,  though ;  you 
know  they'd  have  expelled  you.  But  still  something  might  turn  up ; 
soldiering  is  a  bad  style  of  thing,  eh  ?  How  the  old  General  did 
take  his  sister-in-law's  presence  to  heart.  But  he  must  forgive  and 
forget,  for  I'm  going  to  be  very  great  friends  with  him  and  Lucy. 
Where  are  you  going  now  ?" 

"  I'm  about  to  try  a  new  horse  before  troops,"  said  I.  "  He's 
staunch  enough  with  the  cry  of  the  fox-pack  in  his  ears,  but  I  don't 
know  how  he'll  stand  a  peal  of  artillery." 

"Well,  come  along,"  said  Webber  ;  "  I'll  ride  with  you."  So  say- 
ing, we  mounted  and  set  off  to  the  Park,  where  two  regiments  of 
cavalry  and  some  horse  artillery  were  ordered  for  inspection. 

The  review  was  over  when  we  reached  the  exercising  ground,  and 
we  slowly  walked  our  horses  towards  the  end  of  the  Park,  intending 
to  return  to  Dublin  by  the  road.  We  had  not  proceeded  far,  when, 
some  hundred  yards  in  advance,  we  perceived  an  officer  riding  with 
a  lady,  followed  by  an  orderly  dragoon. 

"  There  he  goes,"  said  Webber;  "  I  wonder  if  he'd  ask  me  to  dinner 
if  I  were  to  throw  myself  in  his  way  ?" 

"  Whom  do  you  mean  ?"  said  I. 

"  Sir  George  Dashwood,  to  be  sure,  and,  la  voild,  Miss  Lucy.  The 
little  darling  rides  well,  too.  How  squarely  she  sits  her  horse. 
O'Malley,  I've  a  weakness  there ;  upon  my  soul  I  have." 

"  Very  possible,"  said  I ;  "  I  am  aware  of  another  friend  of  mine 
participating  in  the  sentiment." 

"One  Charles  O'Malley,  of  his  Majesty's " 

"  Nonsense,  man — no,  no.  I  mean  a  very  different  person,  and, 
for  all  I  can  see,  with  some  reason  to  hope  for  success." 

"  Oh,  as  to  that,  we  natter  ourselves  the  thing  does  not  present 
any  very  considerable  difficulties." 

"  As  how,  pray  ?" 

"  Why,  of  course,  like  all  such  matters,  a  very  decisive  determina- 
tion to  be,  to  do,  and  to  suffer,  as  Lindley  Murray  says,  carries  the 
day.  Tell  her  she's  an  angel  every  day  for  three  weeks.  She  may 
laugh  a  little  at  first,  but  she'll  believe  it  in  the  end.  Tell  her  that 
you  have  not  the  slightest  prospect  of  obtaining  her  affection,  but 
still  persist  in  loving  her.  That,  finally,  you  must  die  from  the 
effects  of  despair,  &c,  but  rather  like  the  notion  of  it  than  other- 


152  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

wise.  That  you  know  she  has  no  fortune ;  that  you  haven't  a  six- 
pence ;  and  who  should  marry,  if  people  whose  position  in  the  world 
was  similar  did  not  ?" 

"  But  halt ;  pray,  how  are  you  to  get  time  and  place  for  all  such 
interesting  conversations  ?" 

"  Time  and  place !  Good  heavens,  what  a  question  !  Is  not  every 
hour  of  the  twenty-four  the  fittest?  Is  not  every  place  the  most 
suitable  ?  A  sudden  pause  in  the  organ  of  St.  Patrick's  did,  it  is 
true,  catch  me  once  in  a  declaration  of  love,  but  the  choir  came  in  to 
my  aid,  and  drowned  the  lady's  answer.  My  dear  O'Malley,  what 
could  prevent  you  this  instant,  if  you  are  so  disposed,  from  doing  the 
amiable  to  the  darling  Lucy,  there  ?" 

"  With  the  father  for  an  umpire,  in  case  we  disagreed,"  said  I. 

"  Not  at  all.     I  should  soon  get  rid  of  him." 

"  Impossible,  my  dear  friend." 

"  Come,  now,  just  for  the  sake  of  convincing  your  obstinacy.  If 
you  like  to  say  good-bye  to  the  little  girl  without  a  witness,  I'll  take 
off  the  he-dragon." 

"  You  don't  mean " 

"  I  do,  man — I  do  mean  it."  So  saying,  he  drew  a  crimson  silk 
handkerchief  from  his  pocket,  and  fastened  it  round  his  waist  like 
an  officer's  sash.  This  done,  and  telling  me  to  keep  in  their  wake 
for  some  minutes,  he  turned  from  me,  and  was  soon  concealed  by  a 
copse  of  whitethorn  near  us. 

I  hadn't  gone  above  a  hundred  yards  farther  when  I  heard  Sir 
George's  voice  calling  for  the  orderly.  I  looked,  and  saw  Webber  at 
a  considerable  distance  in  front,  curveting  and  playing  all  species  of 
antics.  The  distance  between  the  General  and  myself  was  now  so 
short,  that  I  overheard  the  following  dialogue  with  his  orderly : 

"  He's  not  in  uniform,  then  ?" 

"  No,  sir  ;  he  has  a  round  hat." 

"A  round  hat!" 

«  His  sash " 

"  A  sword  and  sash.  This  is  too  bad.  I'm  determined  to  find 
him  out." 

"  How  d'ye  do,  General  ?"  cried  Webber,  as  he  rode  towards  the 
trees. 

"  Stop,  sir !"  shouted  Sir  George. 

"  Good  day,  Sir  George,"  replied  Webber,  retiring. 

"  Stay  where  you  are,  Lucy,"  said  the  General,  as  dashing  spurs 
into  his  horse,  he  sprang  forward  at  a  gallop,  incensed  beyond  en- 
durance that  his  most  strict  orders  should  be  so  openly  and  insult- 
ingly transgressed. 

Webber  led  on  to  a  deep  hollow,  where  the  road  passed  between 


THE  PHCENIX  PAIiK.  153 

two  smooth  slopes,  covered  with  furze  trees,  and  from  which  it 
emerged  afterwards  in  the  thickest  and  most  intricate  part  of  the 
Park.  Sir  George  dashed  boldly  after,  and  in  less  than  half  a  min- 
ute both  were  lost  to  my  view,  leaving  me  in  breathless  amazement 
at  Master  Frank's  ingenuity,  and  some  puzzle  as  to  my  own  future 
movements. 

"  Now,  then,  or  never,"  said  I,  as  I  pushed  boldly  forward,  and  in 
an  instant  was  alongside  of  Miss  Dashwood. 

Her  astonishment  at  seeing  me  so  suddenly,  increased  the  confu- 
sion from  which  I  felt  myself  suffering,  and  for  some  minutes  I 
could  scarcely  speak.  At  last  I  plucked  up  courage  a  little,  and 
said, — 

"  Miss  Dashwood,  I  have  looked  most  anxiously,  for  the  last  four 
days,  for  the  moment  which  chance  has  now  given  me.  I  wished, 
before  I  parted  forever  with  those  to  whom  I  owe  already  so  much, 
that  I  should  at  least  speak  my  gratitude  ere  I  said  good-bye." 

"  But  when  do  you  think  of  going  ?" 

"  To-morrow.  Captain  Power,  under  whose  command  I  am,  has 
received  orders  to  embark  immediately  for  Portugal." 

I  thought — perKaps  it  was  but  a  thought — that  her  cheek  grew 
somewhat  paler  as  I  spoke ;  but  she  remained  silent ;  and  I,  scarcely 
knowing  what  I  had  said,  or  whether  I  had  finished,  spoke  not 
either. 

"  Papa,  I'm  sure,  is  not  aware,"  said  she,  after  a  long  pause,  "  of 
your  intention  of  leaving  so  soon ;  for  only  last  night  he  spoke  of 
some  letters  he  meant  to  give  you  to  some  friends  in  the  Peninsula ; 
besides,  I  know" — here  she  smiled  faintly — "  that  he  destined  some 
excellent  advice  for  your  ears,  as  to  your  new  path  in  life,  for  he 
has  an  immense  opinion  of  the  value  of  such  to  a  young  officer." 

"  I  am  indeed  most  grateful  to  Sir  George,  and  truly  never  did  any 
one  stand  more  in  need  of  counsel  than  I  do."  This  was  said  half 
musingly,  and  not  intended  to  be  heard. 

"  Then,  pray,  consult  papa,"  said  she,  eagerly ;  "  he  is  much 
attached  to  you,  and  will,  I  am  certain,  do  all  in  his  power " 

"  Alas  !  I  fear  not,  Miss  Dashwood." 

"  Why,  what  can  you  mean  ?   Has  anything  so  serious  occurred?" 

"  No,  no  ;  I'm  but  misleading  you,  and  exciting  your  sympathy 
with  false  pretences.  Should  I  tell  you  all  the  truth,  you  would  not 
pardon,  perhaps  not  hear  me." 

"  You  have,  indeed,  puzzled  me  ;  but  if  there  is  anything  in  which 
my  father " 

"  Less  him  than  his  daughter,"  said  I,  fixing  my  eyes  full  upon 
her  as  I  spoke.  "  Yes,  Lucy,  I  feel  I  must  confess  it,  cost  what  it 
may, — I  love  you.    Stay,  hear  me  out.     I  know  the  fruitlessness, 


154  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

the  utter  despair,  that  awaits  such  a  sentiment.  My  own  heart  tells 
me  that  I  am  not,  cannot  be,  loved  in  return ;  yet  would  I  rather 
cherish  in  its  core  my  affection  slighted  and  unblessed,  such  as  it  is, 
than  own  another  heart.  I  ask  for  nothing,  I  hope  for  nothing ;  I 
merely  entreat  that,  for  my  truth,  I  may  meet  belief,  and  for  my 
heart's  worship  of  her  whom  alone  I  can  love,  compassion.  I  see 
that  you  at  least  pity  me.  Nay,  one  word  more.  I  have  one  favor 
more  to  ask ;  it  is  my  last,  my  only  one.  Do  not,  when  time  and 
distance  may  have  separated  us— perhaps  forever— think  that  the  ex- 
pressions I  now  use  are  prompted  by  a  mere  sudden  ebullition  of  boy- 
ish feeling— do  not  attribute  to  the  circumstance  of  my  youth  alone 
the  warmth  of  the  attachment  I  profess  ;  for  I  swear  to  you,  by  every 
hope  I  have,  that,  in  my  heart  of  hearts,  my  love  to  you  is  the  source 
and  spring  of  every  action  in  my  life,  of  every  aspiration  in  my  heart ; 
and  when  I  cease  to  love  you,  I  shall  cease  to  feel. 

"And  now,  farewell — farewell  forever !"  I  pressed  her  hand  tc  my 
lips,  gave  one  long,  last  look,  turned  my  horse  rapidly  away,  and  ere 
a  minute  was  far  out  of  sight  of  where  I  had  left  her. 


CHAPTER     XXII. 

THE   ROAD. 

POWER  was  detained  in  town  by  some  orders  from  the  Adju- 
tant-General, so  that  I  started  for  Cork  the  next  morning, 
with  no  other  companion  than  my  servant  Mike.  For 
the  first  few  stages  upon  the  road,  my  own  thoughts  sufficiently 
occupied  me  to  render  me  insensible  or  indifferent  to  all  else. 
My  opening  career — the  prospects  my  new  life  as  a  soldier  held  out 
— my  hopes  of  distinction — my  love  of  Lucy,  with  all  its  train  of 
doubts  and  fears — passed  in  review  before  me,  and  I  took  no  note 
of  time  till  far  past  noon.  I  now  looked  to  the  back  part  of  the 
coach,  where  Mike's  voice  had  been,  as  usual,  in  the  ascendant  for 
some  time,  and  perceived  that  he  was  surrounded  by  an  eager  audi- 
tory of  four  raw  recruits,  who,  under  the  care  of  a  sergeant,  were 
proceeding  to  Cork  to  be  enrolled  in  their  regiment.  The  sergeant, 
whose  minutes  of  wakefulness  were  only  those  when  the  coach 
stopped  to  change  horses  and  when  he  got  down  to  mix  a  "summat 
hot,"  paid  little  attention  to  his  followers,  leaving  them  perfectly 
free  in  all  their  movements,  to  listen  to  Mike's  eloquence,  and  profit 
by  his  suggestions,  should  they  deem  fit.  Master  Michael's  services 
to  his  new  acquaintances.,  I  began  to  perceive,  were  not  exactly  of 


THE  ROAD.  155 

the  same  nature  as  Dibdin  is  reported  to  have  rendered  to  our  navy 
in  the  late  war.  Far  from  it ;  his  theme  was  no  contemptuous  dis- 
dain for  danger — no  patriotic  enthusiasm  to  fight  for  home  and 
country — no  proud  consciousness  of  British  valor,  mingled  with  the 
appropriate  hatred  of  our  mutual  enemies ;  on  the  contrary,  Mike's 
eloquence  was  enlisted  for  the  defendant.  He  detailed,  and  in  no 
unimpressive  way  "either,  the  hardships  of  a  soldier's  life, — its  dan- 
gers, its  vicissitudes,  its  chances,  its  possible  penalties,  its  inevitably 
small  rewards  ;  and,  in  fact,  so  completely  did  he  work  on  the  feel- 
ings of  his  hearers,  that  I  perceived  more  than  one  glance  exchanged 
between  the  victims,  that  certainly  betokened  anything  save  the 
resolve  to  fight  for  King  George.  It  was  at  the  close  of  a  long  and 
most  powerful  appeal  upon  the  superiority  of  any  other  line  of  life, 
petty  larceny  and  small  felony  inclusive,  that  he  concluded  with  the 
following  quotation : 
"  Thrue  for  ye,  boys ! 

*  With  your  red  scarlet  coat, 
You're  as  proud  as  a  goat, 

And  your  long  cap  and  feather.' 

But,  by  the  piper  that  played  before  Moses  !  it's  more  whipping  nor 
gingerbread  is  going  on  amongst  them,  av  ye  knew  but  all,  and 
heerd  the  misfortune  that  happened  to  my  father." 

"And  was  he  a  sodger  ?"  inquired  one. 

"  Troth  was  he — more  sorrow  to  him ;  and  wasn't  he  a'most 
whipped  one  day,  for  doing  what  he  was  bid  ?" 

"  Musha,  but  that  was  hard." 

"  To  be  sure  it  was  hard ;  but,  faix,  when  my  father  seen  that 
they  didn't  know  their  own  minds,  he  thought,  anyhow,  he  knew 
his,  so  he  ran  away,  and  devil  a  bit  of  him  they  ever  cotch  afther. 
Maybe  ye  might  like  to  hear  the  story,  and  there's  instruction  in  it 
for  yez  too." 

A  general  request  to  this  end  being  preferred  by  the  company, 
Mike  took  a  shrewd  look  at  the  sergeant,  to  be  sure  that  he  was 
still  sleeping,  settled  his  coat  comfortably  across  his  knees,  and 
began : 

"  Well,  it's  a  good  many  years  ago  my  father  'listed  in  the  North 
Cork,  just  to  oblige  Mr.  Barry,  the  landlord  there ;  >  for,'  says  he, 
1  Phil,'  says  he,  '  it's  not  a  soldier  ye'll  be  at  all,  but  my  own  man,  to 
brush  my  clothes  and  go  errands,  and  the  like  o'  that;  and  the  King, 
— long  life  to  him  ! — will  help  to  pay  ye  for  your  trouble.  Ye  under- 
stand me  ?'  Well,  my  father  agreed,  and  Mr.  Barry  was  as  good  as 
his  word.  Never  a  guard  did  my  father  mount,  nor  as  much  as  a 
drill  had  he,  nor  a  roll-call,  nor  anything  at  all,  save  and  except 


156"  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

wait  on  the  Captain,  his  master,  just  as  pleasant  as  need  be,  and  no 
inconvenience  in  life. 

"  Well,  for  three  years  this  went  on  as  I  am  telling,  and  the  regi- 
ment was  ordered  down  to  Bantry,  because  of  a  report  that  the 
'  boys'  was  rising  down  there  ;  and  the  second  evening  there  was  a 
night  party  patrolling  with  Captain  Barry  for  six  hours  in  the  rain, 
and  the  Captain — God  be  marciful  to  him ! — tuk  cowld  and  died  ; 
more  by  token,  they  said  it  was  drink,  but  my  father  says  it  wasn't ; 
'  for,'  says  he,  '  after  he  tuk  eight  tumblers  comfortable,'  my  father 
mixed  the  ninth,  and  the  Captain  waved  his  hand  this  way,  as  much 
as  to  say  he'd  have  no  more.  '  Is  it  that  ye  mean  ?'  says  my  father. 
And  the  Captain  nodded.  '  Musha,  but  it's  sorry  I  am/  says  my 
father,  *  to  see  you  this  way,  for  ye  must  be  bad  entirely  to  leave  off 
in  the  beginning  of  the  evening.'  And  thrue  for  him,  the  Captain 
was  dead  in  the  morning. 

"A  sorrowful  day  it  was  for  my  father  when  he  died.  It  was  the 
finest  place  in  the  world  ;  little  to  do  ;  plenty  of  divarsion ;  and  a 
kind  man  he  was — when  he  was  drunk.  Well,  then,  when  the  Cap- 
tain was  buried  and  all  was  over,  my  father  hoped  they'd  be  for 
letting  him  away,  as  he  said,  '  Sure,  I'm  no  use  in  life  to  anybody, 
save  the  man  that's  gone,  for  his  ways  are  all  I  know,  and  I  never 
was  a  sodger.'  But,  upon  my  conscience,  they  had  other  thoughts 
in  their  heads ;  for  they  ordered  him  into  the  ranks  to  be  drilled 
just  like  the  recruits  they  took  the  day  before. 

"  '  Musha,  isn't  this  hard  ?'  said  my  father.  Here  I  am,  an  ould 
vitrin  that  ought  to  be  discharged  on  a  pension,  with  two-and-six- 
pence  a  day,  obliged  to  go  capering  about  the  barrack-yard,  prac- 
tising the  goose-step,  or  some  other  nonsense  not  becoming  my  age 
nor  my  habits.'  But  so  it  was.  Well,  this  went  on  for  some  time, 
and,  sure,  if  they  were  hard  on  my  father,  hadn't  he  his  revenge, 
for  he  nigh  broke  their  hearts  with  his  stupidity.  Oh !  nothing  in 
life  could  equal  him ;  devil  a  thing,  no  matter  how  easy,  he  could 
learn  at  all,  and  so  far  from  caring  for  being  in  confinement,  it  was 
that  he  liked  best.  Every  sergeant  in  the  regiment  had  a  trial  of 
him,  but  all  to  no  good ;  and  he  seemed  striving  so  hard  to  learn 
all  the  while  that  they  were  loath  to  punish  him,  the  ould  rogue ! 

"  This  was  going  on  for  some  time,  when  one  day  news  came  in 
that  a  body  of  the  rebels,  as  they  called  them,  was  coming  down 
from  the  Gap  of  Mulnavick  to  storm  the  town  and  burn  all  before 
them.  The  whole  regiment  was  of  course  under  arms,  and  great 
preparations  were  made  for  a  battle.  Meanwhile,  patrols  were  or- 
dered to  scour  the  roads,  and  sentries  posted  at  every  turn  of  the 
way  and  every  rising  ground  to  give  warning  when  the  boys  came 
in  sight ;  and  my  father  was  placed  at  the  Bridge  of  Drumsnag,  in 


THE  ROAD.  157 

the  wildest  and  bleakest  part  of  the  whole  country,  with  nothing  hut 
furze  mountains  on  every  side,  and  a  straight  road  going  over  the 
top  of  them. 

"  '  This  is  pleasant/  says  my  father,  as  soon  as  they  left  him  there 
alone  by  himself,  with  no  human  creature  to  speak  to,  nor  a  whisky- 
shop  within  ten  miles  of  him  ;  '  cowld  comfort,'  says  he,  '  on  a  win- 
ter's day,  and  faix,  but  I  have  a  mind  to  give  ye  the  slip.' 

"  Well,  he  put  his  gun  down  on  the  bridge,  and  he  lit  his  pipe, 
and  he  sat  down  under  an  ould  tree  and  began  to  ruminate  upon 
his  affairs. 

"  '  Oh,  then,  it's  wishing  it  well  I  am/  says  he,  '  for  sodgering  ; 
and  bad  luck  to  the  hammer  that  struck  the  shilling  that  'listed  me, 
that's  all/  for  he  was  mighty  low  in  his  heart. 

"  Just  then  a  noise  came  rattling  down  near  him.  He  listened, 
and,  before  he  could  get  on  his  legs,  down  comes  the  General,  ould 
Cohoon,  with  an  orderly  after  him. 

"  '  Who  goes  that?'  says  my  father. 

"  '  The  round/  says  the  General,  looking  about  all  the  time  to 
see  where  was  the  sentry,  for  my  father  was  snug  under  the  tree. 

"  '  What  round  ?'  says  my  father. 

" '  The  grand  round/  says  the  General,  more  puzzled  than  afore. 

"  '  Pass  on,  grand  round,  and  God  save  you  kindly  1'  says  my 
father,  putting  his  pipe  in  his  mouth  again,  for  he  thought  all  was 
over. 

"  D — n  your  soul,  where  are  you  ?'  says  the  General,  for  sorra 
bit  of  my  father  could  he  see  yet. 

" '  It's  here  I  am/  says  he,  '  and  a  cowld  place  I  have  of  it ;  and  if 
it  wasn't  for  the  pipe  I'd  be  lost  entirely.' 

"  The  words  wasn't  well  out  of  his  mouth  when  the  General  began 
laughing  till  ye'd  think  he'd  fall  off  his  horse ;  and  the  dragoon  be- 
hind him — more  by  token,  they  say  it  wasn't  right  for  him — laughed 
as  loud  as  himself. 

" '  Yer  a  droll  sentry/  says  the  General,  as  soon  as  he  could 
speak. 

"'Be-gorra,  it's  little  fun  there's  left  in  me/  says  my  father, 
'  with  this  drilling,  and  parading,  and  blackguarding  about  the 
roads  all  night.' 

"  'And  is  this  the  way  you  salute  your  officer  ?'  says  the  General. 

" '  Just  so/  says  my  father ;  '  devil  a  more  politeness  ever  they 
taught  me.' 

"  '  What  regiment  do  you  belong  to  ?'  says  the  General. 

" '  The  North  Cork,  bad  luck  to  them !'  says  my  father,  with  a 
sigh. 

" '  They  ought  to  be  proud  of  ye/  says  the  General. 


158  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  '  I'm  sorry  for  it/  says  my  father,  sorrowfully,  l  for  maybe  they'll 
keep  me  the  longer/ 

"  '  Well,  my  good  fellow/  says  the  General,  '  I  haven't  more  time 
to  waste  here ;  but  let  me  teach  you  something  before  I  go.  When- 
ever your  officer  passes,  it's  your  duty  to  present  to  him.' 

"  'Arrah,  it's  jokin'  ye  are/  says  my  father. 

"  ■  No,  I'm  in  earnest,'  says  he,  •  as  ye  might  learn,  to  your  cost, 
if  I  brought  you  to  a  court-martial.' 

"  '  Well,  there's  no  knowing/  says  my  father,  *  what  they'd  be  up 
to ;  but  sure,  if  that's  all,  I'll  do  it,  with  all  "  the  veins,"  whenever 
yer  coming  this  way  again.' 

"  The  General  began  to  laugh  again  here ;  but  said, — 

" '  I'm  coming  back  in  the  evening/  says  he,  ■  and  mind  you  don't 
forget  your  respects  to  your  officer.' 

"  '  Never  fear,  sir/  says  my  father :  '  and  many  thanks  to  you  for 
your  kindness  for  telling  me.' 

"Away  went  the  General,  and  the  orderly  after  him,  and  in  ten 
minutes  they  were  out  of  sight. 

"  The  night  was  falling  fast,  and  one  half  of  the  mountain  was 
quite  dark  already,  when  my  father  began  to  think  they  were  for- 
getting him  entirely.  He  looked  one  way,  and  he  looked  another, 
but  sorra  bit  of  a  sergeant's  guard  was  coming  to  relieve  him.  There 
he  was,  fresh  and  fasting,  and  daren't  go  for  the  bare  life.  '  I'll  give 
you  a  quarter  of  an  hour  more/  says  my  father,  '  till  the  light  leaves 
that  rock  up  there ;  after  that/  says  he,  ■  by  the  mass !  I'll  be  off,  av  it 
cost  me  what  it  may.' 

"  Well,  sure  enough,  his  courage  was  not  needed  this  time ;  for 
what  did  he  see  at  the  same  moment,  but  a  shadow  of  something 
coming  down  the  road  opposite  the  bridge.  He  looked  again ;  and 
then  he  made  out  the  General  himself,  that  was  walking  his  horse 
down  the  steep  part  of  the  mountain,  followed  by  the  orderly.  My 
father  immediately  took  up  his  musket  off  the  wall,  settled  his  belts, 
shook  the  ashes  out  of  his  pipe,  and  put  it  into  his  pocket,  making 
himself  as  smart  and  neat-looking  as  he  could  be,  determining,  when 
ould  Cohoon  came  up,  to  ask  him  for  leave  to  go  home,  at  least  for 
the  night.  Well,  by  this  time  the  General  was  turning  a  sharp  part 
of  the  cliff  that  looks  down  upon  the  bridge,  from  where  you  might 
look  five  miles  round  on  every  side.  'He  sees  me/  says  my  father; 
'but  I'll  be  just  as  quick  as  himself.'  No  sooner  said  than  done ; 
for,  coming  forward  to  the  parapet  of  the  bridge,  he  up  with  his 
musket  to  his  shoulder,  and  presented  it  straight  at  the  General.  It 
wasn't  well  there,  when  the  officer  pulled  up  his  horse  quite  short, 
and  shouted  out,  '  Sentry  !  sentry  !' 

" '  Anan?'  said  my  father,  still  covering  him. 


THE  ROAD.  159 

" ' Down  with  your  musket,  you  rascal.  Don't  you  see  it's  the 
grand  round  ?' 

" '  To  be  sure  I  do,'  says  my  father,  never  changing  for  a  minute. 

"  '  The  ruffian  will  shoot  me,'  says  the  General. 

"  '  Devil  a  fear,'  says  my  father,  '  av  it  doesn't  go  off  of  itself.' 

" '  What  do  you  mean  by  that,  you  villain  ?'  says  the  General, 
scarcely  able  to  speak  with  fright,  for,  every  turn  he  gave  on  his 
horse,  my  father  followed  with  the  gun — '  what  do  you  mean  ?' 

" ' Sure,  ain't  I  presenting?'  says  my  father,  f- Blood  an'  ages !  do 
you  want  me  to  fire  next?' 

"  With  that  the  General  drew  a  pistol  from  his  holster,  and  took 
deliberate  aim  at  my  father ;  and  there  they  both  stood  for  five  min- 
utes, looking  at  each  other,  the  orderly  all  the  while  breaking  his 
heart  laughing  behind  a  rock ;  for,  ye  see,  the  General  knew  av  he 
retreated  that  my  father  might  fire  on  purpose,  and,  av  he  came  on, 
that  he  might  fire  by  chance;  and  sorra  bit  he  knew  what  was  best 
to  be  done. 

"  '  Are  ye  going  to  pass  the  evening  up  there,  grand  round?'  says 
my  father ;  \  for  it's  tired  I'm  getting  houldin'  this  so  long.' 

"  '  Port  arms !'  shouted  the  General,  as  if  on  parade. 

" '  Sure  I  can't,  till  yer  past,'  says  my  father,  angrily,  '  and  my 
hand's  trembling  already.' 

" '  By  heavens !  I  shall  be  shot,'  says  the  General. 

" '  Be-gorra,  it's  what  I'm  afraid  of,'  says  my  father ;  and  the 
words  wasn't  out  of  his  mouth  before  off  went  the  musket — bang — 
and  down  fell  the  General,  smack  on  the  ground,  senseless.  Well, 
the  orderly  ran  out  at  this,  and  took  him  up  and  examined  his 
wound ;  but  it  wasn't  a  wound  at  all,  only  the  wadding  of  the  gun ; 
for  my  father — God  be  kind  to  him  ! — ye  see,  could  do  nothing 
right;  and  so  he  bit  off  the  wrong  end  of  the  cartridge  when  he  put 
it  in  the  gun,  and,  by  reason,  there  was  no  bullet  in  it.  Well,  from 
that  day  after  they  never  got  a  sight  of  him ;  for  the  instant  that 
the  General  dropped,  he  sprang  over  the  bridge-wall  and  got  away  ; 
and  what  between  living  in  a  lime-kiln  for  two  months,  eating 
nothing  but  blackberries  and  sloes,  and  other  disguises,  he  never 
returned  to  the  army,  but  ever  after  took  to  a  civil  situation,  and 
driv  a  hearse  for  many  years." 

How  far  Mike's  narrative  might  have  contributed  to  the  support 
of  his  theory,  I  am  unable  to  pronounce  ;  for  his  auditory  were,  at 
some  distance  from  Cork,  made  to  descend  from  their  lofty  position, 
and  join  a  larger  body  of  recruits,  all  proceeding  to  the  same  desti- 
nation, under  a  strong  escort  of  infantry.  For  ourselves,  we  reached 
the  "  beautiful  city"  in  due  time,  and  took  up  our  quarters  at  the 
Old  George  Hotel. 


1G0  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

CORK. 

THE  undress  rehearsal  of  a  new  piece,  with  its  dirty-booted 
actors,  its  cloaked  and  hooded  actresses  en  papillote,  bears 
about  the  same  relation  to  the  gala,  wax-lit,  and  bespangled 
ballet  as  the  raw  young  gentleman  of  yesterday  to  the  epauletted, 
belted,  and  sabretasched  dragoon,  whose  transformation  is  due  to  a 
few  hours  of  headquarters,  and  a  few  interviews  with  the  adjutant. 

So,  at  least,  I  felt  it ;  and  it  was  with  a  very  perfect  concurrence 
in  his  Majesty's  taste  in  a  uniform,  and  a  most  entire  approval  of 
the  regimental  tailor,  that  I  strutted  down  George's  street  a  few  days 
after  my  arrival  in  Cork.  The  transports  had  not  as  yet  come  round ; 
there  was  a  great  doubt  of  their  doing  so  for  a  week  or  so  longer ; 
and  I  found  myself,  as  the  dashing  Cornet,  the  centre  of  a  thousand 
polite  attentions  and  most  kind  civilities. 

The  officer  under  whose  orders  I  was  placed  for  the  time  was  a 
great  friend  of  Sir  George  Dashwood's,  and  paid  me,  in  consequence, 
much  attention.  Major  Dalrymple  had  been  on  the  staff  from  the 
commencement  of  his  military  career — had  served  in  the  Commis- 
sariat for  some  time — was  much  on  foreign  stations,  but  never,  by 
any  of  the  many  casualties  of  his  life,  had  seen  what  could  be  called 
service.  His  idea  of  the  soldier's  profession  was,  therefore,  what 
might  almost  be  as  readily  picked  up  by  a  commission  in  the  battle-axe 
guards,  as  one  in  his  Majesty's  50th.  He  was  now  a  species  of  distinct 
paymaster  employed  in  a  thousand  ways,  either  inspecting  recruits, 
examining  accounts,  revising  sick  certificates,  or  receiving  contracts 
for  mess  beef.  Whether  the  nature  of  his  manifold  occupations  had 
enlarged  the  sphere  of  his  talents  and  ambition,  or  whether  the 
abilities  had  suggested  the  variety  of  his  duties,  I  know  not ;  but 
truly  the  Major  was  a  man  of  all  work.  No  sooner  did  a  young  en- 
sign join  his  regiment  at  Cork,  than  Major  Dalrymple's  card  was 
left  at  his  quarters ;  the  next  day  came  the  Major  himself;  the  third 
brought  an  invitation  to  dinner;  on  the  fourth  he  was  told  to  drop 
in,  in  the  evening ;  and  from  thenceforward  he  was  the  ami  de  la 
maison,  in  company  with  numerous  others  as  newly-fledged  and  in- 
experienced as  himself. 

One  singular  feature  of  the  society  at  the  house  was,  that  although 
the  Major  was  as  well  known  as  the  flag  on  Spike  Island,  yet,  some- 
how, no  officer  above  the  rank  of  an  ensign  was  ever  to  be  met  there. 
It  was  not  that  he  had  not  a  large  acquaintance  ;  in  fact,  the  "How 
are  you,  Major?" — "  How  goes  it,  Dalrymple?"  that  kept  everlast- 
ingly going  on  as  he  walked  the  streets,  proved  the  reverse ;  but, 


CORK.  161 

Strange  enough,  his  predilections  leaned  towards  the  newly-gazetted, 
far  before  the  bronzed  and  seared  campaigners  who  had  seen  the 
world,  and  knew  more  about  it.  The  reasons  for  this  line  of  con- 
duct were  two-fold.  In  the  first  place,  there  was  not  an  article  of 
outfit,  from  a  stock  to  a  sword-belt,  that  he  could  not  and  did  not 
supply  to  the  young  officer ;  from  the  gorget  of  the  infantry,  to  the 
shako  of  the  grenadier,  all  came  within  his  province ;  not  that  he 
actually  kept  a  magasin  of  these  articles,  but  he  had  so  completely 
interwoven  his  interests  with  those  of  numerous  shopkeepers  in 
Cork,  that  he  rarely  entered  a  shop  over  whose  door  Dalrymple  and 
Co.  might  not  have  figured  on  the  signboard.  His  stables  were 
filled  with  a  perfect  infirmary  of  superannuated  chargers,  fattened 
and  conditioned  up  to  a  miracle,  and  groomed  to  perfection.  He 
could  get  you — only  you — about  three  dozen  of  sherry,  to  take  out 
with  you  as  sea-store  ;  he  knew  of  such  a  servant ;  he  chanced  upon 
such  a  camp-furniture  yesterday  in  his  walks ;  in  fact,  why  want 
for  anything  ?  His  resources  were  inexhaustible — his  kindness  un- 
bounded. 

Then  money  was  no  object — hang  it,  you  could  pay  when  you 
liked — what  signified  it?  In  other  words,  a  bill  at  thirty-one  days, 
cashed  and  discounted  by  a  friend  of  the  Major's,  would  always  do. 
While  such  were  the  unlimited  advantages  his  acquaintance  con- 
ferred, the  sphere  of  his  benefits  took  another  range.  The  Major 
had  two  daughters.  Matilda  and  Fanny  were  as  well  known  in  the 
army  as  Lord  Fitzroy  Somerset  or  Picton,  from  the  Isle  of  Wight  to 
Halifax,  from  Cape  Coast  to  Chatham,  from  Belfast  to  the  Bermudas. 
Where  was  the  subaltern  who  had  not  knelt  at  the  shrine  of  one  or  the 
other,  if  not  of  both,  and  vowed  eternal  love  until  a  change  of  quar- 
ters ?  In  plain  words,  the  Major's  solicitude  for  the  service  was  such 
that,  not  content  with  providing  the  young  officer  with  all  the  neces- 
sary outfit  of  his  profession,  he  longed  also  to  supply  him  with  a 
comforter  for  his  woes,  a  charmer  for  his  solitary  hours,  in  the  per- 
son of  one  of  his  amiable  daughters.  Unluckily,  however,  the  ne- 
cessity for  a  wife  is  not  enforced  by  "  general  orders,"  as  is  the  cut 
of  your  coat,  or  the  length  of  your  sabre ;  consequently,  the  Major's 
success  in  the  home  department  of  his  diplomacy  was  not  destined 
for  the  same  happy  results  that  awaited  it  when  engaged  about  drill 
trousers  and  camp  kettles,  and  the  Misses  Dalrymple  remained 
Misses  through  every  clime  and  every  campaign.  And  yet,  why 
was  it  so  ?  It  is  hard  to  say.  What  would  men  have  ?  Matilda  was 
a  dark-haired,  dark-eyed,  romantic-looking  girl,  with  a  tall  figure 
and  a  slender  waist,  with  more  poetry  in  her  head  than  would  have 
turned  any  ordinary  brain  ;  always  unhappy ;  in  need  of  consolation ; 
never  meeting  with  the  kindred  spirit  that  understood  her ;  destined 
11 


1#2  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

to  walk  the  world  alone,  her  fair  thoughts  smothered  in  the  recesses 
of  her  own  heart.  Devilish  hard  to  stand  this,  when  you  began  in 
a  kind  of  platonic  friendship  on  both  sides.  More  than  one  poor 
fellow  nearly  .succumbed,  particularly  when  she  came  to  quote  Cow- 
ley, and  told  him  with  tears  in  her  eyes, — 

"There  are  hearts  that  live  and  love  alone,"  &c. 

I'm  assured  that  this  coup  de  grace  rarely  failed  in  being  followed 
by  a  downright  avowal  of  open  love,  which,  somehow,  what  between 
the  route  coming,  what  with  waiting  for  leave  from  home,  &c,  never 
got  further  than  a  most  tender  scene,  and  exchange  of  love  tokens  ; 
in  fact,  such  became  so  often  the  termination,  that  Powers  swears 
Matty  had  to  make  a  firm  resolve  about  cutting  off  any  more  hair, 
fearing  a  premature  baldness  during  the  recruiting  season. 

Now,  Fanny  had  selected  another  arm  of  the  service.  Her  hair 
was  fair;  her  eyes  blue, — laughing,  languishing,  mischief-loving 
blue — with  long  lashes,  and  a  look  in  them  that  was  wont  to  leave 
its  impression  rather  longer  than  you  exactly  knew  of;  then,  her 
figure  was  petite,  but  perfect ;  her  feet  Canova  might  have  copied ; 
and  her  hand  was  a  study  for  Titian  ;  her  voice,  too,  was  soft  and 
musical,  but  full  of  that  gaie'te'  de  cosur  that  never  fails  to  charm. 
While  her  sister's  style  was  il  penseroso,  hers  was  V allegro  /  every 
imaginable  thing,  place,  or  person  supplied  food  for  her  mirth, 
and  her  sister's  lovers  all  came  in  for  their  share.  She  hunted  with 
Smith  Barry's  hounds ;  she  yachted  with  the  Cove  Club ;  she 
coursed,  practised  at  a  mark  with  a  pistol,  and  played  chicken 
hazard  with  all  the  cavalry ;  for,  let  it  be  remarked  as  a  physiologi- 
cal fact,  Matilda's  admirers  were  almost  invariably  taken  from  the 
infantry,  while  Fanny's  adorers  were  as  regularly  dragoons.  Whether 
the  former  be  the  romantic  arm  of  the  service,  and  the  latter  be 
more  adapted  to  dull  realities,  or  whether  the  phenomenon  had 
any  other  explanation,  I  leave  to  the  curious.  Now  this  arrange- 
ment, proceeding  upon  that  principle  which  has  wrought  such  won- 
ders in  Manchester  and  Sheffield — the  division  of  labor — was  a  most 
wise  and  equitable  one  ;  each  having  her  one  separate  and  distinct 
field  of  action,  interference  was  impossible ;  not  but  that  when,  as  in 
the  present  instance,  cavalry  was  in  the  ascendant,  Fanny  would 
willingly  spare  a  dragoon  or  two  to  her  sister,  who  likewise  would 
repay  the  debt  when  occasion  offered. 

The  mamma — for  it  is  time  I  should  say  something  of  the  head 
of  the  family — was  an  excessively  fat,  coarse-looking,  dark-skinned 
personage  of  some  fifty  years,  with  a  voice  like  a  boatswain  in  a 
quinsy.  Heaven  can  tell,  perhaps,  why  the  worthy  Major  allied  his 
fortunes  with  hers,  for  she  was  evidently  of  a  very  inferior  rank  in 


CORK.  163 

society  ;  could  never  have  been  aught  than  downright  ugly ;  and  I 
never  heard  that  she  brought  him  any  money.  "  Spoiled  five,"  the 
national  amusement  of  her  age  and  sex  in  Cork,  scandal,  the  changes 
in  the  army  list,  the  failures  in  speculation  of  her  luckless  husband, 
the  forlorn  fortunes  of  her  daughters,  kept  her  in  occupation ;  and  her 
days  were  passed  in  one  perpetual,  unceasing  current  of  dissatisfac- 
tion and  ill-temper  with  all  around,  that  formed  a  heavy  counter- 
poise to  the  fascinations  of  the  young  ladies.  The  repeated  jiltings 
to  which  they  had  been  subject  had  blunted  any  delicacy  upon  the 
score  of  their  marriage,  and  if  the  newly-introduced  cornet  or  ensign 
was  not  coming  forward,  as  became  him,  at  the  end  of  the  requisite 
number  of  days,  he  was  sure  of  receiving  a  very  palpable  admoni- 
tion from  Mrs.  Dalrymple.  Hints,  at  first  dimly  shadowed,  that 
Matilda  was  not  in  spirits  this  morning ;  that  Fanny,  poor  child, 
had  a  headache, — directed  especially  at  the  culprit  in  question, — 
grew  gradually  into  those  little  motherly  fondnesses  in  mamma, 
that,  like  the  fascinations  of  the  rattlesnake,  only  lure  on  to  ruin. 
The  doomed  man  was  pressed  to  dinner  when  all  others  were  per- 
mitted to  take  their  leave ;  he  was  treated  like  one  of  the  family — 
God  help  him !  After  dinner,  the  Major  would  keep  him  an  hour 
over  his  wine,  discussing  the  misery  of  an  ill-assorted  marriage ; 
detailing  his  own  happiness  in  marrying  a  woman  like  the  Tonga 
Islander  I  have  mentioned  ;  hinting  that  girls  should  be  brought  up 
not  only  to  become  companions  to  their  husbands,  but  with  ideas 
fitting  their  station ;  if  his  auditor  were  a  military  man,  that  none 
but  an  old  officer  (like  him)  could  know  how  to  educate  girls  (like 
his) ;  and  that,  feeling  he  possessed  two  such  treasures,  his  whole 
aim  in  life  was  to  guard  and  keep  them, — a  difficult  task,  when  pro- 
posals of  the  most  flattering  kind  were  coming  constantly  before 
him.  Then  followed  a  fresh  bottle,  during  which  the  Major  would 
consult  his  young  friend  upon  a  very  delicate  affair — no  less  than  a 
proposition  for  the  hand  of  Miss  Matilda,  or  Fanny,  whichever  he 
was  supposed  to  be  soft  upon.  This  was  generally  a  coup  de  maitre  ; 
should  he  still  resist,  he  was  handed  over  to  Mrs.  Dalrymple,  with 
a  strong  indictment  against  him,  and  rarely  did  he  escape  a  heavy 
sentence.  Now,  is  it  not  strange  that  two  really  pretty  girls,  with  fully 
enough  of  amiable  and  pleasing  qualities  to  have  excited  the  atten- 
tion and  won  the  affections  of  many  a  man,  should  have  gone  on  for 
years — for,  alas  !  they  did  so  in  every  climate  under  every  sun — to 
waste  their  sweetness  in  this  miserable  career  of  intrigue  and  man- 
trap, and  yet  nothing  come  of  it?  But  so  it  was.  The  first  question 
a  newly-landed  regiment  was  asked,  if  coming  where  they  resided, 
was,  "  Well,  how  are  the  girls?"  " Oh,  gloriously.  Matty  is  there." 
"Ah,  indeed!   poor  thing!"     "Has   Fan  sported  a  new  habit V 


164  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"Is  it  the  old  gray,  with  the  hussar  braiding?  Confound  it,  that 
was  seedy  when  I  saw  them  in  Corfu.  And  is  Mother  Dal  as  fat 
and  vulgar  as  ever  f  "  Dawson  of  ours  was  the  last,  and  was  called 
up  for  sentence  when  we  were  ordered  away :  of  course  he  bolted," 
&c.  Such  was  the  invariable  style  of  question  and  answer  con- 
cerning them ;  and  although  some  few,  either  from  good  feeling  or 
fastidiousness,  relished  but  little  the  mode  in  which  it  had  become 
habitual  to  treat  them,  I  grieve  to  say  that,  generally,  they  were 
pronounced  fair  game  for  every  species  of  flirtation  and  love-mak- 
ing, without  any  "  intentions"  for  the  future.  I  should  not  have 
trespassed  so  far  upon  my  readers'  patience,  were  I  not,  in  recount- 
ing these  traits  of  my  friends  above,  narrating  matters  of  history. 
How  many  are  there  who  may  cast  their  eyes  upon  these  pages, 
that  will  say,  "Poor  Matilda,  I  knew  her  at  Gibraltar.  Little  Fanny 
was  the  life  and  soul  of  us  all  in  Quebec." 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  the  Adjutant,  as  I  presented  myself  in  the 
afternoon  of  my  arrival  in  Cork,  to  a  short,  punchy,  little  red-faced 
gentleman,  in  a  short  jacket  and  ducks,  "  you  are,  I  perceive,  ap- 
pointed to  the  14th ;  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  appear  on  parade 

to-morrow  morning     The  riding-school  hours  are .     The 

morning  drill  is ;  evening  drill, .     Mr.  Minchin, 

you  are  a  14th  man,  I  believe  ;  no,  I  beg  your  pardon,  a  Carbineer  ; 
but  no  matter.  Mr.  O'Malley — Mr.  Minchin ;  Captain  Dounie — 
Mr,  O'Malley.  You'll  dine  with  us  to-day,  and  to-morrow  you 
shall  be  entered  at  the  mess." 

"  Yours  are  at  Santarem,  I  believe  ?"  said  an  old  weather-beaten 
looking  officer  with  one  arm. 

"  I'm  ashamed  to  say  I  know  nothing  whatever  of  them ;  I  re- 
ceived my  gazette  unexpectedly  enough." 

"Ever  in  Cork  before,  Mr.  O'Malley?" 

"Never,"  said  I. 

"  Glorious  place  !"  lisped  a  white-eyelashed,  knock-kneed  Ensign ; 
"  splendid  gals,  eh  ?" 

"  Ah,  Brunton,"  said  Minchin,  "  you  may  boast  a  little,  but  we 
poor  devils " 

"  Know  the  Dais  ?"  said  the  hero  of  the  lisp,  addressing  me. 

"I  haven't  that  honor,"  I  replied,  scarcely  able  to  guess  whether 
what  he  alluded  to  were  objects  of  the  picturesque  or  a  private 
family. 

"Introduce  him,  then,  at  once,"  said  the  Adjutant;  "we'll  all  go 
in  the  evening.     What  will  the  old  squaw  think  ?" 

"  Not  I,"  said  Minchin.  "  She  wrote  to  the  Duke  of  York  about 
my  helping  Matilda  at  supper,  and  not  having  any  honorable  inten- 
tions afterwards." 


THE  ADJUTANT'S  DINNER.  165 

"  We  dine  at  *  The  George'  to-day,  Mr.  O'Malley,  sharp  seven. 
Until  then " 

So  saying,  the  little  man  bustled  back  to  his  accounts,  and  I 
took  my  leave  with  the  rest,  to  stroll  about  the  town  till  dinner- 
time. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

THE  ADJUTANT'S  DINNER. 

THE  Adjutant's  dinner  was  as  professional  an  affair  as  need  be. 
A  circuit  or  a  learned  society  could  not  have  been  more  exclu- 
sively devoted  to  their  own  separate  and  immediate  topics 
than  were  we.  Pipeclay  in  all  its  varieties  came  on  the  tapis;  the 
last  regulation  cap — the  new  button — the  promotions — the  general 
orders — the  Colonel,  and  the  Colonel's  wife — stoppages,  and  the 
mess  fund,  were  all  well  and  ably  discussed ;  and,  strange  enough, 
while  the  conversation  took  this  wide  range,  not  a  chance  allusion, 
not  one  stray  hint,  ever  wandered  to  the  brave  fellows  who  were 
covering  the  army  with  glory  in  the  Peninsula,  nor  one  souvenir  of 
him  that  was  even  then  enjoying  a  fame,  as  a  leader,  second  to  none 
in  Europe.  This  surprised  me  not  a  little  at  the  time ;  but  I  have 
since  that  learned  how  little  interest  the  real  services  of  an  army 
possess  for  the  ears  of  certain  officials,  who,  stationed  at  home  quar- 
ters, pass  their  inglorious  lives  in  the  details  of  drill,  parade,  mess- 
room  gossip  and  barrack  scandal.  Such,  in  fact,  were  the  dons  of 
the  present  dinner.  We  had  a  Commissary-General,  an  inspecting 
Brigade-Major  of  something,  a  Physician  to  the  Forces,  the  Adju- 
tant himself,  and  Major  Dalrymple ;  the  oi  polloi  consisting  of  the 
raw  Ensign,  a  newly-fledged  Cornet  (Mr.  Sparks),  and  myself. 

The  Commissary  told  some  very  pointless  stories  about  his  own 
department,  the  Doctor  read  a  dissertation  upon  Walcheren  fever, 
the  Adjutant  got  very  stupidly  tipsy,  and  Major  Dalrymple  suc- 
ceeded in  engaging  the  three  juniors  of  the  party  to  tea,  having 
previously  pledged  us  to  purchase  nothing  whatever  of  outfit  with- 
out his  advice,  he  well  knowing  (which  he  did)  how  young  fellows 
like  us  were  cheated,  and  resolving  to  be  a  father  to  us  (which  he 
certainly  tried  to  be). 

As  we  rose  from  the  table  about  ten  o'clock,  I  felt  how  soon  a  few 
such  dinners  would  succeed  in  disenchanting  me  of  all  my  military 
illusions  ;  for,  young  as  I  was,  I  saw  that  the  Commissary  was  a 
vulgar  bore,  the  Doctor  a  humbug,  the  Adjutant  a  sot,  and  the 
Major  himself  I  greatly  suspected  to  be  an  old  rogue. 


166  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  You  are  coming  with  us,  Sparks  ?"  said  Major  Dalrymple,  as  he 
took  me  by  one  arm  and  the  Ensign  by  the  other.  "  We  are  going 
to  have  a  little  tea  with  the  ladies  ;  not  five  minutes'  walk." 

"  Most  happy,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Sparks,  with  a  very  nattered  expres- 
sion of  countenance. 

"  O'Malley,  you  know  Sparks,  and  Burton  too." 

This  served  for  a  species  of  triple  introduction,  at  which  we  all 
bowed,  simpered,  and  bowed  again.  We  were  very  happy  to  have 
the  pleasure,  &c. 

"  How  pleasant  to  get  away  from  these  fellows!"  said  the  Major; 
"  they  are  so  uncommonly  prosy,  That  Commissary,  with  his  mess 
beef,  and  old  Pritchard,  with  black  doses  and  rigors — nothing  so 
insufferable.  Besides,  in  reality,  a  young  officer  never  needs  all  that 
nonsense.  A  little  medicine  chest — I'll  get  you  one  each  to-morrow 
for  five  pounds  ;  no,  five  pounds  ten  :  the  same  thing — that  will  see 
you  all  through  the  Peninsula.  Kemind  me  of  it  in  the  morning," 
This  we  all  promised  to  do,  and  the  Major  resumed :  "  I  say,  Sparks, 
you've  got  a  real  prize  in  that  gray  horse ;  such  a  trooper  as  he  is ! 
O'Malley,  you'll  be  wanting  something  of  that  kind,  if  we  can  find 
it  out  for  you." 

"Many  thanks,  Major,  but  my  cattle  are  on  the  way  h«re 
already.  I've  only  three  horses,  but  I  think  they  are  tolerably 
good  ones." 

The  Major  now  turned  to  Burton,  and  said  something  in  a  low 
tone,  to  which  the  other  replied, — 

"  Well,  if  you  say  so,  I'll  get  it,  but  it's  devilish  dear." 

"  Dear !  my  young  friend ;  cheap,  dog  cheap." 

"Only  think,  O'Malley,  a  whole  brass-bed,  camp-stool,  basin- 
stand,  all  complete  for  sixty  pounds !  If  it  was  not  that  a  widow 
was  disposing  of  it  in  great  distress,  one  hundred  could  not  buy  it. 
Here  we  are;  come  along — no  ceremony.  Mind  the  two  steps; 
that's  it.  Mrs.  Dalrymple,  Mr.  O'Malley  ;  Mr.  Sparks,  Mr.  Burton, 
my  daughters.     Is  tea  over,  girls  ?" 

"  Why,  papa,  it's  near  eleven  o'clock,"  said  Fanny,  as  she  rose  to 
ring  the  bell,  displaying,  in  so  doing,  the  least  possible  portion  of  a 
very  well-turned  ankle. 

Miss  Matilda  Dal  laid  down  her  book,  but,  seemingly  lost  in  ab- 
straction, did  not  deign  to  look  at  us.  Mrs.  Dalrymple,  however, 
did  the  honors  with  much  politeness,  and  having,  by  a  few  adroit 
and  well-put  queries,  ascertained  everything  concerning  our  rank 
and  position,  seemed  perfectly  satisfied  that  our  intrusion  was  justi- 
fiable. 

While  my  confrere  Mr.  Sparks  was  undergoing  his  examination,  I 
had  time  to  look  at  the  ladies,  whom  I  was  much  surprised  at  find- 


THE  ADJUTANT'S  DINNER.  107 

ing  so  very  well-looking ;  and  as  the  Ensign  had  opened  a  conver- 
sation with  Fanny,  I  approached  my  chair  towards  the  other,  and 
having  carelessly  turned  over  the  leaves  of  the  book  she  had  been 
reading,  drew  her  on  to  talk  of  it.  As  my  acquaintance  with  young 
ladies  hitherto  had  been  limited  to  those  who  had  "  no  soul,"  I  felt 
some  difficulty  at  first  in  keeping  up  with  the  exalted  tone  of  my 
fair  companion,  but  by  letting  her  take  the  lead  for  some  time,  I  got 
to  know  more  of  the  ground.  We  went  on  tolerably  together,  every 
moment  increasing  my  stock  of  technicals,  which  were  all  that  was 
needed  to  sustain  the  conversation.  How  often  have  I  found  the 
same  plan  succeed,  whether  discussing  a  question  of  law  or  medi- 
cine, with  a  learned  professor  of  either ;  or,  what  is  still  more  diffi- 
cult, canvassing  the  merits  of  a  preacher,  or  a  doctrine,  with  a  seri- 
ous young  lady,  whose  "  blessed  privileges"  were  at  first  a  little 
puzzling  to  comprehend. 

I  so  contrived  it,  too,  that  Miss  Matilda  should  seem  as  much  to 
be  making  a  convert  to  her  views  as  to  have  found  a  person  capable 
of  sympathizing  with  her;  and  thus,  long  before  the  little  supper 
with  which  it  was  the  Major's  practice  to  regale  his  friends  every 
evening  made  its  appearance,  we  had  established  a  perfect  under- 
standing together — a  circumstance  that,  a  bystander  might  have 
remarked,  was  productive  of  a  more  widely-diffused  satisfaction 
than  I  could  have  myself  seen  any  just  cause  for.  Mr.  Burton  was 
also  progressing,  as  the  Yankees  say,  with  the  sister.  Sparks  had 
booked  himself  as  purchaser  of  military  stores  enough  to  make  the 
campaign  of  the  whole  globe,  and  we  were  thus  all  evidently  fulfil- 
ling our  various  vocations,  and  affording  perfect  satisfaction  to  our 
entertainers. 

Then  came  the  spatch-cock,  and  the  sandwiches,  and  the  negus, 
which  Fanny  first  mixed  for  papa,  and,  subsequently,  with  some  little 
pressing,  for  Mr.  Burton;  Matilda,  the  romantic,  assisted  me. 
Sparks  helped  himself.  Then  we  laughed  and  told  stories ;  pressed 
Sparks  to  sing,  which  as  he  declined  to  do  so,  we  only  pressed 
the  more.  How  invariably,  by  the  bye,  is  it  the  custom  to  show 
one's  appreciation  of  anything  like  a  butt,  by  pressing  him  for  a 
song. 

The  Major  was  in  great  spirits,  told  us  anecdotes  of  his  early  life 
in  India,  and  how  he  once  contracted  to  supply  the  troops  with 
milk,  and  made  a  purchase,  in  consequence,  of  some  score  of  cattle, 
which  turned  out  to  be  bullocks.  Matilda  recited  some  lines  from 
Pope  in  my  ear.  Fanny  challenged  Burton  to  a  rowing  match. 
Sparks  listened  to  all  around  him,  and  Mrs.  Dalrymple  mixed  a  very 
little  weak  punch,  which  Dr.  Lucas  had  recommended  to  her,  to 
take  the  last  thing  at  night — Nodes  cantzque.   Say  what  you  will,  these 


168  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

were  very  jovial  little  reunions.  The  girls  were  decidedly  very  pretty. 
We  were  in  high  favor,  and  when  we  took  leave  at  the  door,  with  a 
very  cordial  shake  hands,  it  was  with  no  arrtere  pens6e  we  promised 
to  see  them  in  the  morning. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

THE    ENTANGLEMENT. 

WHEN  we  think  for  a  moment  over  all  the  toils,  all  the 
anxieties,  all  the  fevered  excitement  of  a  grande  passion,  it 
is  not  a  little  singular  that  love  should  so  frequently  be 
elicited  by  a  state  of  mere  idleness ;  and  yet  nothing,  after  all,  is  so 
predisposing  a  cause  as  this.  Where  is  the  man  between  eighteen 
and  eight-and-thirty — might  I  not  say  forty  ? — who,  without  any 
very  pressing  duns,  and  having  no  taste  for  strong  liquor  and  rouge 
ct  noir,  can  possibly  lounge  through  the  long  hours  of  his  day  with- 
out at  least  fancying  himself  in  love  ?  The  thousand  little  occupa- 
tions it  suggests  become  a  necessity  of  existence ;  its  very  worries 
are  like  the  wholesome  opposition  that  purines  and  strengthens  the 
frame  of  a  free  state.  Then,  what  is  there  half  so  sweet  as  the  re- 
flective flattery  which  results  from  our  appreciation  of  an  object  who, 
in  return,  deems  us  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  perfection  ?  There  it  is,  in 
fact — that  confounded  bump  of  self-esteem  does  it  all,  and  has  more 
imprudent  matches  to  answer  for  than  all  the  occipital  protuber- 
ances that  ever  scared  poor  Harriet  Martineau. 

Now,  to  apply  my  moralizing.  I  very  soon,  to  use  the  mess  phrase, 
got  "  devilish  spooney"  about  the  "  Dais."  The  morning  drill,  the 
riding-school,  and  the  parade,  were  all  most  fervently  consigned  to 
a  certain  military  character  that  shall  be  nameless,  as  detaining  me 
from  some  appointment  made  the  evening  before  ;  for,  as  I  supped 
there  each  night,  a  party  of  one  kind  or  another  was  always  planned 
for  the  day  following.  Sometimes  we  had  a  boating  excursion  to 
Cove ;  sometimes  a  picnic  at  Foaty ;  now  a  rowing  party  to  Glan- 
mire,  or  a  ride,  at  which  I  furnished  the  cavalry.  These  doings 
were  all  under  my  especial  direction,  and  I  thus  became  speedily 
the  organ  of  the  Dalrymple  family ;  and  the  simple  phrase,  "It  was 
Mr.  O'Malley's  arrangement,"  "  Mr.  O'Malley  wished  it,"  was  like 
the  "Moi  le  roi"  of  Louis  XIV. 

Though  all  this  while  we  continued  to  carry  on  most  pleasantly, 
Mrs.  Dalrymple,  I  could  perceive,  did  not  entirely  sympathize  with 
our  projects  of  amusement.    As  an  experienced  engineer  might  feel, 


THE  ENTANGLEMENT.  169 

■when  watching  the  course  of  some  storming  projectile — some  bril- 
liant congreve — flying  over  a  besieged  fortress,  yet  never  touching 
the  walls,  nor  harming  the  inhabitants,  so  she  looked  on  all  these 
demonstrations  of  attack  with  no  small  impatience,  and  wondered 
when  the  breach  would  be  reported  practicable.     Another  puzzle 

(also  contributed  its  share  of  anxiety — which  of  the  girls  was  it  ?  To 
be  sure,  he  spent  three  hours  every  morning  with  Fanny  ;  but,  then, 
he  never  left  Matilda  the  whole  evening.  He  had  given  his  minia- 
ture to  one ;  a  locket  with  his  hair  was  a  present  to  the  sister.  The 
Major  thinks  he  saw  his  arm  round  Matilda's  waist  in  the  garden ; 
the  housemaid  swears  she  saw  him  kiss  Fanny  in  the  pantry.  Ma- 
tilda smiles  when  we  talk  of  his  name  with  her  sister's ;  Fanny 
laughs  outright,  and  says,  "  Poor  Matilda,  the  man  never  dreamed 
of  her."  This  is  becoming  uncomfortable ;  the  Major  must  ask  his 
intentions — it  is  certainly  one  or  the  other  ;  but  then  we  have  a  right 
to  know  which.  Such  was  a  very  condensed  view  of  Mrs.  Dalrym- 
ple's  reflections  on  this  important  topic — a  view  taken  with  her 
usual  tact  and  clear-sightedness. 

Matters  were  in  this  state,  when  Power  at  length  arrived  in  Cork, 
to  take  command  of  our  detachment,  and  make  the  final  prepara- 
tions for  our  departure.  I  had  been,  as  usual,  spending  the  evening 
at  the  Major's,  and  had  just  reached  my  quarters,  when  I  found  my 
friend  sitting  at  my  fire,  smoking  his  cigar  and  solacing  himself 
with  a  little  brandy-and-water. 

"At  last,"  said  he,  as  I  entered — "  at  last  I  Why,  where  the  deuce 
have  you  been  till  this  hour — past  two  o'clock?  There  is  no  ball, 
no  assembly  going  on,  eh  ?" 

"  No,"  said  I,  half  blushing  at  the  eagerness  of  the  inquiry ;  "  I've 
been  spending  the  evening  with  a  friend." 

"  Spending  the  evening !  say,  rather,  the  night.  Why,  confound 
you,  man,  what  is  there  in  Cork  to  keep  you  out  of  bed  till  near 
three  ?" 

"Well,  if  you  must  know,  I've  been  supping  at  a  Major  Dalrym- 
ple's — a  devilish  good  fellow — with  two  such  daughters  !" 

"Ahem  !"  said  Power,  shutting  one  eye  knowingly,  and  giving  a 
look  like  a  Yorkshire  horse-dealer.     "  Go  on." 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean?" 

"  Go  on — continue." 

"  I've  finished — I've  nothing  more  to  tell." 

"  So,  they're  here,  are  they  !"  said  he,  reflectively 

"Who?"  said  I. 

"  Matilda  and  Fanny,  to  be  sure." 

"  Why,  you  know  them,  then?" 

"  I  should  think  I  do." 


170  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

u  Where  have  you  met  them  ?" 

"  Where  have  I  not  ?  When  I  was  in  the  Eifles,  they  were  quar- 
tered at  Zante.  Matilda  was  just  then  coming  it  rather  strong  with 
Villiers,  of  ours,  a  regular  greenhorn.  Fanny,  also,  nearly  did  for 
Harry  Nesbitt,  by  riding  a  hurdle-race.  They  then  left  for  Gibral- 
tar, in  the  year — what  year  was  it?" 

"  Come,  come,"  said  I,  "  this  is  a  humbug :  the  girls  are  quite 
young  ;  you  just  have  heard  their  names." 

"  Well,  perhaps  so ;  only  tell  me  which  is  your  peculiar  weakness, 
as  they  say  in  the  west,  and  maybe  I'll  convince  you." 

"  Oh !  as  to  that,"  said  I,  laughing,  "  I'm  not  very  far  gone  on 
either  side." 

"Then  Matilda,  probably,  has  not  tried  you  with  Cowley,  eh? — 
you  look  a  little  pink — '  There  are  hearts  that  live  and  love  alone.' 
Oh !  poor  fellow,  you've  got  it.  By  Jove !  how  you've  been  coming 
it,  though,  in  ten  days !  She  ought  not  to  have  got  to  that  for  a 
month,  at  least ;  and  how  like  a  young  one  it  was,  to  be  caught  by 
the  poetry.  Oh !  Master  Charley,  I  thought  that  the  steeple-chaser 
might  have  done  most  with  your  Galway  heart — the  girl  in  the  gray 
habit,  that  sings  '  Moddirederoo/  ought  to  have  been  the  prize. 
Halt !  by  St.  George,  but  that  tickles  you  also !  Why,  zounds,  if  I 
go  on,  probably,  at  this  rate,  I'll  find  a  tender  spot  occupied  by  the 
black  lady  herself." 

It  was  no  use  concealing,  or  attempting  to  conceal,  anything  from 
my  inquisitive  friend ;  so  I  mixed  my  grog,  and  opened  my  whole 
heart ;  told  how  I  had  been  conducting  myself  for  the  entire  pre- 
ceding fortnight ;  and,  when  I  concluded,  sat  silently  awaiting 
Power's  verdict,  as  though  a  jury  were  about  to  pronounce  upon 
my  life. 

"  Have  you  ever  written  ?" 

"  Never ;  except,  perhaps,  a  few  lines,  with  tickets  for  the  theatre, 
or  something  of  that  kind." 

"  Have  you  copies  of  your  correspondence  ?" 

"  Of  course  not.     Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?"  * 

"  Has  Mrs.  Dal  ever  been  present,  or,  as  the  French  say,  has  she 
assisted,  at  any  of  your  tender  interviews  with  the  young  ladies  ?" 

"  I'm  not  aware  that  one  kisses  a  girl  before  mamma." 

"  I'm  not  speaking  of  that ;  I  merely  allude  to  flirtation." 

"  Oh  !  I  suppose  she  has  seen  me  attentive." 

"  Very  awkward,  indeed  !  There  is  only  one  point  in  your  favor; 
for,  as  your  attentions  were  not  decided,  and  as  the  law  does  not,  as 
yet,  permit  polygamy " 

"  Come,  come,  you  know  I  never  thought  of  marrying." 

"Ah  !  but  they  did." 


THE  ENTANGLEMENT.  171 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it." 

"Ay,  but  they  did.  What  do  you  wager  but  that  the  Major  asks 
your  intentions,  as  he  calls  it,  the  moment  he  hears  the  transport 
has  arrived?" 

"  By  Jove  !  now  you  remind  me,  he  asked  this  evening  when  he 
could  have  a  few  minutes'  private  conversation  with  me  to-morrow, 
and  1  thought  it  was  about  some  confounded  military  chest  or  sea 
store,  or  one  of  his  infernal  contrivances  that  he  every  day  assures 
me  are  indispensable ;  though,  if  every  officer  had  only  as  much 
baggage  as  I  have  got,  under  his  directions,  it  would  take  two 
armies  at  least  to  carry  the  effects  of  the  fighting  one." 

"  Poor  fellow  !"  said  he,  starting  upon  his  legs  ;  "  what  a  burst 
you've  made  of  it !"     So  saying,  he  began,  in  a  nasal  twang, — 

"  I  publish  the  banns  of  marriage  between  Charles  O'Malley,  late 

of  his  Majesty's  14th  Dragoons,  and Dairy mple,  spinster,  of 

this  city " 

"I'll  be  hanged  if  you  do,  though,"  said  I,  seeing  pretty  clearly 
by  this  time  something  of  the  estimation  my  friends  were  held  in. 
"  Come,  Power,  pull  me  through,  like  a  dear  fellow — pull  me  through, 
without  doing  anything  to  hurt  the  girls'  feelings." 

"  Well,  we'll  see  about  it,"  said  he — "  we'll  see  about  it  in  the 
morning,  but,  at  the  same  time,  let  me  assure  you,  the  affair  is  not 
so  easy  as  you  may,  at  first  blush,  suppose.  These  worthy  people 
have  been  so  often  •  done' — to  use  the  cant  phrase — before,  that 
scarcely  a  ruse  remains  untried.  It  is  of  no  use  pleading  that  your 
family  won't  consent — that  your  prospects  are  null — that  you  are 
ordered  for  India — that  you  are  engaged  elsewhere — that  you  have 
nothing  but  your  pay — that  you  are  too  young  or  too  old — all  such 
reasons,  good  and  valid  with  any  other  family,  will  avail  you  little 
here.  Neither  will  it  serve  your  cause  that  you  may  be  warranted 
by  a  doctor  subject  to  periodical  fits  of  insanity ;  monomaniacal 
tendencies  to  cut  somebody's  throat,  &c.  Bless  your  heart,  man, 
they  have  soul  above  such  littlenesses.  They  care  nothing  for  con- 
sent of  friends,  means,  age,  health,  climate,  prospects,  or  temper. 
Firmly  believing  matrimony  to  be  a  lottery,  they  are  not  supersti- 
tious about  the  number  they  pitch  upon ;  provided  only  that  they 
get  a  ticket,  they  are  content." 

u  Then  it  strikes  me,  if  what  you  say  is  correct,  that  I  have  no 
earthly  chance  of  escape,  except  some  kind  friend  will  undertake  to 
shoot  me." 

"  That  has  been  also  tried." 

"  Why,  how  do  you  mean  ?" 

"A  mock  duel,  got  up  at  mess — we  had  one  at  Malta,  Poor  Vick- 
ers  was  the  hero  of  that  affair.   It  was  right  well  planned,  too.    One 


172  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

of  the  letters  was  suffered,  by  mere  accident,  to  fall  into  Mrs.  Dai's 
hands,  and  she  was  quite  prepared  for  the  event,  when  he  was  re- 
ported shot  the  next  morning.  Then  the  young  lady,  of  course, 
whether  she  cared  or  not,  was  obliged  to  be  perfectly  unconcerned, 
lest  the  story  of  engaged  affections  might  get  wind,  and  spoil  ano- 
ther market.  The  thing  went  on  admirably,  till  one  day,  some  few 
months  later,  they  saw,  in  a  confounded  army-list,  that  the  late 
George  Vickers  was  promoted  to  the  18th  Dragoons,  so  that  the  trick 
was  discovered,  and  is,  of  course,  stale  at  present." 

"  Then  could  I  not  have  a  wife  already,  and  a  large  family  of  in- 
teresting babes  ?" 

"  No  go — only  swell  the  damages,  when  they  come  to  prosecute. 
Besides,  your  age  and  looks  forbid  the  assumption  of  such  a  fact. 
No,  no ;  we  must  go  deeper  to  work.v 

"  But  where  shall  we  go  ?"  said  I,  impatiently ;  "  for  it  appears  to 
me  these  good  people  have  been  treated  to  every  trick  and  subter- 
fuge that  ever  ingenuity  suggested." 

"  Come,  I  think  I  have  it ;  but  it  will  need  a  little  more  reflection. 
So,  now,  let  us  to  bed.  I'll  give  you  the  result  of  my  lucubrations 
at  breakfast ;  and,  if  I  mistake  not,  we  may  get  you  through  this 
without  any  ill  consequences.  Good-night,  then,  old  boy;  and  now 
dream  away  of  your  lady-love  till  our  next  meeting." 


CHAPTEE  XXVI. 

THE   PREPARATION. 

TO  prevent  needless  repetitions  in  my  story,  I  shall  not  record 
here  the  conversation  which  passed  between  my  friend  Power 
and  myself  on  the  morning  following  at  breakfast.  Suffice  it 
to  say  that  the  plan  proposed  by  him  for  my  rescue  was  one  I  agreed 
to  adopt,  reserving  to  myself,  in  case  of  failure,  a  pis  aller,  of  which 
I  knew  not  the  meaning,  but  of  whose  efficacy  Power  assured  me  I 
need  not  doubt. 

"  If  all  fail,"  said  he—"  if  every  bridge  break  down  beneath  you, 
and  no  road  of  escape  be  left,  why,  then,  I  believe  you  must  have 
recourse  to  another  alternative.  Still,  I  should  wish  to  avoid  it  if 
possible,  and  I  put  it  to  you  in  honor,  not  to  employ  it  unless  as 
a  last  expedient.     You  promise  me  this." 

"  Of  course,"  said  I,  with  great  anxiety  for  the  dread  final  meas- 
ure.    "What  is  it?" 

He  paused,  smiled  dubiously,  and  resumed, — 


THE  PREPARATION.  173 

"  And,  after  all— but,  to  be  sure,  there  will  not  be  need  for  it— 
the  other  plan  will  do — must  do.  Come,  come,  O'Malley,  the  Admi- 
ralty say  that  nothing  encourages  drowning  in  the  navy  like  a  life- 
buoy. The  men  have  such  a  prospect  of  being  picked  up,  that  they 
don't  mind  falling  overboard;  so,  if  I  give  you  this  life-preserver  of 
mine,  you'll  not  swim  an  inch.     Is  it  not  so,  eh  ?" 

" Far  from  it,"  said  I.  "I  shall  feel  in  honor  bound  to  exert 
myself  the  more,  because  I  now  see  how  much  it  costs  you  to  part 
with  it." 

"  Well,  then,  hear  it.  When  everything  fails — when  all  your  re- 
sources are  exhausted — when  you  have  totally  lost  your  memory,  in 
fact,  and  your  ingenuity  in  excuses,  say — but  mind,  Charley,  not 
till  then — say  that  you  must  consult  your  friend  Captain  Power,  of 
the  14th— that's  all." 

"And  is  this  it?"  said  I,  quite  disappointed  at  the  lame  and 
impotent  conclusion  to  all  the  high-sounding  exordium;  "is  this 
all?" 

"Yes,"  said  he,  "that  is  all.  But  stop,  Charley;  is  not  that  the 
Major  crossing  the  street  there?  Yes,  to  be  sure  it  is;  and,  by 
Jove !  he  has  got  on  the  old  braided  frock  this  morning.  Had  you 
not  told  me  one  word  of  your  critical  position,  I  should  have 
guessed  there  was  something  in  the  wind  from  that.  That  same 
vestment  has  caused  many  a  stout  heart  to  tremble  that  never 
quailed  before  shot  or  shell." 

"  How  can  that  be?     I  should  like  to  hear." 

"  Why,  my  dear  boy,  that's  his  explanation  coat,  as  we  called  it 
at  Gibraltar.  He  was  never  known  to  wear  it  except  when  asking 
some  poor  fellow's  '  intentions.'  He  would  no  more  think  of  sport- 
ing it  as  an  every-day  affair  than  the  Chief  Justice  would  go  cock- 
shooting  in  his  black  cap  and  ermine.  Come,  he  is  bound  for  your 
quarters,  and,  as  it  will  not  answer  our  plans  to  let  him  see  you 
now,  you  had  better  hasten  down  stairs,  and  get  round  by  the  back 
way  into  George's  street,  and  you'll  be  at  his  house  before  he  can 
return." 

Following  Power's  directions,  I  seized  my  foraging  cap,  and  got 
clear  out  of  the  premises  before  the  Major  reached  them.  It  was 
exactly  noon  as  I  sounded  my  loud  and  now  well-known  sum- 
mons at  the  Major's  knocker.  The  door  was  quickly  opened; 
but  instead  of  dashing  up  stairs,  four  steps  at  a  time,  as  was  my 
wont,  to  the  drawing-room,  I  turned  short  into  the  dingy-looking 
little  parlor  on  the  right,  and  desired  Matthew,  the  venerable  servi- 
tor of  the  house,  to  say  that  I  wished  particularly  to  see  Mrs.  Dal- 
rymple  for  a  few  minutes,  if  the  hour  were  not  inconvenient. 

There  was  something  perhaps  of  excitement  in  my  manner — some 


174  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

flurry  in  my  look,  or  some  trepidation  in  my  voice ;  or  perhaps  it 
was  the  unusual  hour,  or  the  still  more  remarkable  circumstance  of 
my  not  going  at  once  to  the  drawing-room,  that  raised  some  doubts 
in  Matthew's  mind  as  to  the  object  of  my  visit ;  and,  instead  of  at 
once  complying  with  my  request  to  inform  Mrs.  Dalrymple  that  I 
was  there,  he  cautiously  closed  the  door,  and,  taking  a  quick  but 
satisfactory  glance  round  the  apartment,  to  assure  himself  that  wTe 
were  alone,  he  placed  his  back  against  it,  and  heaved  a  deep  sigh. 

We  were  both  perfectly  silent ;  I  in  total  amazement  at  what  the 
old  man  could  possibly  mean  ;  he,  following  up  the  train  of  his  own 
thoughts,  comprehended  little  or  nothing  of  my  surprise,  and  evi- 
dently was  so  engrossed  by  his  reflections  that  he  had  neither  ears 
nor  eyes  for  aught  around  him.  There  was  a  most  singular  semi- 
comic  expression  in  the  old  withered  face  that  nearly  made  me 
laugh  at  first ;  but  as  I  continued  to  look  steadily  at  it,  I  perceived 
that,  despite  the  long-worn  wrinkles  that  low  Irish  drollery  and  fun 
had  furrowed  around  the  angles  of  his  mouth,  the  real  character  of 
his  look  was  one  of  sorrowful  compassion. 

Doubtless  my  readers  have  read  many  interesting  narratives, 
wherein  the  unconscious  traveller  in  some  remote  land  has  been 
warned  of  a  plan  to  murder  him,  by  some  mere  passing  wink,  a 
look,  a  sign,  which  some  one,  who  is  less  steeped  in  crime,  less  har- 
dened in  iniquity  than  his  fellows,  has  ventured  for  his  rescue. 
Sometimes,  according  to  the  taste  of  the  narrator,  the  interest- 
ing individual  is  an  old  woman,  sometimes  a  young  one,  some- 
times a  black-bearded  bandit,  sometimes  a  child,  and  not  unfre- 
quently  a  dog  is  humane  enough  to  do  this  service.  One  thing, 
however,  never  varies;  be  the  agent  biped  or  quadruped,  dumb 
or  speechful,  young  or  old,  the  stranger  almost  invariably  takes 
the  hint,  and  gets  off  scot  free  for  his  sharpness.  This  never- 
varying  trick  on  the  doomed  man  I  had  often  been  skeptical  enough 
to  suspect ;  however,  I  had  not  been  many  minutes  a  spectator  of 
the  old  man's  countenance,  when  I  most  thoroughly  recanted  my 
errors,  and  acknowledged  myself  wrong.  If  ever  the  look  of  a  man 
conveyed  a  warning,  his  did ;  but  there  was  more  in  it  than  even 
that — there  was  a  tone  of  sad  and  pitiful  compassion,  such  as  an  old 
gray-bearded  rat  might  be  supposed  to  put  on  at  seeing  a  young 
and  inexperienced  one  opening  the  hinge  of  an  iron  trap,  to  try  its 
efficacy  upon  its  neck.  Many  a  little  occasion  had  presented  itself, 
during  my  intimacy  with  the  family,  of  doing  Matthew  some  small 
services,  of  making  him  some  trifling  presents,  so  that,  when  he 
assumed  before  me  the  gesture  and  look  I  have  mentioned,  I  was 
not  long  in  deciphering  his  intentions. 

"  Matthew  !"  screamed   a  sharp  voice,  which    I   recognized    at 


THE  PREPARATION.  175 

once  for  that  of  Mrs.  Dalrymple.  "  Matthew  !  Where  is  the  old 
fool?" 

But  Matthew  heard  not,  or  heeded  not. 

"  Matthew  !  Matthew  !  I  say." 

"  I'm  comin',  ma'am,"  said  he,  with  a  sigh,  as,  opening  the  parlor 
door,  he  turned  upon  me  one  look  of  such  import,  that  only  the  cir- 
cumstances of  my  story  can  explain  its  force,  or  my  reader's  own 
ingenious  ima'gination  can  supply. 

"  Never  fear,  my  good  old  friend,"  said  I,  grasping  his  hand 
warmly,  and  leaving  a  guinea  in  the  palm — "  never  fear." 

"  God  grant  it,  sir !"  said  he,  settling  on  his  wig  in  preparation 
for  his  appearance  in  the  drawing-room. 

"  Matthew !  the  old  wretch  !" 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  the  often-called  Matthew,  as,  opening  the 
door,  he  announced  me  unexpectedly  among  the  ladies  there  assem- 
bled, who,  not  hearing  of  my  approach,  were  evidently  not  a  little 
surprised  and  astonished. 

Had  I  really  been  the  enamored  swain  that  the  Dalrymple  family 
were  willing  to  believe,  I  half  suspect  that  the  prospect  before  me 
might  have  cured  me  of  my  passion.  A  round  bullet  head,  papillote 
with  the  Cork  Observer,  where  still-born  babes  and  maids  of  all  work 
were  descanted  upon  in  very  legible  type,  was  now  the  substitute 
for  the  classic  front  and  Italian  ringlets  of  la  belle  Matilda,  while 
the  chaste  Fanny  herself,  whose  feet  had  been  a  fortune  for  a  statu- 
ary, was,  in  the  most  slatternly  and  slipshod  attire,  pacing  the  room 
in  a  towering  rage,  at  some  thing,  place,  or  person,  unknown  to  me. 
If  the  ballet-master  at  the  Acad6mie  could  only  learn  to  get  his 
imps,  demons,  angels  and  goblins  "  off"  half  as  rapidly  as  the  two 
young  ladies  retreated  on  my  being  announced,  I  answer  for  the 
piece  so  brought  out  having  a  run  for  half  the  season.  Before  my 
eyes  had  gained  their  position  parallel  to  the  plane  of  the  horizon, 
they  were  gone,  and  I  found  myself  alone  with  Mrs.  Dalrymple. 
Now  she  stood  her  ground,  partly  to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  main 
body,  partly,  too,  because — representing  the  baggage- wagons, 
ammunition  stores,  hospital  staff,  &c. — her  retirement  from  the 
field  demanded  more  time  and  circumspection  than  the  light 
brigade. 

Let  not  my  readers  suppose  that  the  mere  Dalrymple  was  so  per- 
fectly faultless  in  costume  that  her  remaining  was  a  matter  of  actual 
indifference  ;  far  from  it.  She  evidently  had  a  struggle  for  it ;  but 
a  sense  of  duty  decided  her,  and  as  Ney  doggedly  held  back  to  cover 
the  retreating  forces  on  the  march  from  Moscow,  so  did  she  reso- 
lutely lurk  behind  till  the  last  flutter  of  the  last  petticoat  assured 
her  that  the  fugitives  were  safe.  Then  did  she  hesitate  for  a  moment 


176  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

what  course  to  take;  but  as  I  assumed  my  chair  besido  hor,  she 
composedly  sat  down,  and,  crossing  her  hands  before  her,  waited  i'or 
an  explanation  of  this  ill-timed  visit. 

Had  the  Horse  Guards,  in  the  plenitude  of  their  power  and  the 
perfection  of  their  taste,  ordained  that  the  79th  and  42d  regiments 
should  in  future,  in  lieu  of  their  respective  tartans,  wear  flannel 
kilts  and  black  worsted  hose,  I  could  readily  have  fallen  into  the 
error  of  mistaking  Mrs.  Dalrymple  for  a  field-officer  in'the  new  regu- 
lation dress — the  philibeg  finding  no  mean  representation  in  a 
capacious  pincushion  that  hung  down  from  her  girdle,  while  a  pair 
of  shears  (not  scissors)  corresponded  to  the  dirk.  After  several 
ineffectual  efforts  upon  her  part  to  make  her  vestment  (I  know  not 
its  fitting  designation)  cover  more  of  her  legs  than  its  length  could 
possibly  effect,  and  after  some  most  bland  smiles  and  half  blushes 
at  dishabille,  &c,  were  over,  and  that  I  had  apologized  most  humbly 
for  the  unusually  early  hour  of  my  call,  I  proceeded  to  open  my 
negotiations,  and  unfurl  my  banner  for  the  fray. 

"  The  old  Racehorse  has  arrived  at  last,"  said  I,  with  a  half  sigh, 
"and  I  believe  that  we  shall  not  obtain  a  very  long  time  for  our 
leave-taking  ;  so  that,  trespassing  upon  your  very  great  kindness,  I 
have  ventured  upon  a,n  early  call." 

"  The  Racehorse  surely  can't  sail  to-morrow,"  said  Mrs.  Dalrym- 
ple, whose  experience  of  such  matters  made  her  a  very  competent 
judge ;  "  her  stores " 

"Are  taken  in  already,"  said  I;  "and  an  order  from  the  Horse 
Guards  commands  us  to  embark  in  twenty-four  hours ;  so  that,  in 
fact,  we  scarcely  have  time  to  look  about  us." 

"  Have  you  seen  the  Major?"  inquired  Mrs.  Dalrymple,  eagerly. 

"  Not  to-day,"  I  replied,  carelessly ;  "  but,  of  course,  during  the 
morning  we  are  sure  to  meet.  I  have  many  thanks  yet  to  give  him 
for  all  his  most  kind  attentions." 

"  I  know  he  is  most  anxious  to  see  you,"  said  Mrs.  Dalrymple, 
with  a  very  peculiar  emphasis,  and  evidently  desiring  that  I  should 
inquire  the  reasons  of  this  anxiety.  I,  however,  most  heroically  for- 
bore indulging  my  curiosity,  and  added  that  I  should  endeavor  to 
find  him  on  my  way  to  the  barracks ;  and  then,  hastily  looking  at 
my  watch,  I  pronounced  it  a  full  hour  later  than  it  really  was,  and, 
promising  to  spend  the  evening — my  last  evening — with  them,  I 
took  my  leave,  and  hurried  away,  in  no  small  flurry,  to  be  once  more 
out  of  reach  of  Mrs.  Dalrymple's  fire,  which  I  every  moment  ex- 
pected to  open  upon  me. 


THE  SUPPER.  177 

CHAPTER   XXVII. 

THE  SUPPER. 

POWER  and  I  dined  together  tete-a-tete  at  the  hotel,  and  sat 
chatting  over  my  adventures  with  the  Dalrymplcs  till  nearly 
nine  o'clock. 

"  Come,  Charley,"  said  he  at  length,  "  I  see  your  eye  wandering 
very  often  towards  the  timepiece ;  another  bumper,  and  I'll  let  you 
off.     What  shall  it  be?" 

"  What  you  like,"  said  I,  upon  whom  a  share  of  three  bottles  of 
strong  claret  had  already  made  a  very  satisfactory  impression. 

"  Then  champagne  for  the  coup  de  grace.  Nothing  like  your  vin 
mousseux  for  a  critical  moment — every  bubble  that  rises  sparkling  to 
the  surface,  prompts  some  bright  thought,  or  elicits  some  brilliant 
idea,  that  would  only  have  been  drowned  in  your  more  sober  fluids. 
Here's  to  the  girl  you  love,  whoever  she  be." 

"To  her  bright  eyes,  then,  be  it,"  said  I,  clearing  off  a  brimming 
goblet  of  nearly  half  the  bottle,  while  my  friend  Power  seemed  mul- 
tiplied into  any  given  number  of  gentlemen  standing  amid  some- 
thing like  a  glass  manufactory  of  decanters. 

"  I  hope  you  feel  steady  enough  for  this  business,"  said  my  friend, 
examining  me  closely  with  the  candle. 

"I'm  an  archdeacon,"  muttered  I,  with  one  eye  involuntarily 
closing. 

"  You'll  not  let  them  double  on  you  !" 

"  Trust  me,  old  boy,"  said  I,  endeavoring  to  look  knowing. 

"I  think  you'll  do,"  said  he;  "so  now  march;  I'll  wait  for  you 
here,  and  we'll  go  on  board  together ;  for  old  Bloater,  the  skipper, 
says  he'll  certainly  weigh  by  daybreak." 

"Till  then,"  said  I,  as,  opening  the  door,  I  proceeded  very 
cautiously  to  descend  the  stairs,  affecting  all  the  time  considerable 
•nonchalance,  and  endeavoring,  as  well  as  my  thickened  utterance 
would  permit,  to  hum, — 

"  Oh  love  is  the  soul  of  an  Irish  dragoon." 

If  I  was  not  in  the  most  perfect  possession  of  my  faculties  in  the; 
house,  the  change  to  the  open  air,  certainly,  but  little  contributed 
to  their  restoration,  and  I  scarcely  felt  myself  in  the  street  when  my 
brain  became  absolutely  one  whirl  of  maddened  and  confused  ex- 
citement. Time  and  space  are  nothing  to  a  man  thus  enlightened, 
and  so  they  appeared  to  me.  Scarcely  a  second  had  elapsed  when  I 
found  myself  standing  in  the  Dalrymples'  drawing-room. 

If  a  few  hours  had  done  much  to  metamorphose  me,  certes  they 
12 


178  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

had  done  something  for  my  fair  friends  also— anything  more  unlike 
what  they  appeared  in  the  morning  can  scarcely  be  imagined. 
Matilda  in  black,  with  her  hair  in  heavy  madonna  bands  upon  her 
fair  cheek,  now  paler  even  than  usual,  never  seemed  so  handsome ; 
while  Fanny,  in  a  light  blue  dress,  with  blue  flowers  in  her  hair, 
and  a  blue  sash,  looked  the  most  lovely  piece  of  coquetry  ever  man 
set  his  eyes  upon.  The  old  Major,  too,  was  smartened  up,  and  put 
into  an  old  regimental  coat  that  he  had  worn  during  the  siege  of 
Gibraltar;  and  lastly,  Mrs.  Dalrymple  herself  was  attired  in  a  very 
imposing  costume,  that  made  her,  to  my  not  over-accurate  judg- 
ment, look  very  like  an  elderly  bishop  in  a  flame-colored  cassock. 
Sparks  was  the  only  stranger,  and  wore  upon  his  countenance,  as  I 
entered,  a  look  of  very  considerable  embarrassment,  that  even  my 
thick-sightedness  could  not  fail  of  detecting. 

Parlez-moi  de  I'amitie',  my  friends.  Talk  to  me  of  the  warm  embrace 
of  your  earliest  friend,  after  years  of  absence;  the  cordial  and 
heartfelt  shake-hands  of  your  old  school  companion,  when,  in  after- 
years,  a  chance  meeting  has  brought  you  together,  and  you  have  had 
time  and  opportunity  for  becoming  distinguished  and  in  repute,  and 
are  rather  a  good  hit  to  be  known  to  than  otherwise ;  of  the  close 
grip  you  give  your  second  when  he  comes  up  to  say  that  the  gentle- 
man with  the  loaded  detonator  opposite  won't  fire — that  he  feels  he's 
in  the  wrong.  Any  or  all  of  these  together,  very  effective  and  pow- 
erful though  they  be,  are  light  in  the  balance  when  compared  with 
the  two-handed  compression  you  receive  from  the  gentleman  that 
expects  you  to  marry  one  of  his  daughters. 

"  My  dear  O'Malley,  how  goes  it  ?  Thought  you'd  never  come," 
said  he,  still  holding  me  fast,  and  looking  me  full  in  the  face, 
to  calculate  the  extent  to  which  my  potations  rendered  his  flattery 
feasible. 

"  Hurried  to  death  with  preparations,  I  suppose,"  said  Mrs.  Dal- 
rymple, smiling  blandly.     "  Fanny  dear,  some  tea  for  him." 

"  Oh,  mamma,  he  does  not  like  all  that  sugar ;  surely  not,"  said 
she,  looking  up  with  a  most  sweet  expression,  as  though  to  say,  "I 
at  least  know  his  tastes." 

"  I  believed  you  were  going  without  seeing  us,"  whispered  Matilda, 
with  a  very  glassy  look  about  the  corner  of  her  eyes. 

Eloquence  was  not  just  then  my  forte,  so  that  I  contented  myself 
with  a  very  intelligible  look  at  Fanny,  and  a  tender  squeeze  of 
Matilda's  hand,  as  I  seated  myself  at  the  table. 

Scarcely  had  I  placed  myself  at  the  tea-table,  with  Matilda  beside 
and  Fanny  opposite  me,  each  vieing  with  the  other  in  their  delicate 
and  kind  attentions,  when  I  totally  forgot  all  my  poor  friend  Power's 
injunctions  and  directions  for  my  management.  It  is  true,  I  remem- 


THE  SUPPER.  179 

bered  that  there  was  a  scrape  of  some  kind  or  other  to  be  got  out  of, 
and  one  requiring  some  dexterity  too,  but  what,  or  with  whom,  I 
could  not  for  the  life  of  me  determine.  What  the  wine  had  begun 
the  bright  eyes  completed ;  and,  amid  the  witchcraft  of  silky  tresses 
and  sweet  looks,  I  lost  all  my  reflection,  till  the  impression  of  an 
impending  difficulty  remained  fixed  in  my  mind,  and  I  tortured  my 
poor,  weak,  and  erring  intellect  to  detect  it.  At  last,  and  by  a  mere 
chance,  my  eyes  fell  upon  Sparks,  and,  by  what  mechanism  I  con- 
trived it  I  know  not,  I  immediately  saddled  him  with  the  whole  of 
my  annoyances,  and  attributed  to  him  and  to  his  fault  any  embar- 
rassment I  labored  under. 

The  physiological  reason  of  the  fact  I'm  very  ignorant  of,  but  for 
the  truth  and  frequency  I  can  well  vouch,  that  there  are  certain  peo- 
ple, certain  faces,  certain  voices,  certain  whiskers,  legs,  waistcoats, 
and  guard-chains,  that  inevitably  produce  the  most  striking  effects 
upon  the  brain  of  a  gentleman  already  excited  by  wine,  and  not 
exactly  cognizant  of  his  own  peculiar  fallacies. 

These  effects  are  not  produced  merely  among  those  who  are  quar- 
relsome in  their  cups,  for  I  call  the  whole  14th  to  witness  that  I  am 
not  such ;  but  to  any  person  so  disguised,  the  inoffensiveness  of  the 
object  is  no  security  on  the  other  hand,  for  I  once  knew  an  eight-day 
clock  kicked  down  a  barrack  stairs  by  an  old  Scotch  major,  because 
he  thought  it  was  laughing  at  him.  To  this  source  alone,  whatever 
it  be,  can  I  attribute  the  feeling  of  rising  indignation  with  which  I 
contemplated  the  luckless  Cornet,  who,  seated  at  the  fire,  unnoticed 
and  uncared  for,  seemed  a  very  unworthy  object  to  vent  anger  or  ill- 
temper  upon. 

"  Mr.  Sparks,  I  fear,"  said  I,  endeavoring  at  the  time  to  call  up  a 
look  of  very  sovereign  contempt — "  Mr.  Sparks,  I  fear,  regards  my 
visit  here  in  the  light  of  an  intrusion." 

Had  poor  Mr.  Sparks  been  told  to  proceed  incontinently  up  the 
chimney  before  him,  he  could  not  have  looked  more  aghast.  Reply 
was  quite  out  of  his  power ;  so  sudden  and  unexpectedly  was  this 
charge  of  mine  made,  that  he  could  only  stare  vacantly  from  one  to 
the  other,  while  I,  warming  with  my  subject,  and  perhaps — but  I'll 
not  swear  it — stimulated  by  a  gentle  pressure  from  a  soft  hand  near 
me,  continued, — 

"  If  he  thinks  for  one  moment  that  my  attentions  in  this  family 
are  in  any  way  to  be  questioned  by  him,  I  can  only  say " 

"  My  dear  O'Malley,  my  dear  boy  !"  said  the  Major,  with  the  look 
of  a  father-in-law  in  his  eye. 

"  The  spirit  of  an  officer  and  a  gentleman  spoke  there,"  said  Mrs. 
Dalrymple,  now  carried  beyond  all  prudence,  by  the  hope  that  my 
attack  might  arouse  my  dormant  friend  into  a  counter  declaration. 


180  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

Nothing,  however,  was  further  from  poor  Sparks,  who  began  to 
think  lie  had  been  unconsciously  drinking  tea  with  five  lunatics. 

"  If  he  supposes,"  sai'd  I,  rising  from  my  chair,  "  that  his  silence 
will  pass  with,  me  as  any  palliation " 

"  Oh  dear !  oh  dear !  there  will  be  a  duel.  Papa,  dear,  why  don't 
you  speak  to  Mr.  O'Mallcy  ?" 

"  There,  now,  0" Malley,  sit  down.  Don't  you  see  he  is  quite  in 
error  ?" 

"  Then  let  him  say  so,"  said  I  fiercely. 

"  Ah,  yes,  to  be  sure,"  said  Fanny ;  "  do  say  it ;  say  anything  he 
likes,  Mr.  Sparks." 

"  I  must  say,"  said  Mrs.  Dalrymple,  "  however  sorry  I  may  feel  in 
my  own  house  to  condemn  any  one,  that  Mr.  Sparks  is  very  much  in 
the  wrong." 

Poor  Sparks  looked  like  a  man  in  a  dream. 

"If  he  will  tell  Charles— Mr.  O'Malley,  I  mean,"  said  Matilda, 
blushing  scarlet,  "  that  he  meant  nothing  by  what  he  said " 

"But  I  never  spoke — never  opened  my  lips!"  cried  out  the 
wretched  man,  at  length  sufficiently  recovered  to  defend  himself. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Sparks!" 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Sparks  !" 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Sparks  !"  chorused  the  three  ladies. 

While  the  old  Major  brought  up  the  rear  with  an  "  Oh,  Sparks,  I 
must  say " 

"  Then,  by  all  the  saints  in  the  calendar,  I  must  be  mad,"  said 
he ;  "  but  if  I  have  said  anything  to  offend  you,  O'Malley,  I  am  sin- 
cerely sorry  for  it." 

".That  will  do,  sir,"  said  I  with  a  look  of  royal  condescension  at 
the  amende  I  considered  as  somewhat  late  in  coming,  and  resumed 
my  seat. 

This  little  intermezzo,  it  might  be  supposed,  was  rather  calculated 
to  interrupt  the  harmony  of  our  evening :  not  so,  however.  I  had 
apparently  acquitted  myself  like  a  hero,  and  was  evidently  in  a 
white  heat,  in  which  I  could  be  fashioned  into  any  shape.  Sparks  was 
humbled  so  far,  that  he  would  probably  feel  it  a  relief  to  make  any 
proposition  ;  so  that  by  our  opposite  courses,  we  had  both  arrived  at 
a  point  at  which  all  the  dexterity  and  address  of  the  family  had  been 
long  since  aiming  without  success.  Conversation  then  resumed  its 
flow,  and  in  a  few  minutes  every  trace  of  our  late  fracas  had  disap- 
peared. 

By  degrees  I  felt  myself  more  and  more  disposed  to  turn  my 
attention  towards  Matilda,  and  dropping  my  voice  into  a  lower  tone, 
opened  a  flirtation  of  a  most  determined  kind.  Fanny  had,  mean- 
while, assumed  a  place  beside  Sparks,  and,  by  the  muttered  tones 


THE  SUPPER.  181 

that  passed  between  them,  I  could  plainly  perceive  they  were  simi- 
larly occupied.  The  Major  took  up  the  Southern  Reporter,  of  which 
he  appeared  deep  in  the  contemplation,  while  Mrs.  Dal  buried  her 
head  in  her  embroidery,  and  neither  saw  nor  heard  anything  around 
her. 

I  know,  unfortunately,  but  very  little  what  passed  between  myself 
and  my  fair  companion :  I  can  only  say  that  when  supper  was 
announced,  at  twelve  (an  hour  later  than  usual),  I  was  sitting  upon 
the  sofa,  with  my  arm  round  her  waist,  my  cheek  so  close,  that 
already  her  lovely  tresses  brushed  my  forehead,  and  her  breath 
fanned  my  burning  brow. 

"  Supper  at  last,"  said  the  Major,  with  a  loud  voice,  to  arouse  us 
from  our  trance  of  happiness,  without  taking  any  mean  opportunity 
of  looking  unobserved.  "Supper,  Sparks:  O'Malley,  come  now — 
it  will  be  some  time  before  we  all  meet  this  way  again." 

"  Perhaps  not  so  long,  after  all,"  said  I,  knowingly. 

"  Very  likely  not,"  echoed  Sparks,  in  the  same  key. 

"  I've  proposed  for  Fanny,"  said  he,  whispering  in  my  ear. 

"Matilda's  mine,"  replied  I,  with  the  look  of  an  emperor. 

"A  word  with  you,  Major,"  said  Sparks,  his  eye  flashing  with  en- 
thusiasm, and  his  cheek  scarlet — "  one  word  :  I'll  not  detain  you." 

They  withdrew  into  a  corner  for  a  few  seconds,  during  which 
Mrs.  Dalrymple  amused  herself  by  wondering  what  the  secret 
could  be  ;  why  Mr.  Sparks  couldn't  tell  her ;  and  Fanny,  meanwhile, 
pretended  to  look  for  something  at  a  side-table,  and  never  turned 
her  head  round. 

"  Then  give  me  your  hand,"  said  the  Major,  a«  he  shook  Sparks's 
with  a  warmth  of  whose  sincerity  there  could  be  no  question. 
"  Bess,  my  love,"  said  he,  addressing  his  wife ;  the  remainder  was 
lost  in  a  whisper;  but  whatsoever  it  was,  it  evidently  redounded  to 
Sparks's  credit,  for  the  next  moment  a  repetition  of  the  hand-shaking 
took  place,  and  Sparks  looked  the  happiest  of  men. 

11 A  mon  tour"  thought  I,  "now,"  as  I  touched  the  Major's  arm, 
and  led  him  towards  the  window.  What  I  said  may  be  one  day 
matter  for  Major  Dalrymple's  memoirs,  if  he  ever  writes  them  ;  but 
for  my  part,  I  have  not  the  least  idea.  I  only  know  that,  while  I 
was  yet  speaking,  he  called  over  Mrs.  Dal,  who,  in  a  frenzy  of  joy, 
seized  me  in  her  arms  and  embraced  me.  After  which,  I  kissed  her, 
shook  hands  with  the  Major,  kissed  Matilda's  hand,  and  laughed 
prodigiously,  as  though  I  had  done  something  confoundedly  droll — 
a  sentiment  evidently  participated  in  by  Sparks,  who  laughed  too, 
as  did  the  others,  and  a  merrier,  happier  party  never  sat  down  to 
supper. 

"  Make  your  company  pleased  with  themselves,"  says  Mr.  Walker, 


182  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

in  his  original  work  upon  dinner-giving,  "  and  everything  goes  on 
well."  Now,  Major  Dalrymple,  without  having  read  the  authority 
in  question,  probably  because  it  was  not  written  at  the  time,  under- 
stood the  principle  fully  as  well  as  the  police  magistrate,  and  cer- 
tainly was  a  proficient  in  the  practice  of  it. 

To  be  sure  he  possessed  one  grand  requisite  for  success — he  seemed 
most  perfectly  happy  himself.  There  was  that  air  dtgag6  about  him 
which,  when  an  old  man  puts  it  on  among  his  juniors,  is  so  very 
attractive.  Then  the  ladies,  too,  were  evidently  well  pleased ;  and 
the  usually  austere  mamma  had  relaxed  her  "  rigid  front"  into  a 
smile,  in  which  any  habitut  of  the  house  could  have  read  our  fate. 

We  ate,  we  drank,  we  ogled,  smiled,  squeezed  hands  beneath  the 
table,  and,  in  fact,  so  pleasant  a  party  had  rarely  assembled  round  the 
Major's  mahogany.  As  for  me,  I  made  a  full  disclosure  of  the  most 
burning  love,  backed  by  a  resolve  to  marry  my  fair  neighbor,  and 
settle  upon  her  a  considerably  larger  part  of  my  native  county  than 
I  had  ever  even  ridden  over.  Sparks,  on  the  other  side,  had  opened 
his  fire  more  cautiously  ;  but  whether  taking  courage  from  my  bold- 
ness, or  perceiving  with  envy  the  greater  estimation  I  was  held  in, 
he  was  now  going  the  pace  fully  as  fast  as  myself,  and  had  com- 
menced explanations  of  his  intentions  with  regard  to  Fanny  that 
evidently  satisfied  her  friends.  Meanwhile,  the  wine  was  passing 
very  freely,  and  the  hints  half  uttered  an  hour  before  began  now  to 
be  more  openly  spoken  and  canvassed. 

Sparks  and  I  hob-nobbed  across  the  table,  and  looked  unspeak- 
able things  at  each  other;  the  girls  held  down  their  heads;  Mrs.  Dal 
wiped  her  eyes ;  and  the  Major  pronounced  himself  the  happiest 
father  in  Europe. 

It  was  now  wearing  late,  or  rather  early ;  some  gray  streaks  of 
dubious  light  were  faintly  forcing  their  way  through  the  half-closed 
curtains,  and  the  dread  thought  of  parting  first  presented  itself.  A 
cavalry  trumpet,  too,  at  this  moment  sounded  a  call  that  aroused  us 
from  our  trance  of  pleasure,  and  warned  us  that  our  moments  were 
few.  A  dead  silence  crept  over  all,  the  solemn  feeling  which  leave- 
taking  ever  inspires  was  uppermost,  and  none  spoke.  The  Major 
was  the  first  to  break  it. 

"  O'Malley,  my  friend,  and  you,  Mr.  Sparks,  I  must  have  a  word 
with  you,  boys,  before  we  part." 

"  Here  let  it  be,  then,  Major,"  said  I,  holding  his  arm  as  he  turned 
to  leave  the  room  ;  "  here,  now ;  we  are  all  so  deeply  interested,  no 
place  is  so  fit." 

"Well,  then,"  said  the  Major,  "as  you  desire  it,  now  that  I'm  to 
regard  you  both  in  the  light  of  my  sons-in-law — at  least,  as  pledged 
to  become  so — it  is  only  fair  as  respects " 


THE  SUPPER.  183 

"  I  sec — I  understand  perfectly,"  interrupted  I,  whose  passion  for 
conducting  the  whole  affair  myself  was  gradually  gaining  on  me. 
"  What  you  mean  is,  that  we  should  make  known  our  intentions 
before  some  mutual  friends  ere  we  part — eh,  Sparks?  eh,  Major?" 

"  Right,  my  boy — right  on  every  point." 

"Well,  then,  I  thought  of  all  that ;  and  if  you'll  just  send  your 
servant  over  to  my  quarters  for  our  Captain — he's  the  fittest  person, 
you  know,  at  such  a  time " 

"  How  considerate !"  said  Mrs.  Dalrymple. 

"How  perfectly  just  his  idea  is!"  said  the  Major. 

"  We'll,  then,  in  his  presence,  avow  our  present  and  unalterable 
determination  as  regards  your  fair  daughters ;  and  as  the  time  is 
short " 

Here  I  turned  towards  Matilda,  who  placed  her  arm  within  mine; 
Sparks  possessed  himself  of  Fanny's  hand,  while  the  Major  and  his 
wife  consulted  for  a  few  seconds. 

"  Well,  O'Malley,  all  you  propose  is  perfect.  Now,  then,  for  the 
Captain.     Who  shall  he  inquire  for  ?" 

"Oh,  an  old  friend  of  yours,"  said  I,  jocularly;  "you'll  be  glad  to 
see  him." 

"  Indeed !"  said  all  together. 

"  Oh  yes,  quite  a  surprise,  I'll  warrant  it." 

"  Who  can  it  be  ?  who  on  earth  is  it  ?" 

"You  can't  guess,"  added  I,  with  a  very  knowing  look;  "knew 
you  at  Corfu.  He  was  a  very  intimate  friend  indeed,  if  he  tell  the 
truth." 

A  look  of  something  like  embarrassment  passed  around  the  circle 
at  these  words,  while  I,  wishing  to  end  the  mystery,  resumed : 

"  Come,  then,  who  can  be  so  proper  for  all  parties,  at  a  moment 
like  this,  as  our  mutual  friend,  Captain  Power  ?" 

Had  a  shell  fallen  into  the  cold  grouse  pie  in  the  midst  of  us, 
scattering  death  and  destruction  on  every  side,  the  effect  could 
scarcely  have  been  more  frightful  than  that  my  last  words  produced. 
Mrs.  Dalrymple  fell  with  a  sough  upon  the  floor,  motionless  as  a 
corpse;  Fanny  threw  herself,  screaming,  upon  a  sofa;  Matilda  went 
off  into  strong  hysterics  upon  the  hearth-rug ;  while  the  Major,  after 
giving  me  a  look  a  maniac  might  have  envied,  rushed  from  the  room 
in  search  of  his  pistols,  with  a  most  terrific  oath  to  shoot  somebody, 
whether  Sparks  or  myself,  or  both  of  us,  on  his  return,  I  cannot  say. 
Fanny's  sobs  and  Matilda's  cries,  assisted  by  a  drumming  process 
by  Mrs.  Dai's  heels  upon  the  floor,  made  a  most  infernal  concert, 
and  effectually  prevented  anything  like  thought  or  reflection ;  and, 
in  all  probability,  so  overwhelmed  was  I  at  the  sudden  catastrophe 
I  had  so  innocently  caused,  I  should  have  waited  in  due  patience 


184  CHARLES  O'MALEEY. 

for  the  Major's  return,  had  not  Sparks  seized  my  arm,  and  cried 
out, — 

"  Eun  for  it,  O'Malley ;  cut  like  fun,  my  boy,  or  we're  done  for." 

"  Run — why  ? — what  for  ? — where  ?"  said  I,  stupefied  by  the  scene 
before  me. 

"  Here  he  is  !"  called  out  Sparks,  as,  throwing  up  the  window,  he 
sprang  out  upon  the  stone  sill,  and  leaped  into  the  street.  I  followed 
mechanically,  and  jumped  after  him,  just  as  the  Major  had  reached 
the  window.  A  ball  whizzed  by  me,  that  soon  determined  my  fur- 
ther movements ;  so  putting  on  all  speed.  I  flew  down  the  street, 
turned  the  corner,  and  regained  the  hotel  breathless  and  without  a 
hat,  while  Sparks  arrived  a  moment  later,  pale  a*  a  ghost,  and  trem- 
bling like  an  aspen-leaf. 

"  Safe,  by  Jove !"  said  Sparks,  throwing  himself  into  a  "chair,  and 
panting  for  breath. 

"  Safe  at  last,"  said  I,  without  well  knowing  why  or  for  what. 

"  You've  had  a  sharp  run  for  it  apparently,"  said  Power,  coolly, 
and  without  any  curiosity  as  to  the  cause ;  "  and,  now,  let  us  on 
board ;  there  goes  the  trumpet  again.  The  Skipper  is  a  surly  old 
fellow,  and  we  must  not  lose  his  tide  for  him."  So  saying,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  collect  his  cloaks,  cane,  &c,  and  get  ready  for  departure. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE  VOYAGE. 

WHEN  I  awoke  from  the  long,  sound  sleep  which  succeeded 
my  last  adventure,  I  had  some  difficulty  in  remembering 
where  I  was,  or  how  I  had  come  there.  From  my  narrow 
berth  I  looked  out  upon  the  now  empty  cabin,  and  at  length  some 
misty  and  confused  sense  of  my  situation  crept  slowly  over  me.  I 
opened  the  little  shutter  beside  me,  and  looked  out.  The  bold  head- 
lands of  the  southern  coast  were  frowning,  in  sullen  and  dark 
masses,  about  a  couple  of  miles  distant,  and  I  perceived  that  we 
were  going  fast  through  the  water,  which  was  beautifully  calm  and 
still.  I  now  looked  at  my  watch  ;  it  was  past  eight  o'clock ;  and 
as  it  must  evidently  be  evening,  from  the  appearance  of  the  sky,  I 
felt  that  I  had  slept  soundly  for  above  twelve  hours. 

In  the  hurry  of  departure,  the  cabin  had  not  been  set  to  rights, 
and  there  lay  every  species  of  lumber  and  luggage  in  all  imaginable 
confusion.     Trunks,  gun-cases,  baskets  of  eggs,  umbrellas,  hampers 


THE  VOYAGE.  185 

of  sea-store,  cloaks,  foraging-caps,  maps,  and  sword-belts,  were  scat- 
tered on  every  side — while  the  debris  of  a  dinner,  not  over  remark- 
able for  its  propriety  in  table  equipage,  added  to  the  ludicrous  effect. 
The  heavy  tramp  of  a  foot  overhead  denoted  the  step  of  some  one 
taking  his  short  walk  of  exercise ;  while  the  rough  voice  of  the 
Skipper,  as  he  gave  the  word  to  "  Go  about I"  all  convinced  me  that 
we  were  at  last  under  weigh,  and  off  to  "  the  wars." 

The  confusion  our  last  evening  on  shore  produced  in  my  brain 
was  such,  that  every  effort  I  made  to  remember  anything  about  it  only 
increased  my  difficulty,  and  I  felt  myself  in  a  web  so  tangled  and 
inextricable,  that  all  endeavors  to  escape  free  was  impossible.  Some- 
times I  thought  that  I  had  really  married  Matilda  Dalrymple ;  then 
I  supposed  that  the  father  had  called  me  out,  and  wounded  me  in  a 
duel ;  and  finally,  I  had  some  confused  notion  about  a  quarrel  with 
Sparks,  but  what  for,  when,  and  how  it  ended,  I  knew  not.  How 
tremendously  tipsy  I  must  have  been !  was  the  only  conclusion  I 
could  draw  from  all  these  conflicting  doubts  ;  and,  after  all,  it  was  the 
only  thing  like  fact  that  beamed  upon  my  mind.  How  I  had  come 
on  board  and  reached  my  berth,  was  a  matter  I  reserved  for  future 
inquiry,  resolving  that  about  the  real  history  of  my  last  night  on 
shore  I  would  ask  no  questions,  if  others  were  equally  disposed  to  let 
it  pass  in  silence. 

I  next  began  to  wonder  if  Mike  had  looked  after  all  my  luggage, 
trunks,  &c,  and  whether  he  himself  had  been  forgotten  in  our  hasty 
departure.  About  this  latter  point  I  was  not  destined  for  much 
doubt ;  for  a  well  known  voice,  from  the  foot  of  the  companion-lad- 
der, at  once  proclaimed  my  faithful  follower,  and  evidenced  his 
feelings  at  his  departure  from  his  home  and  country. 

Mr.  Free  was,  at  the  time  I  mention,  gathered  up  like  a  ball,  op- 
posite a  small,  low  window,  that  looked  upon  the  bluff  headlands 
now  fast  becoming  dim  and  misty  as  the  night  approached.  He  was 
apparently  in  low  spirits,  and  hummed  in  a  species  of  low,  droning 
voice,  the  following  ballad,  at  the  end  of  each  verse  of  which  came 
an  Irish  chorus,  which,  to  the  erudite  in  such  matters,  will  suggest 
the  air  of  Moddirederoo : — 

"  MICKEY  FREE'S  LAMENT. 

"  Then  fare  ye  well,  ould  Erin  dear ; 
To  part — my  heart  does  ache  well : 
From  Carrickfergus  to  Cape  Clear, 

I'll  never  see  your  equal. 
And  though  to  foreign  parts  we're  bound, 

Where  cannibals  may  ate  us, 
We'll  ne'er  forget  the  holy  ground 
Of  poteen  and  potatoes. 

Moddirederoo  aroo,  aroo,  &c. 


186  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  When  good  St.  Patrick  banished  frogs, 

And  shook  them  from  his  garment, 
He  never  thought  we'd  go  abroad, 

To  live  upon  such  varmint, 
Nor  quit  the  land  where  whisky  grew, 

To  wear  King  George's  button, 
Take  vinegar  for  mountain  dew, 

And  toads  for  mountain  mutton. 

Moddirederoo  aroo,  aroo,"  Ac. 

"  I  say,  Mike,  stop  that  confounded  keen,  and  tell  me  where  are 
we?" 

"  Off  the  ould  head  of  Kinsale,  sir." 

"  Where  is  Captain  Power  ?" 

"  Smoking  a  cigar  on  deck,  with  the  Captain,  sir." 

"And  Mr.  Sparks?" 

"  Mighty  sick  in  his  own  state-room.  Oh !  but  it's  himself  has 
enough  of  glory — bad  luck  to  it ! — by  this  time.  He'd  make  your 
heart  break  to  look  at  him." 

"  Who  have  you  got  on  board  besides  ?" 

"  The  Adjutant's  here,  sir,  and  an  old  gentleman  they  call  the 
Major." 

"Not  Major  Dalrymple?"  said  I,  starting  up  with  terror  at  the 
thought,  "  eh,  Mike  ?"  * 

"No,  sir,  another  Major;  his  name  is  Mulroon,  or  Mundoon,  or 
something  like  that." 

"  Monsoon,  you  son  of  a  lumper  potato,"  cried  out  a  surly,  gruff 
voice  from  a  berth  opposite,  " Monsoon.     Who's  at  the  other  side?" 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,  14th,"  said  I,  by  way  of  introduction.  •» 

"  My  service  to  you,  then,"  said  the  voice.  "  Going  to  join  your 
regiment  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  and  you — are  you  bound  on  a  similar  errand  ?" 

"  No,  Heaven  be  praised !  I'm  attached  to  the  Commissariat,  and 
only  going  to  Lisbon.     Have  you  had  any  dinner  ?" 

"  Not  a  morsel ;  have  you  ?" 

"No  more  than  yourself;  but  I  always  lie  by  for  three  or  four 
days  this  way,  till  I  get  used  to  the  confounded  rocking  and  pitch- 
ing ;  and,  with  a  little  grog  and  some  sleep,  get  over  the  time  gayly 
enough.      Steward,   another  tumbler  like  the  last;    there — very 

good — that  will  do.     Your  good  health,  Mr. what  was  it  you 

said  ?" 

"O'Malley." 

"  O'Malley — your  good  health — good  night."  And  so  ended  our 
brief  colloquy,  and  in  a  few  minutes  more,  a  very  decisive  snore 
pronounced  my  friend  to  be  fulfilling  his  precept  for  killing  the 
hours. 


THE  VOYAGE.  187 

I  now  made  the  effort  to  emancipate  myself  from  my  crib,  and  at 
last  succeeded  in  getting  on  the  floor,  where,  after  one  chassez  at  a 
small  looking-glass  opposite,  followed  by  a  very  impetuous  rush  at 
a  little  brass  stove,  in  which  I  was  interrupted  by  a  trunk,  and  laid 
prostrate,  I  finally  got  my  clothes  on,  and  made  my  way  to  the  deck. 
Little  attuned  as  was  my  mind  at  the  moment  to  admire  anything 
like  scenery,  it  was  impossible  to  be  unmoved  by  the  magnificent 
prospect  before  me.  It  was  a  beautiful,  evening  in  summer ;  the  sun 
had  set  above  an  hour  before,  leaving  behind  him  in  the  west  one 
vast  arch  of  rich  and  burnished  gold,  stretching  along  the  whole 
horizon,  and  tipping  all  the  summits  of  the  heavy  rolling  sea,  as  it 
rolled  on,  unbroken  by  foam  or  ripple,  in  vast  moving  mountains 
from  the  far  coast  of  Labrador.  We  were  already  in  blue  water, 
though  the  bold  cliffs  that  were  to  form*  our  departing  point  were 
but  a  few  miles  to  leeward.  There  lay  the  lofty  bluff  of  Old  Kin- 
sale,  whose  crest,  overhanging,  peered  from  a  summit  of  some  hun- 
dred feet  into  the  deep  water  that  swept  its  rocky  base,  many  a 
tangled  lichen  and  straggling  bough  trailing  in  the  flood  beneath. 
Here  and  there,  upon  the  coast,  a  twinkling  gleam  proclaimed  the 
hut  of  a  fisherman,  whose  swift  hookers  had  more  than  once  shot 
by  us,  and  disappeared  in  a  moment.  The  wind,  which  began  to 
fall  at  sunset,  freshened  as  the  moon  rose  ;  and  the  good  ship,  bend- 
ing to  the  breeze,  lay  gently  over,  and  rushed  through  the  water  with 
a  sound  of  gladness.  I  was  alone  upon  the  deck ;  Power  and  the 
Captain,  whom  I  expected  to  have  found,  had  disappeared  somehow, 
and  I  was,  after  all,  not  sorry  to  be  left  to  my  own  reflections  unin- 
terrupted. 

My  thoughts  turned  once  more  to  my  home — to  my  first,  my  best, 
earliest  friend,  whose  hearth  I  had  rendered  lonely  and  desolate, 
and  my  heart  sunk  within  me  as  I  remembered  it.  How  deeply  I 
reproached  myself  for  the  selfish  impetuosity  with  which  I  had  ever 
followed  any  rising  fancy,  any  new  and  sudden  desire,  and  never 
thought  of  him  whose  every  hope  was  in,  whose  every  wish  was  for 
me.  Alas  I  my  poor  uncle!  how  gladly  would  I  resign  every  pros- 
pect my  soldier's  life  may  hold  out,  with  all  its  glittering  promise, 
and  all  the  flattery  of  success,  to  be  once  more  beside  you ;  to  feel 
your  warm  and  manly  grasp;  to  see  your  smile;  to  hear  your  voice; 
to  be  again  where  all  our  best  feelings  are  born  and  nurtured,  our 
cares  assuaged,  our  joys  more  joyed  in,  and  our  griefs  more  wept — 
at  home !  These  very  words  have  more  music  to  my  ears  than  all 
the  softest  strains  that  ever  syren  sung.  They  bring  us  back  to  all 
we  have  loved,  by  ties  that  are  never  felt  but  through  such  simple 
associations.  And  in  the  earlier  memories  called  up,  our  childish 
feelings   come  back  once  more  to  visit  us,  like  better  spirits,  as 


188  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

we  walk  amid  the  dreary  desolation  that  years  of  care  and  un~ 
easiness  have  spread  around  us. 

Wretched  must  be  he  who  ne'er  has  felt  such  bliss ;  and  thrice 
happy  he  who,  feeling  it,  knows  that  still  there  lives  for  him  that 
same  early  home,  with  all  its  loved  inmates,  its  every  dear  and  de- 
voted object  waiting  his  coming,  and  longing  for  his  approach. 

Such  were  my  thoughts  as  I  stood  gazing  at  the  bold  line  of  coast 
now  gradually  growing  more  and  more  dim  while  evening  fell,  and 
we  continued  to  stand  farther  out  to  sea.  So  absorbed  was  I  all  this 
time  in  my  reflections,  that  I  never  heard  the  voices  which  now  sud- 
denly burst  upon  my  ears  quite  close  beside  me.  I  turned,  and  saw 
for  the  first  time  that  at  the  end  of  the  quarter-deck  stood  what  is 
called  a  roundhouse,  a  small  cabin,  from  which  the  sound  in  ques- 
tion proceeded.  I  walked  gently  forward,  and  peeped  in,  and  cer- 
tainly anything  more  in  contrast  with  my  late  reverie  need  not  be 
conceived.  There  sat  the  Skipper,  a  bluff,  round-faced,  jolly-looking 
little  tar,  mixing  a  bowl  of  punch  at  the  table,  at  which  sat  my 
friend  Power,  the  Adjutant,  and  a  tall,  meagre-looking  Scotchman, 
whom  I  once  met  in  Cork,  and  heard  that  he  was  the  doctor  of  some 
infantry  regiment.  Two  or  three  black  bottles,  a  paper  of  cigars, 
and  a  tallow  candle,  were  all  the  table  equipage  ;  but,  certainly,  the 
party  seemed  not  to  want  for  spirits  and  fun,  to  judge  from  the 
hearty  bursts  of  laughter  that  every  moment  pealed  forth,  and  shook 
the  little  building  that  held  them.  Power,  as  usual  with  him, 
seemed  to  be  taking  the  lead,  and  was  evidently  amusing  himself 
with  the  peculiarities  of  his  companions. 

"  Come,  Adjutant,  fill  up.  Here's  to  the  campaign  before  us ;  we, 
at  least,  have  nothing  but  pleasure  in  the  anticipation, — no  lovely 
wife  behind — no  charming  babes  to  fret,  and  be  fretted  for,  eh?" 

"  Vara  true,"  said  the  Doctor,  who  was  mated  with  a  tartar.  "  Ye 
maun  hae  less  regrets  at  leavin'  hame ;  but  a  married  man  is  no' 
entirely  denied  his  ain  consolations." 

"Good  sense  in  that,"  said  the  Skipper;  "a  wide  berth  and 
plenty  of  sea-room  are  not  bad  things  now  and  then." 

"  Is  that  your  experience  also?"  said  Power,  with  a  knowing  look. 
"  Come,  come,  Adjutant,  we're  not  so  ill  off,  you  see  ;  but,  by  Jove, 
I  can't  imagine  how  it  is  a  man  ever  comes  to  thirty  without  having 
at  least  one  wife — without  counting  his  colonial  possessions,  of 
course." 

"Yes,"  said  the  Adjutant,  with  a  sigh,  as  he  drained  his  glass  to 
the  bottom.  "It  is  devilish  strange — woman,  lovely  woman!" 
Here  he  filled  and  drank  again,  as  though  he  had  been  proposing  a 
toast  for  his  own  peculiar  drinking. 

"  I  say,  now,"  resumed  Power,  catching  at  once  that  there  was 


THE  VOYAGE.  189 

something  working  in  his  mind — "  I  say,  now,  how  happened  it 
that  you,  a  right  good-looking,  soldier-like  fellow,  that  always  made 
his  way  among  the  fair  ones,  with  that  confounded  roguish  eye  and 
slippery  tongue — how  the  deuce  did  it  come  to  pass  that  you  never 
married?" 

"  I've  been  more  than  once  on  the  verge  of  it,"  said  the  Adjutant, 
smiling  blandly  at  the  flattery. 

"  And  nae  bad  notion  yours  just  to  stay  there,"  said  the  Doctor,! 
with  a  very  peculiar  contortion  of  countenance. 

"  No  pleasing  you — no  contenting  a  fellow  like  you,"  said  Power, 
returning  to  the  charge;  "that's  the  thing;  you  get  a  certain 
ascendency ;  you  have  a  kind  of  success  that  renders  you,  as  the 
French  say,  tele  montee,  and  you  think  no  woman  rich  enough,  or 
good-looking  enough,  or  high  enough." 

"  No ;  by  Jove,  you're  wrong,"  said  the  Adjutant,  swallowing  the 
baifr,  hook  and  all — "  quite  wrong  there ;  for,  somehow,  all  my  life  I 
was  decidedly  susceptible.  Not  that  I  cared  much  for  your  blush- 
ing sixteen,  or  budding  beauties  in  white  muslin,  fresh  from  a  back- 
board and  a  governess ;  no,  my  taste  inclined  rather  to  the  more 
sober  charms  of  two  or  three-and-thirty — the  embonpoint,  a  good  foot 
and  ankle,  a  sensible  breadth  about  the  shoulders " 

"  Somewhat  Dutch-like,  I  take  it,"  said  the  Skipper,  puffing  out 
a  volume  of  smoke ;  "  a  little  bluff  in  the  bows,  and  great  stowage, 
eh?" 

"  You  leaned,  then,  towards  the  widows  ?"  said  Power. 

"  Exactly.  I  confess  a  widow  always  was  my  weakness.  There 
was  something  I  ever  liked  in  the  notion  of  a  woman  who  had  got 
over  all  the  awkward  girlishness  of  early  years,  and  had  that  self- 
possession  which  habit  and  knowledge  of  the  world  confer,  and 
knew  enough  of  herself  to  understand  what  she  really  wished,  and 
where  she  would  really  go." 

"  Like  the  trade  winds,"  puffed  the  Skipper. 

"  Then,  as  regards  fortune,  they  have  a  decided  superiority  over 
the  spinster  class.  I  defy  any  man  breathing — let  him  be  half 
police  magistrate,  half  chancellor-^to  find  out  the  figure  of  a  young 
lady's  dower.  On  your  first  introduction  to  the  house,  some  kind 
friend  whispers,  'Go  it,  old  boy;  forty  thousand — not  a  penny  less.'. 
A  few  weeks  later,  as  the  siege  progresses,  a  maiden  aunt,  disposed 
to  puffing,  comes  down  to  twenty;  this  diminishes  again  one-half; 
but  then  '  the  money  is  in  bank  stock,  hard  Three-and-a-Half.'  You 
go  a  little  further,  and  as  you  sit  one  day  over  your  wine  with  papa, 
he  certainly  promulgates  the  fact  that  his  daughter  has  five  thou- 
sand pounds,  two  of  which  turn  out  to  be  in  Mexican  bonds  and 
three  in  an  Irish  mortgage." 


190  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Happy  for  yon,"  interrupted  Tower,  "that  it  be  not  in  Oahvay, 
where  a  proposal  to  foreelose  would  be  a  signal  for  your  being  called 
out,  and  shot  without  benefit  of  clergy." 

"  Bad  luck  to  it,  for  Gal  way,"  said  the  Adjutant.  "  I  was  nearly 
taken  in  there  once  to  marry  a  girl  that  her  brother-in-law  swore 
had  eight  hundred  a  year,  and  it  came  out  afterwards  that  so  she 
had,  but  it  was  for  one  year  only ;  and  he  challenged  me  for  doubt- 
ing his  word  too." 

"  There's  an  old  formula  for  finding  out  an  Irish  fortune,"  says 
Power,  "  worth  all  the  algebra  they  ever  taught  in  Trinity.  Take 
the  half  of  the  assumed  sum,  and  divide  it  by  three  ;  the  quotient 
will  be  a  flattering  representative  of  the  figure  sought  for." 

"  Not  in  the  north,"  said  the  Adjutant  firmly — "  not  in  the  north, 
Power ;  they  are  all  well  off  there.  There's  a  race  of  canny,  thrifty, 
half-Scotch  niggers — your  pardon,  Doctor,  they  are  all  Irish — linen - 
weaving,  Presbyterian,  yarn-factoring,  long-nosed,  hard-drinking 
fellows,  that  lay  by  rather  a  snug  thing  now  and  then.  Do  you 
know,  I  was  very  near  it  once  in  the  north.  I've  half  a  mind  to  tell 
you  the  story,  though  perhaps  you'll  laugh  at  me." 

The  whole  party  at  once  protested  that  nothing  could  induce  them 
to  deviate  so  widely  from  the  line  of  propriety ;  and  the  Skipper 
having  mixed  a  fresh  bowl,  and  filled  all  the  glasses  round,  the 
cigars  were  lighted,  and  the  Adjutant  began. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

THE  ADJUTANT'S  STORY — LIFE   IN  DERBY. 

IT  is  now  about  eight,  maybe  ten,  years  since  we  were  ordered 
to  march  from  Belfast,  and  take  up  our  quarters  in  London- 
derry. We  had  not  been  more  than  a  few  weeks  altogether  in 
Ulster  when  the  order  came ;  and  as  we  had  been  for  the  preceding 
two  years  doing  duty  in  the  south  and  west,  we  concluded  that  the 
island  was  tolerably  the  same  in  all  parts.  We  opened  our  cam- 
paign in  the  maiden  city,  exactly  as  we  had  been  doing  with  '  un- 
paralleled success'  in  Cashel,  Fermoy,  Tuam,  &c. — that  is  to  say, 
we  announced  garrison  balls  and  private  theatricals ;  offered  a  cup 
to  be  run  for  in  steeple-chase  ;  turned  out  a  four-in-hand  drag,  with 
mottled  grays,  and  brought  over  two  Deal  boats  to  challenge  the 
north." 

"The  18th  found  the  place  stupid,"  said  his  companions. 

"To  be  sure  they  did  ;  slow  fellows  like  them  must  find  any  place 


THE  ADJUTANT'S  STORY— LIFE  IN  DERRY.  191 

stupid.  No  dinners ;  but  they  gave  none.  No  fun ;  but  they  had 
none  in  themselves,  In  fact,  we  knew  better.  We  understood  how 
the  thing  was  to  be  done,  and  resolved  that  as  a  mine  of  rich  ore 
lay  unworked,  it  was  reserved  for  us  to  produce  the  shining  metal 
that  others,  less  discerning,  had  failed  to  discover.  Little  we  knew 
of  the  matter ;  never  was  there  a  blunder  like  ours.  Were  you  ever 
in  Deny?" 

"  Never,"  said  the  three  listeners. 

"  Well,  then,  let  me  inform  you  that  the  place  has  its  own  pecu- 
liar features.  In  the  first  place,  all  the  large  towns  in  the  south  and 
west  have,  besides  the  country  neighborhood  that  surrounds  them, 
a  certain  sprinkling  of  gentlefolk,  who,  though  with  small  fortunes 
and  not  much  usage  of  the  world,  are  still  a  great  accession  to 
society,  and  make  up  the  blank  which,  even  in  the  most  thickly- 
peopled  country,  would  be  sadly  felt  without  them.  Now,  in  Derry 
there  is  none  of  this.  After  the  great  guns — and,  per  Baccho  !  what 
great  guns  they  are ! — you  have  nothing  but  the  men  engaged  in  com- 
merce— sharp,  clever,  shrewd,  well-informed  fellows.  They  are  deep 
in  flaxseed,  cunning  in  molasses,  and  not  to  be  excelled  in  all  that 
pertains  to  coffee,  sassafras,  cinnamon,  gum,  oakum,  and  elephants' 
teeth.  The  place  is  a  rich  one,  and  the  spirit  of  commerce  is  felt 
throughout  it..  Nothing  is  cared  for,  nothing  is  talked  of,  nothing 
alluded  to  that  does  not  bear  upon  this;  and,  in  fact,  if  you  haven't 
a  venture  in  Smyrna  figs,  Memel  timber,  Dutch  dolls,  or  some  such 
commodity,  you  are  absolutely  nothing,  and  might  as  well  be  at  a 
ball  with  a  cork  leg,  or  go  deaf  to  the  opera ! 

"  Now,  when  I've  told  thus  much,  I  leave  you  to  guess  what  im- 
pression our  triumphal  entry  into  the  city  produced.  Instead  of  the 
admiring  crowds  that  awaited  us  elsewhere,  as  we  marched  gayly 
into  quarters,  here  we  saw  nothing  but  grave,  sober-looking,  and  (I 
confess  it)  intelligent-looking  faces,  that  scrutinized  our  appearance 
closely  enough,  but  evidently  with  no  great  approval,  and  less 
enthusiasm.  The  men  passed  on  hurriedly  to  the  counting-houses 
and  the  wharfs ;  the  women,  with  almost  as  little  interest,  peeped  at 
us  from  the  windows,  and  walked  away  again.  Oh,  how  we  wished 
for  Galway — glorious  Galway !  that  paradise  of  the  infantry,  that 
lies  west  of  the  Shannon.  Little  we  knew,  as  we  ordered  the  band, 
in  lively  anticipation  of  the  gayeties  before  us,  to  strike  up  '  Payne's 
first  set,'  that,  to  the  ears  of  the  fair  listeners  in  Ship  Quay  street, 
the  rumble  of  a  sugar  hogshead  or  the  creak  of  a  weighing  crane 
was  more  delightful  music." 

?!  By  Jove !"  interrupted  Power,  "  you  are  quite  right.  Women 
are  strongly  imitative  in  their  tastes.  The  lovely  Italian,  whose  very 
costume  is  a  natural  following  of  a  Raphael,  is  no  more  like  the 


l::2  CHARLES  O'MALLEV. 

pretty  Liverpool  damsel  than  Genoa  is  to  Glasnevin  ;  and  yet  what 
the  deuce  have  they,  dear  souls !  with  their  feet  upon  a  soft  carpet, 
and  their  eyes  upon  the  pages  of  Scott  or  Byron,  to  do  with  all  the 
cotton  or  dimity  that  ever  was  printed?  But  let  us  not  repine: 
that  very  plastic  character  is  our  greatest  blessing." 

"  I'm  not  so  sure  that  it  always  exists,"  said  the  Doctor,  dubiously, 
as  though  his  own  experience  pointed  otherwise. 

"  Well,  go  ahead !"  said  the  Skipper,  who  evidently  disliked  the 
digression  thus  interrupting  the  Adjutant's  story. 

"  Well,  we  marched  along,  looking  right  and  left  at  the  pretty 
faces- — and  there  were  plenty  of  them,  too — that  a  momentary  curi- 
osity drew  to  the  windows ;  but,  although  we  smiled,  and  ogled,  and 
leered,  as  only  a  newly-arrived  regiment  can  smile,  ogle,  or  leer,  by 
all  that's  provoking,  we  might  as  well  have  wasted  our  blandish- 
ments upon  the  Presbyterian  meeting-house  that  frowned  upon  us 
with  its  high-pitched  roof  and  round  windows. 

" '  Droll  people,  these,'  said  one ;  '  Kayther  rum  ones/  cried  an- 
other ;  '  The  black  north,  by  Jove !'  said  a  third  :  and  so  we  went 
along  to  the  barracks,  somewhat  displeased  to  think  that,  though  the 
18th  were  slow,  they  might  have  met  their  match. 

"  Disappointed,  as  we  undoubtedly  felt,  at  the  little  enthusiasm 
that  marked  our  entr4e,  we  still  resolved  to  persist  in  our  original 
plan,  and,  accordingly,  early  the  following  morning,  announced  our 
intention  of  giving  amateur  theatricals.  The  Mayor,  who  called 
upon  our  Colonel,  was  the  first  to  learn  this,  and  received  the  infor- 
mation with  pretty  much  the  same  kind  of  look  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury  might  be  supposed  to  assume  if  requested  by  a  friend  to 
ride  '  a  Derby.'  The  incredulous  expression  of  the  poor  man's  face 
as  he  turned  from  one  of  us  to  the  other,  evidently  canvassing  in  his 
mind  whether  we  might  not,  by  some  special  dispensation  of  Provi- 
dence, be  all  insane,  I  shall  never  forget. 

"His  visit  was  a  very  short  one;  whether  concluding  that  we 
were  not  quite  safe  company,  or  whether  our  notification  was  too 
much  for  his  nerves,  I  know  not. 

"  We  were  not  to  be  baulked,  however ;  our  schemes  for  gayety, 
long  planned  and  conned  over,  were  soon  announced  in  all  form ; 
and  though  we  made  efforts  almost  superhuman  in  the  cause,  our 
plays  were  performed  to  empty  benches,  our  balls  were  unattended, 
our  picnic  invitations  politely  declined,  and,  in  a  word,  all  our  ad- 
vances treated  with  a  cold  and  chilling  politeness,  that  plainly  said, 
'  We'll  none  of  you.' 

"  Each  day  brought  some  new  discomfiture,  and  as  we  met  at  mess, 
instead  of  having,  as  heretofore,  some  prospect  of  pleasure  and 
amusement  to  chat  over,  it  was  only  to  talk  gloomily  over  our 


•       THE  ADJUTANT'S  STORY— LIFE  IN  DERRY.  193 

miserable  failures,  and  lament  the  dreary  quarters  that  our  fates  had 
doomed  us  to. 

"Some  months  wore  on  in  this  fashion,  and  at  length — what  will 
not  time  do? — we  began  by  degrees  to  forget  our  woes.  Some  of  us 
took  to  late  hours  and  brandy-and-water ;  others  got  sentimental, 
and  wrote  journals,  and  novels,  and  poetry ;  some  made  acquaint- 
ances among  the  townspeople,  and  cut  in  to  a  quiet  rubber  to  pass 
the  evening;  while  another  detachment,  among  which  I  was,  got  up 
a  little  love  affair  to  while  away  the  tedious  hours,  and  cheat  the 
lazy  sun. 

"  I  have  already  said  something  of  my  taste  in  beauty  ;  now,  Mrs. 
Boggs  was  exactly  the  style  of  woman  I  fancied.  She  was  a  widow ; 
she  had  black  eyes — not  your  jet-black,  sparkling,  Dutch-doll  eyes, 
that  roll  about  and  twinkle,  but  mean  nothing — no;  hers  had  a  soft, 
subdued,  downcast,  pensive  look  about  them,  and  were  fully  as 
melting  a  pair  of  orbs  as  any  blue  eyes  you  ever  looked  at. 

"  Then  she  had  a  short  upper  lip,  and  sweet  teeth  ;  by  Jove,  they 
were  pearls !  and  she  showed  them,  too,  pretty  often.  Her  figure 
was  well  rounded,  plump,  and  what  the  French  call  nette.  To  com- 
plete all,  her  instep  and  ankle  were  unexceptionable;  and  lastly,  her 
jointure  was  seven  hundred  pounds  per  annum,  with  a  trifle  of  eight 
thousand  more,  that  the  late  lamented  Boggs  bequeathed,  when,  after 
four  months  of  uninterrupted  bliss,  he  left  Derry  for  another  world. 

"  When  chance  first  threw  me  in  the  way  of  the  fair  widow,  some 
casual  coincidence  of  opinion  happened  to  raise  me  in  her  estima- 
tion, and  I  soon  afterwards  received  an  invitation  to  a  small  even- 
ing party  at  her  house,  to  which  I  alone  of  the  regiment  was  asked. 

"I  shall  not  weary  you  with  the  details  of  my  intimacy;  it  is 
enough  that  I  tell  you  I  fell  desperately  in  love.  I  began  by  visit- 
ing twice  or  thrice  a  week,  and  in  less  than  two  months  spent  every 
morning  at  her  house,  and  rarely  left  it  till  the  '  Eoast  Beef  an- 
nounced mess. 

"  I  soon  discovered  the  widow's  cue ;  she  was  serious.  Now,  I 
had  conducted  all  manner  of  flirtations  in  my  previous  life, — timid 
young  ladies,  manly  young  ladies,  musical,  artistical,  poetical,  and 
hysterical.  Bless  you,  I  knew  them  all  by  heart ;  but  never  before 
had  I  to  deal  with  a  serious  one,  and  a  widow  to  boot.  The  case 
was  a  trying  one.  For  some  weeks  it  was  all  very  up-hill  work ;  all 
the  red  shot  of  warm  affection  I  used  to  pour  in  on  other  occasions 
was  of  no  use  here.  The  language  of  love,  in  which  I  was  no  mean 
proficient,  availed  me  not.  Compliments  and  flattery,  those  rare 
shirmishers  before  the  engagement,  were  denied  me;  and  I  verily 
think  that  a  tender  squeeze  of  the  hand  would  have  cost  me  my  dis- 
missal, 
13 


194  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

" '  How  very  slow,  all  this !'  thought  I,  as,  at  the  end  of  two 
months' siege,  I  found  myself  seated  in  the  trenches,  and  not  a  single 
breach  in  the  fortress ;  '  but,  to  be  sure,  it's  the  way  they  have  in 
the  north,  and  one  must  be  patient.' 

"  While  thus  I  was  in  no  very  sanguine  frame  of  mind  as  to  my 
prospects,  in  reality  my  progress  was  very  considerable.  Having  be- 
come a  member  of  Mr.  M'Phun's  congregation,  I  was  gradually 
rising  in  the  estimation  of  the  widow  and  her  friends,  whom  my  con- 
stant attendance  at  meeting,  and  my  very  serious  demeanor,  had  so 
far  impressed,  that  very  grave  deliberation  was  held  whether  I  should 
not  be  made  an  elder  at  the  next  brevet. 

"  If  the  Widow  Boggs  had  not  been  a  very  lovely  and  wealthy 
widow, — had  she  not  possessed  the  eyes,  hips,  and  ankles,  and  joint- 
ure aforesaid, — I  honestly  avow  that  neither  the  charms  of  that 
sweet  man  Mr.  MThun's  eloquence,  not  even  the  flattering  distinc- 
tion in  store  for  me,  would  have  induced  me  to  prolong  my  suit. 
However,  I  was  not  going  to  despair  when  in  sight  of  land.  The 
widow  was  evidently  softened.  A  little  time  longer,  and  the  most 
scrupulous  moralist,  the  most  rigid  advocate  for  employing  time 
wisely,  could  not  have  objected  to  my  daily  system  of  courtship.  It 
was  none  of  your  sighing,  dying,  ogling,  hand-squeezing,  waist- 
pressing,  oath-swearing,  everlasting-adoring  affairs,  with  an  inter- 
change of  rings  and  lockets, — not  a  bit  of  it.  It  was  confoundedly 
like  a  controversial  meeting  at  the  Eotundo,  and  I  myself  had  a 
far  greater  resemblance  to  Father  Tom  Maguire  than  a  gay  Lo- 
thario. 

"  After  all,  when  mess-time  came,  when  the  '  Roast  Beef  played 
and  we  assembled  at  dinner,  and  the  soup  and  fish  had  gone  round, 
with  two  glasses  of  sherry  in,  my  spirits  rallied,  and  a  very  jolly 
evening  consoled  me  for  all  my  fatigues  and  exertions,  and  supplied 
me  with  energy  for  the  morrow ;  for  let  me  observe  here  that  I 
only  made  love  before  dinner.  The  evenings  I  reserved  for  myself, 
assuring  Mrs.  Boggs  that  my  regimental  duties  required  all  my  time 
after  mess  hour,  in  which  I  was  perfectly  correct ;  for  at  six  we 
dined  ;  at  seven  I  opened  the  claret  No.  1 ;  at  eight  I  had  uncorked 
my  second  bottle ;  by  half-past  eight  I  was  returning  to  the  sherry ; 
and  at  ten,  punctual  to  the  moment,  I  was  repairing  to  my  quarters 
on  the  back  of  my  servant,  Tim  Daly,  who  had  carried  me  safely 
for  eight  years,  without  a  single  mistake,  as  the  fox-hunters  say. 
This  was  a  way  we  had  in  the  — th.  Every  man  was  carried  away 
from  mess,  some  sooner,  some  later.  I  was  always  an  early  riser, 
and  went  betimes. 

•  "Now,  although  I  had  very  abundant  proof,  from  circumstantial 
evidence,  that  I  was  nightly  removed  from  the  mess-room  to  my  bed 


THE  ADJUTANT'S  STORY— LIFE  IN  DERRY.  195 

in  the  mode  I  mention,  it  would  have  puzzled  me  sorely  to  prove  the 
fact  in  any  direct  way,  inasmuch  as  by  half-past  nine,  as  the  clock 
chimed  and  Tim  entered  to  take  me,  I  was  very  innocent  of  all  that 
was  going  on,  and,  except  a  vague  sense  of  regret  at  leaving  the  de- 
canter, felt  nothing  whatever. 

"  It  so  chanced — what  mere  trifles  are  we  ruled  by  in  our  destiny  ! 
— that  just  as  my  suit  with  the  widow  had  assumed  its  most  favor- 
able footing,  old  General  Hinks,  that  commanded  the  district,  an- 
nounced his  coming  over  to  inspect  our  regiment.  Over  he  came 
accordingly,  and,  to  be  sure,  we  had  a  day  of  it.  We  were  paraded 
for  six  mortal  hours ;  then  we  were  marching  and  countermarching  ; 
moving  into  line ;  back  again  into  column ;  now  forming  open 
column,  then  into  square ;  till  at  last  we  began  to  think  that  the 
old  General  was  like  the  Flying  Dutchman,  and  was  probably  con- 
demned to  keep  on  drilling  us  to  the  day  of  judgment.  To  be  sure, 
he  enlivened  the  proceeding  to  me  by  pronouncing  the  regiment  the 
worst-drilled  and  appointed  corps  in  the  service,  and  the  Adjutant 
(me !)  the  stupidest  dunderhead — those  were  his  words — he  had  ever 
met  with. 

"  ?  Never  mind/  thought  I ;  '  a  few  days  more,  and  it's  little  I'll 
care  for  the  eighteen  manoeuvres.  It's  small  trouble  your  eyes  right, 
or  your  left  shoulders  forward,  will  give  me.  I'll  sell  out,  and  with 
the  Widow  Boggs  and  seven  hundred  a  year — but  no  matter.' 

"  This  confounded  inspection  lasted  till  half-past  five  in  the  after- 
noon, so  that  our  mess  was  delayed  a  full  hour  in  consequence,  and 
it  was  past  seven  as  we  sat  down  to  dinner.  Our  faces  were  grim 
enough  as  we  met  together  at  first ;  but  what  will  not  a  good  dinner 
and  good  wine  do  for  the  surliest  party  ?  By  eight  o'clock  we  began 
to  feel  somewhat  more  convivially  disposed ;  and  before  nine  the 
decanters  were  performing  a  quickstep  round  the  table,  in  a  fashion 
very  exhilarating  and  very  jovial  to  look  at. 

" '  No  flinching  to-night,'  said  the  senior  Major.  '  We've  had  a 
severe  day  ;  let  us  also  have  a  merry  evening.' 

" '  By  Jove  I  Ormond,'  cried  another,  '  we  must  not  leave  this 
to-night.  Confound  the  old  humbugs  and  their  musty  whist  party ; 
throw  them  over.' 

"'I  say,  Adjutant,'  said  Forbes,  addressing  me,  ' you've  nothing 
particular  to  say  to  the  fair  widow  this  evening  ?  You'll  not  bolt, 
I  hope  ?' 

" '  That  he  shan't,'  said  one  near  me  ;  '  he  must  make  up  for  his 
absence  to-morrow,  for  to-night  we  all  stand  fast.' 

"  '  Besides,'  said  another,  '  she's  at  meeting  by  this.  Old — what- 
d'ye-call-him  ? — is  at  fourteenthly  before  now.' 

"  'A  note  for  you,  sir,'  said  the  mess  waiter,  presenting  me  with  a 


19G  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

rose-colored  three-cornered  billet.     It  was  from  la  chlre  Boggs  her- 
self, and  ran  thus : — 

"  '  Dear  Sir  : — Mr.  M'Phun  and  a  few  friends  are  coming  to  tea 
at  my  house  after  meeting ;  perhaps  you  will  also  favor  us  with  your 
company.  Yours  truly, 

"'Eliza  Boggs.' 

"  What  was  to  be  done?  Quit  the  mess — leave  a  jolly  party  just 
at  the  jolliest  moment — exchange  Lafitte  and  red  hermitage  for  a 
soiree  of  elders,  presided  over  by  that  sweet  man,  Mr.  M'Phun !  It 
was  too  bad !  But  then,  how  much  was  in  the  scale?  What  would 
the  widow  say  if  I  declined  ?  What  would  she  think  ?  I  well  knew 
that  the  invitation  meant  nothing  less  than  a  full-dress  parade  of 
me  before  her  friends,  and  that  to  decline  was  perhaps  to  forfeit  all 
my  hopes  in  that  quarter  forever. 

"  'Any  answer,  sir  ?'  said  the  waiter. 

"  '  Yes/  said  I,  in  a  half- whisper,  '  I'll  go — tell  the  servant  I'll 
go.' 

"At  this  moment  my  tender  epistle  was  subtracted  from  before 
me,  and,  ere  I  had  turned  round,  had  made  the  tour  of  half  the 
table.  I  never  perceived  the  circumstance,  however,  and  filling  my 
glass,  professed  my  resolve  to  sit  to  the  last,  with  a  mental  reserve 
to  take  my  departure  at  the  very  first  opportunity.  Ormond  and  the 
Paymaster  quitted  the  room  for  a  moment,  as  if  to  give  orders  for  a 
broil  at  twelve,  and  now  all  seemed  to  promise  a  very  convivial  and 
well-sustained  party  for  the  night. 

" '  Is  that  all  arranged  ?'  inquired  the  Major,  as  Ormond  entered. 

"  'All  right,'  said  he  ;  '  and  now  let  us  have  a  bumper  and  a  song. 
Adjutant,  old  boy,  give  us  a  chant.' 

'"What  shall  it  be,  then?'  inquired  I,  anxious  to  cover  my  in- 
tended retreat  by  an  appearance  of  joviality. 

"  '  Give  us — 

4  When  I  was  in  the  Fusiliers 
Some  fourteen  years  ago.' " 


a  ( 


No,  no ;  confound  it !  I've  heard  nothing  else  since  I  joined 
the  regiment.     Let  us  have  the  "  Paymaster's  Daughter." ' 

"  'Ah  !  that's  pathetic ;  I  like  that,'  lisped  a  young  ensign. 

"  '  If  I'm  to  have  a  vote/  grunted  out  the  senior  Major,  '  I  pro- 
nounce for  "  West  India  Quarters."  ' 

" '  Yes,  yes/  said  half  a  dozen  voices  together ;  '  let's  have  "  West 
India  Quarters."  Come,  give  him  a  glass  of  sherry,  and  let  him 
begin.' 

"  I  had  scarcely  finished  off  my  glass,  and  cleared  my  throat  for 


THE  ADJUTANT'S  ST  OR  Y—LIFE  IN  BEllll  Y.  197 

my  song,  when  the  clock  on  the  chimney-piece  chimed  half-past 
nine,  and  the  same  instant  I  felt  a  heavy  hand  fall  upon  my  shoulder. 
I  turned,  and  beheld  my  servant,  Tim.  This,  as  I  have  already 
mentioned,  was  the  hour  at  which  Tim  was  in  the  habit  of  taking 
me  home  to  my  quarters ;  and  though  we  had  dined  an  hour  later, 
he  took  no  notice  of  the  circumstance,  but,  true  to  his  custom,  he 
was  behind  my  chair.  A  very  cursory  glance  at  my  l  familiar'  was 
quite  sufficient  to  show  me  that  we  had  somehow  changed  sides ;  for 
Tim,  who  was  habitually  the  most  sober  of  mankind,  was  on  the 
present  occasion  exceedingly  drunk,  while  I,  a  full  hour  before  that 
consummation,  was  perfectly  sober. 

" '  What  d'ye  want,  sir  ?'  inquired  I,  with  something  of  severity  in 
my  manner. 

" '  Come  home,'  said  Tim,  with  a  hiccup  that  set  the  whole  table 
in  a  roar. 

"  '  Leave  the  room  this  instant,'  said  I,  feeling  wrath  at  being  thus 
made  a  butt  for  his  offences.  '  Leave  the  room,  or  I'll  kick  you  out 
of  it.'  Now,  this,  let  me  add,  in  a  parenthesis,  was  somewhat  of  a 
boast,  for  Tim  was  six  feet  three,  and  strong  in  proportion,  and,  when 
in  liquor,  fearless  as  a  tiger. 

" '  You'll  kick  me  out  of  the  room — eh  !  will  you  ?  Try — only  try 
it,  that's  all.'  Here  a  new  roar  of  laughter  burst  forth,  while  Tim, 
again  placing  an  enormous  paw  upon  my  shoulder,  continued,  '  Don't 
be  sitting  there,  making  a  baste  of  yourself,  when  you've  got  enough. 
Don't  you  see  you're  drunk  ?' 

"  I  sprang  to  my  legs  on  this,  and  made  a  rush  to  the  fireplace,  to 
secure  the  poker ;  but  Tim  was  beforehand  with  me,  and  seizing  me 
by  the  waist  with  both  hands,  flung  me  across  his  shoulder,  as  though 
I  were  a  baby,  saying,  at  the  same  time,  '  I'll  take  you  away  at  half- 
past  eight  to-morrow,  av  you're  as  rampageous  again.'  I  kicked,  I 
plunged,  I  swore,  I  threatened,  I  even  begged  and  implored  to  be 
set  down ;  but  whether  my  voice  was  lost  in  the  uproar  around  me, 
or  that  Tim  only  regarded  my  denunciations  in  the  light  of  cursing, 
I  know  not,  but  he  carried  me  bodily  down  the  stairs,  steadying  him- 
self by  one  hand  on  the  banisters,  while  with  the  other  he  held  me 
as  in  a  vice.  I  had  but  one  consolation  all  this  while  ;  it  was  this, 
that,  as  my  quarters  lay  immediately  behind  the  mess-room,  Tim's 
excursion  would  soon  come  to  an  end,  and  I  should  be  free  once 
more;  but  guess  my  terror  to  find  that  the  drunken  scoundrel,  in- 
stead of  going,  as  usual,  to  the  left,  turned  short  to  the  right  hand, 
and  marched  boldly  into  Ship  Quay  street.  Every  window  in  the 
mess-room  was  filled  with  our  fellows,  absolutely  shouting  with 
laughter.  \  Go  it,  Tim !— that's  the  fellow !— hold  him  tight !— never 
let  go !'  cried  a  dozen  voices ;  while  the  wretch,  with  the  tenacity  of 


198  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

drunkenness,  gripped  me  still  harder,  and  took  his  way  down  the 
middle  of  the  street. 

"  It  was  a  beautiful  evening  in  July,  a  soft  summer  night,  as  I 
made  this  pleasing  excursion  down  the  most  frequented  thoroughfare 
in  the  maiden  city;  my  struggles  every  moment  exciting- roars  of 
laughter  from  an  increasing  crowd  of  spectators,  who  seemed  scarcely 
less  amused  than  puzzled  at  the  exhibition.  In  the  midst  of  a  tor- 
rent of  imprecations  against  my  torturer,  a  loud  noise  attracted  me. 
I  turned  my  head,  and  saw — horror  of  horrors ! — the  door  of  the 
meeting-house  just  flung  open,  and  the  congregation  issuing  forth 
en  masse.  Is  it  any  wonder  if  I  remember  no  more?  There  I  was, 
the  chosen  one  of  the  Widow  Boggs — the  elder  elect — the  favored 
friend  and  admired  associate  of  Mr.  MThun,  taking  an  airing  on  a 
summer's  evening  on  the  back  of  a  drunken  Irishman.  Oh !  the 
thought  was  horrible ;  and,  certainly,  the  short  and  pithy  epithets 
by  which  I  was  characterized  in  the  crowd  neither  improved  my 
temper  nor  assuaged  my  wrath ;  and  I  feel  bound  to  confess  that 
my  own  language  was  neither  serious  nor  becoming.  Tim,  however, 
cared  little  for  all  this,  and  pursued  the  even  tenor  of  his  way 
through  the  whole  crowd,  nor  stopped  till,  having  made  half  the 
circuit  of  the  wall,  he  deposited  me  safe  at  my  own  door,  adding,  as 
he  set  me  down,  '  Oh !  av  you're  as  throublesome  every  evening,  it's 
a  wheelbarrow  I'll  be  obleeged  to  bring  for  you.' 

"  The  next  day  I  obtained  a  short  leave  of  absence,  and  ere  a 
fortnight  expired,  exchanged  into  the  — th,  preferring  Halifax  itself 
to  the  ridicule  that  awaited  me  in  Londonderry." 


CHAPTER     XXX. 

FRED  POWER'S  ADVENTURE  IN  PHILIPSTOWN. 

THE  lazy  hours  of  the  long  summer  day  crept  slowly  over.  The 
sea,  unbroken  by  foam  or  ripple,  shone  like  a  broad  blue 
mirror,  reflecting  here  and  there  some  fleecy  patches  of  snow- 
white  cloud,  as  they  stood  unmoved  in  the  sky.  The  good  ship 
rocked  to  and  fro  with  a  heavy  lumbering  motion ;  the  cordage 
rattled ;  the  bulkheads  creaked  ;  the  sails  flapped  lazily  against  the 
masts  ;  the  very  sea-gulls  seemed  to  sleep  as  they  rested  on  the  long 
swell  that  bore  them  along;  and  everything  in  sea  and  sky  bespoke 
the  calm.  No  sailor  trod  the  deck;  no  watch  was  stirring;  the 
very  tiller  ropes  were  deserted ;  and,  as  they  traversed  backward 


FRED  PO  WER'S  ADVENTURE  IN  PHIL  IPS  TO  WN.         199 

and  forward  with  every  roll  of  the  vessel,  told  that  we  had  no 
steerage  way,  and  lay  a  mere  log  upon  the  water. 

I  sat  alone  in  the  bow,  and  fell  into  a  musing  fit  upon  the  past 
and  the  future.  How  happily  for  us  is  it  ordained  that,  in  the  most 
stirring  existences,  there  are  every  here  and  there  such  little  rest- 
ing-spots  of  reflection,  from  which,  as  from  some  eminence,  we  look 
back  upon  the  road  we  have  been  treading  in  life,  and  cast  a  wistful 
glance  at  the  dark  vista  before  us !  When  first  we  set  upon  our 
worldly  pilgrimage,  these  are,  indeed,  precious  moments,  when,  with 
buoyant  heart  and  spirit  high,  believing  all  things,  trusting  all 
things,  our  very  youth  comes  back  to  us,  reflected  from  every  object 
we  meet,  and,  like  Narcissus,  we  are  but  worshipping  our  own 
image  in  the  water.  As  we  go  on  in  life,  the  cares,  the  anxieties, 
and  the  business  of  the  world,  engross  us  more  and  more,  and  such 
moments  become  fewer  and  shorter.  Many  a  bright  dream  has  been 
dissolved,  many  a  fairy  vision  replaced,  by  some  dark  reality ;  blighted 
hopes,  false  friendships,  have  gradually  worn  callous  the  heart  once 
alive  to  every  gentle  feeling,  and  time  begins  to  tell  upon  us.  Yet 
still,  as  the  well-remembered  melody  to  which  we  listened  with  de- 
light in  infancy  brings  to  our  mature  age  a  touch  of  early  years,  so 
will  the  very  association  of  these  happy  moments  recur  to  us  in  our 
reverie,  and  make  us  young  again  in  thought.  Then  it  is  that,  as 
we  look  back  upon  our  worldly  career,  we  become  convinced  how 
truly  is  the  child  the  father  of  the  man,  how  frequently  are  the  pro- 
jects of  our  manhood  the  fruit  of  some  boyish  predilection,  and 
that,  in  the  emulative  ardor  that  stirs  the  schoolboy's  heart,  we  may 
read  the  prestige  of  that  high  daring  that  makes  a  hero  of  its 
possessor. 

These  moments,  too,  are  scarcely  more  pleasurable  than  they  are 
salutary  to  us.  Disengaged  for  the  time  from  every  worldly  anxiety, 
we  pass  in  review  before  our  own  selves,  and  in  the  solitude  of  our 
own  hearts  are  we  judged.  That  still  small  voice  of  conscience,  un- 
heard and  unlistened  to  amid  the  din  and  bustle  of  life,  speaks 
audibly  to  us  now  •  and  while  chastened  on  one  side  by  regrets,  we 
are  sustained  on  the  other  by  some  approving  thought,  and,  with 
many  a  sorrow  for  the  past,  and  many  a  promise  for  the  future,  we 
begin  to  feel  "  how  good  it  is  for  us  to  be  here." 

The  evening  wore  later ;  the  red  sun  sank  down  upon  the  sea,  grow- 
ing larger  and  larger ;  the  long  line  of  mellow  gold  that  sheeted  along 
the  distant  horizon  grew  first  of  a  dark  ruddy  tinge,  then  paler  and 
paler,  till  it  became  almost  gray ;  a  single  star  shone  faintly  in  the 
east,  and  darkness  soon  set  in.  With  night  came  the  wind,  for 
almost  imperceptibly  the  sails  swelled  slowly  out,  a  slight  rustle  at 
the  bow  followed,  the  ship  lay  gently  over,  and  we  were  once  more 


200  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

in  motion.  It  struck  four  bells;  some  slight  resemblance  in  the 
sound  to  the  old  pendulum  that  marked  the  hour  at  my  uncle's 
house  startled  me,  so  that  I  actually  knew  not  where  I  was.  With 
lightning  speed  my  once  home  rose  up  before  me,  with  its  happy 
hearts.  The  old  familiar  faces  were  there ;  the  gay  laugh  was  in  my 
ears ;  there  sat  my  dear  old  uncle,  as  with  bright  eye  and  mellow 
voice  he  looked  a  very  welcome  to  his  guests ;  there  Boyle ;  there 
Considine;  there  the  grim-visaged  portraits  that  graced  the  old 
walls,  whose  black  oak  wainscot  stood  in  broad  light  and  shadow,  as 
the  blazing  turf  fire  shone  upon  it ;  there  was  my  own  place,  now 
vacant.  Methought  my  uncle's  eye  was  turned  towards  it,  and  that 
I  heard  him  say,  "  My  poor  boy  !  I  wonder  where  he  is  now !"  My 
heart  swelled  ;  my  chest  heaved  ;  the  tears  coursed  slowly  down  my 
cheeks,  as  I  asked  myself,  "Shall  I  ever  see  them  more?"  Oh!  how 
little,  how  very  little,  to  us  are  the  accustomed  blessings  of  our  life, 
till  some  change  has  robbed  us  of  them !  and  how  dear  are  they 
when  lost  to  us !  My  uncle's  dark  foreboding  that  we  should  never 
meet  again  on  earth  came,  for  the  first  time,  forcibly  to  my  mind, 
and  my  heart  was  full  to  bursting.  What  could  repay  me  for  the 
agony  of  that  moment,  as  I  thought  of  him — my  first,  my  best,  my 
only  friend — whom  I  had  deserted  ?  and  how  gladly  would  I  have 
resigned  my  bright  day-dawn  of  ambition  to  be  once  more  beside  his 
chair,  to  hear  his  voice,  to  see  his  smile,  to  feel  his  love  for  me !  A 
loud  laugh  from  the  cabin  roused  me  from  my  sad,  depressing 
reverie,  and  at  the  same  instant  Mike's  well-known  voice  informed 
me  that  the  Captain  was  looking  for  me  everywhere,  as  supper  was 
on  the  table.  Little  as  I  felt  disposed  to  join  the  party  at  such  a 
moment,  as  I  knew  there  was  no  escaping  Power,  I  resolved  to  make 
the  best  of  matters ;  so,  after  a  few  minutes,  I  followed  Mickey  down 
the  companion,  and  entered  the  cabin. 

The  scene  before  me  was  certainly  not  calculated  to  perpetuate 
depressing  thoughts.  At  the  head  of  a  rude,  old-fashioned  table, 
upon  which  figured  several  black  bottles,  and  various  ill-looking 
drinking  vessels  of  every  shape  and  material,  sat  Fred  Power ;  on 
his  right  was  placed  the  Skipper;  on  his  left  the  Doctor,  the 
bronzed,  merry-looking,  weather-beaten  features  of  the  one  contrast- 
ing ludicrously  with  the  pale,  ascetic,  acute-looking  expression  of 
the  other.  Sparks,  more  than  half-drunk,  with  the  mark  of  a  red- 
hot  cigar  upon  his  nether  lip,  was  lower  down ;  while  Major  Mon- 
soon, to  preserve  the  symmetry  of  the  party,  had  protruded  his 
head,  surmounted  by  a  huge  red  nightcap,  from  the  berth  oppo- 
site, and  held  out  his  goblet  to  be  replenished  from  the  punch- 
bowl. 

"Welcome,  thrice  welcome,  thou  man  of  Galway,"   cried  out 


FRED  PO  WEB'S  AD  VENTURE  IN  PHIL  IPS  TO  WN.         201 

Power,  as  he  pointed  to  a  seat,  and  pushed  a  wine-glass  towards  me. 
"  Just  in  time,  too,  to  pronounce  upon  a  new  brewing.  Taste  that ; 
a  little  more  of  the  lemon  you  would  say,  perhaps?  Well,  I  agree 
with  you ;  rum  and  brandy ;  Glenlivet  and  guava  jelly  ;  limes, 
green  tea,  and  a  slight  suspicion  of  preserved  ginger — nothing  else, 
upon  honor — and  the  most  simple  mixture  for  the  cure,  the  radical 
cure,  of  blue  devils  and  debt  I  know  of ;  eh,  Doctor  ?  You  advise 
it  yourself,  to  be  taken  before  bed-time ;  nothing  inflammatory  in 
it ;  nothing  pugnacious  ;  a  mere  circulation  of  the  be.tter  juices  and 
more  genial  spirits  of  the  marly  clay,  without  arousing  any  of  the 
baser  passions  ;  whisky  is  the  devil  for  that." 

"  I  canna  say  that  I  dinna  like  whisky-toddy,"  said  the  Doctor ; 
"  in  the  cauld  winter  nights  it's  no  sae  bad." 

"  Ah !  that's  it,"  said  Power  ;  "  there's  the  pull  you  Scotch  have 
upon  us  poor  Patlanders ;  cool,  calculating,  long-headed  fellows, 
you  only  come  up  to  the  mark  after  fifteen  tumblers ;  whereas,  we 
hot-brained  devils,  with  a  blood  at  212  degrees  of  Fahrenheit,  and  a 
high-pressure  engine  of  good  spirits  always  ready  for  an  explosion 
we  go  clean  mad  when  tipsy ;  not  but  I  am  fully  convinced  that  a 
mad  Irishman  is  worth  two  sane  people  of  any  other  country  under 
heaven." 

"  If  you  mean  by  that  insin — insin — sinuation  to  imply  any  disre- 
spect to  the  English,"  stuttered  out  Sparks,  "  I  am  bound  to  say 
that  I  for  one,  and  the  Doctor,  I  am  sure,  for  another " 

"  Na,  na,"  interrupted  the  Doctor,  "  ye  mauna  coont  upon  me ; 
I'm  no  disposed  to  fecht  ower  our  liquor." 

"Then,  Major  Monsoon,  I'm  certain " 

"  Are  ye,  faith  ?"  said  the  Major,  with  a  grin  ;  "  blessed  are  they 
who  expect  nothing — of  which  number  you  are  not — for  most  deci- 
dedly you  shall  be  disappointed." 

"  Never  mind,  Sparks,  take  the  whole  fight  to  your  own  proper 
self,  and  do  battle  like  a  man ;  and  here  I  stand,  ready  at  all  arms 
to  prove  my  position — that  we  drink  better,  sing  better,  court  better, 
fight  better,  and  make  better  punch,  than  ever  John  Bull  from  Ber- 
wick to  the  Land's  End." 

Sparks,  however,  who  seemed  not  exactly  sure  how  far  his  antag- 
onist was  disposed  to  quiz,  relapsed  into  a  half-tipsy  expression  of 
contemptuous  silence,  and  sipped  his  liquor  without  reply. 

"Yes,"  said  Power,  after  a  pause,  "bad  luck  to  it  for  whisky;  it 
nearly  got  me  broke  once,  and  poor  Tom  O'Reilly  of  the  5th,  too, 
the  best-tempered  fellow  in  the  service ;  we  wTere  as  near  it  as  touch 
and  go  ;  and  all  for  some  confounded  Loughrea  spirits,  that  we  be- 
lieved to  be  perfectly  innocent,  and  used  to  swill  away  freely  with- 
out suspicion  of  any  kind." 


202  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Let's  hear  the  story,"  said  I,  "  by  all  means." 

"  It's  not  a  long  one,"  said  Power ;  "  so  I  don't  care  if  I  tell  it ; 
and,  besides,  if  I  make  a  clean  breast  of  my  own  sins,  I'll  insist 
upon  Monsoon's  telling  you  afterwards  how  he  stocked  his  cellar  in 
Cadiz;  eh,  Major?  there's  worse  tipple  than  the  King  of  Spain's 
sherry  ?" 

"  You  shall  judge  for  yourself,  old  boy,"  said  Monsoon,  good- 
humoredly  ;  "  and  as  for  the  narrative;  it  is  equally  at  your  service. 
Of  course,  it  goes  no  farther.  The  Commander-in-Chief — long  life 
to  him  ! — is  a  glorious  fellow ;  but  he  has  no  more  idea  of  a  joke 
than  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  it  might  chance  to  reach 
him." 

"  Recount,  and  fear  not !"  cried  Power ;  "  we  are  discreet  as  the 
worshipful  company  of  apothecaries." 

"  But  you  forget  you  are  to  lead  the  way." 

"Here  goes,  then,"  said  the  jolly  Captain  ;  "not  that  the  story 
has  any  merit  in  it,  but  the  moral  is  beautiful. 

"  Ireland,  to  be  sure,  is  a  beautiful  country,  but  somehow  it  would 
prove  a  very  dull  one  to  be  quartered  in  if  it  were  not  that  the  people 
seem  to  have  a  natural  taste  for  the  army.  From  the  belle  of  Mer- 
rion  square  down  to  the  innkeeper's  daughter  in  Tralee,  the  loveliest 
part  of  the  creation  seem  to  have  a  perfect  appreciation  of  our  high 
acquirements  and  advantages ;  and  in  no  other  part  of  the  globe, 
the  Tonga  Islands  included,  is  a  red  coat  more  in  favor.  To  be  sure 
they  would  be  very  ungrateful  if  it  were  not  the  case ;  for  we,  upon 
our  sides,  leave  no  stone  unturned  to  make  ourselves  agreeable.  We 
ride,  drink,  play,  and  make  love  to  the  ladies,  from  Fairhead  to 
Killarney,  in  a  way  greatly  calculated  to  render  us  popular ;  and,  as 
far  as  making  the  time  pass  pleasantly,  we  are  the  boys  for  the 
'greatest  happiness'  principle.  I  repeat  it,  we  deserve  our  popular- 
ity. Which  of  us  does  not  get  head  and  ears  in  debt,  with  garrison 
balls  and  steeple-chases,  picnics,  regattas,  and  the  thousand-and-one 
inventions  to  get  rid  of  one's  spare  cash,  so  called  for  being  so  spar- 
ingly dealt  out  by  our  governors?  Now  and  then,  too,  when  all  else 
fails,  we  take  a  newly-joined  ensign,  and  make  him  marry  some 
pretty  but  penniless  lass,  in  a  country  town,  just  to  show  the  rest 
that  we  are  not  joking,  but  have  serious  ideas  of  matrimony,  in  the 
midst  of  all  our  flirtations.  If  it  were  all  like  this,  the  Green  Isle 
would  be  a  paradise ;  but,  unluckily,  every  now  and  then  one  is  con- 
demned to  some  infernal  place,  where  there  is  neither  a  pretty  face  nor 
tight  ankle ;  where  the  priest  himself  is  not  a  good  fellow ;  and  long,  ill- 
paved,  straggling  streets,  filled,  on  market  days,  with  booths  of  striped 
calico  and  soapy  cheese,  are  the  only  promenade,  and  a  ruinous  bar- 
rack, with  mouldy  walls  and  a  tumbling  chimney,  the  only  quarters. 


FRED  PO  WER  *S  AD  VENTURE  IN  PHILIPSTO  WN.  203 

"  In  vain,  on  your  return  from  your  morning  stroll  or  afternoon 
canter,  you  look  on  the  chimney-piece  for  a  shower  of  visiting  cards 
and  pink  notes  of  invitation ;  in  vain  you  ask  your  servant  has  any 
one  called.  Alas  !  your  only  visitor  has  been  the  gauger,  to  demand 
a  party  to  assist  in  still-hunting,  amid  that  interesting  class  of  the 
'  population  who,  having  nothing  to  eat,  are  engaged  in  devising 
drink,  and  care  as  much  for  the  life  of  a  red  coat  as  you  do  for  that 
of  a  crow  or  a  curlew.  This  may  seem  overdrawn ;  but  I  would  ask 
you,  were  you  ever  for  your  sins  quartered  in  that  capital  city  of  the 
Bog  of  Allen  they  call  Philipstown  ?  Oh,  but  it  is  a  romantic  spot! 
They  tell  us  somewhere  that  much  of  the  expression  of  the  human 
face  divine  depends  upon  the  objects  which  constantly  surround  us. 
Thus  the  inhabitants  of  mountain  districts  imbibe,  as  it  were,  a  cer- 
tain bold  and  daring  character  of  expression  from  the  scenery,  very 
different  from  the  placid  and  monotonous  looks  of  those  who  dwell 
in  plains  and  valleys ;  and  I  can  certainly  credit  the  theory  in  this 
instance,  for  every  man,  woman,  and  child  you  meet  has  a  brown, 
baked,  scruffy,  turf-like  face,  that  fully  satisfies  you  that  if  Adam 
were  formed  of  clay,  the  Philipstown  people  were  worse  treated,  and 
only  made  of  bog  mould. 

"  Well,  one  fine  morning,  poor  Tom  and  myself  were  marched  off 
from  Birr,  where  one  might  '  live  and  love  forever,'  to  take  up  our 
quarters  at  this  sweet  spot.  Little  we  knew  of  Philipstown,  and, 
like  my  friend  the  Adjutant  there,  when  he  laid  siege  to  Derry,  we 
made  our  entree  with  all  the  pomp  we  could  muster,  and  though  we 
had  no  band,  our  drums  and  fifes  did  duty  for  it ;  and  we  brushed 
along  through  turf-creels  and  wicker-baskets  of  new  brogues  that 
obstructed  the  street  till  we  reached  the  barrack,  the  only  testimony 
of  admiration  we  met  with  being,  I  feel  bound  to  admit,  from  a 
ragged  urchin  of  ten  years,  who,  with  a  wattle  in  his  hand,  imitated 
me  as  I  marched  along,  and,  when  I  cried  halt,  took  his  leave  of  us 
by  dexterously  fixing  his  thumb  to  the  side  of  his  nose  and  outstretch- 
ing his  fingers,  as  if  thus  to  convey  a  very  strong  hint  that  were  not 
half  so  fine  fellows  as  we  thought  ourselves.  Well,  four  mortal  sum- 
mer months  of  hot  sun  and  cloudless  sky  went  over,  and  still  we  lin- 
gered in  that  vile  village,  the  everlasting  monotony  of  our  days  being 
marked  by  the  same  brief  morning  drill,  the  same  blue-legged 
chicken  dinner,  the  same  smoky  Loughrea  whisky,  and  the  same 
evening  stroll  along  the  canal  bank  to  watch  for  the  Dublin  packet- 
boat,  with  its  never- varying  cargo  of  cattle-dealers,  priests,  and 
peelers  on  their  way  to  the  west  country,  as  though  the  demand  for 
such  colonial  productions  in  those  parts  were  insatiable.  This  was 
pleasant,  you  will  say  ;  but  what  was  to  be  done?  We  had  nothing 
else.     Now,  nothing  saps  a  man's  temper  like  ennui.    The  cranky, 


204  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

peevish  people  one  meets  with  would  be  excellent  folk  if  they  only  had 
something  to  do.  As  for  us,  I'll  venture  to  say  two  men  more  disposed 
to  go  pleasantly  down  the  current  of  life  it  were  hard  to  meet  with ; 
and  yet  such  was  the  consequence  of  these  confounded  four  months' 
sequestration  from  all  other  society,  we  became  sour  and  cross- 
grained,  everlastingly  disputing  about  trifles,  and  continually  argu- 
ing about  matters  which  neither  was  interested  in,  nor,  indeed,  knew 
anything  about.  There  were,  it  is  true,  few  topics  to  discuss  ;  news- 
papers Ave  never  saw ;  sporting  there  was  none ;  but,  then,  the  drill, 
the  return  of  duty,  the  probable  chances  of  our  being  ordered  for 
service,  were  all  daily  subjects  to  be  talked  over,  and  usually  with  con- 
siderable asperity  and  bitterness.  One  point,  however,  always  served 
us  when  hard  pushed  for  a  bone  of  contention,  and  which,  begun  by 
a  mere  accident  at  first,  gradually  increased  to  a  sore  and  peevish 
subject,  and  finally  led  to  the  consequences  which  I  have  hinted  at 
in  the  beginning.  This  was  no  less  than  the  respective  merits  of 
our  mutual  servants ;  each  everlastingly  indulging  in  a  tirade  against 
the  other  for  awkwardness,  incivility,  unhandiness — charges,  I  am 
bound  to  confess,  most  amply  proved  on  either  side. 

"  '  Well,  I  am  sure,  O'Eeilly,  if  you  can  stand  that  fellow, — it's  no 
affair  of  mine,  but  such  an  ungainly  savage  I  never  met,'  I  would 
say. 

"  To  which  he  would  reply,  '  Bad  enough  he  is,  certainly ;  but,  by 
Jove !  when  I  only  think  of  your  Hottentot,  I  feel  grateful  for  what 
I've  got.' 

"  Then  ensued  a  discussion,  with  attack,  rejoinder,  charge,  and  re- 
crimination, till  we  retired  for  the  night,  wearied  with  our  exer- 
tions, and  not  a  little  ashamed  of  ourselves  at  bottom  for  our  absurd 
warmth  and  excitement.  In  the  morning  the  matter  would  be 
rigidly  avoided  by  each  party  until  some  chance  occasion  had 
brought  it  on  the  tapis,  when  hostilities  would  be  immediately  re- 
newed, and  carried  on  with  the  same  vigor,  to  end  as  before. 

"  In  this  agreeable  state  of  matters  we  sat,  one  warm  summer 
evening,  before  the  mess-room,  under  the  shade  of  a  canvas  awning, 
discussing,  by  way  of  refrigerant,  our  eighth  tumbler  of  whisky-punch. 
We  had,  as  usual,  been  jarring  away  about  everything  under  heaven. 
A  lately  arrived  post-chaise,  with  an  old,  stiff-looking  gentleman  in 
a  queue,  had  formed  a  kind  of  'godsend'  for  debate,  as  to  who  he 
was,  whither  he  was  going,  whether  he  really  had  intended  to  spend 
the  night  there,  or  only  put  up  because  the  chaise  was  broken  ;  each, 
as  was  customary,  maintaining  his  own  opinion  with  an  obstinacy 
we  have  often  since  laughed  at,  though  at  the  time  we  had  few 
mirthful  thoughts  about  the  matter. 

"As  the  debate  waxed  warm,  O'Reilly  asserted  that  he  positively 


FRED  POWER'S  ADVENTURE  IN  PHILIPSTOWN.  205 


knew  the  individual  in  question  to  be  a  United  Irishman,  travelling 
with  instructions  from  the  French  Government,  while  I  laughed  him 
to  scorn  by  swearing  that  he  was  the  rector  of  Tyrrell's  Pass ;  that  I 
knew  him  well ;  and,  moreover,  that  he  was  the  worst  preacher  in 
Ireland.  Singular  enough  it  was,  that  all  this  while  the  disputed 
identity  was  himself  standing  coolly  at  the  inn  window,  with  his 
snuff-box  in  his  hand,  leisurely  surveying  us  as  we  sat,  appearing,  at 
least,  to  take  a  very  lively  interest  in  our  debate. 

"  'Come,  now,'  said  O'Reilly,  'there's  only  one  way  to  conclude 
this,  and  make  you  pay  for  your  obstinacy.  What  will  you  bet  that 
he's  the  rector  of  Tyrrell's  Pass?' 

" '  What  odds  will  you  take  that  he's  Wolfe  Tone  ?'  inquired  I, 
sneeringly. 

"  '  Five  to  one  against  the  rector/  said  he,  exultingly. 

"  'An  elephant's  molar  to  a  toothpick  against  Wolfe  Tone/ 
cried  I. 

"  '  Ten  pounds  even  that  I'm  nearer  the  mark  than  you/  said  Tom, 
with  a  smash  of  his  fist  upon  the  table. 

"  '  Done/  said  I — '  done.     But  how  are  we  to  decide  the  wager?' 

"  '  That's  soon  done/  said  he.  At  the  same  instant  he  sprang  to 
his  legs,  and  called  out,  '  Pat — I  say,  Pat — I  want  you  to  present  my 
respects  to ' 

"  '  No,  no,  I  bar  that — no  ex  parte  statements.  Here,  Jem,  do  you 
simply  tell  that ' 

"  '  That  fellow  can't  deliver  a  message.  Do  come  here,  Pat.  Just 
beg  of ' 

" '  He'll  blunder  it,  the  confounded  fool ;  so,  Jem,  do  you  go.' 

"  The  two  individuals  thus  addressed  were  just  in  the  act  of  con- 
veying a  tray  of  glasses  and  a  spiced  round  of  beef  for  supper  inta 
the  mess-room ;  and,  as  I  may  remark  that  they  fully  entered  into 
the  feelings  of  jealousy  their  respective  masters  possessed,  each  eyed 
the  other  with  a  look  of  very  unequivocal  dislike. 

"  Arrah  !  ye  needn't  be  pushing  me  that  way/  said  Pat,  '  an'  the 
round  o'  beef  in  my  hands.'  | 

"  '  Devil's  luck  to  ye !  it's  the  glasses  you'll  be  breaking  with  your 
awkward  elbow.' 

" '  Then  why  don't  ye  leave  the  way  ?    Ain't  I  your  suparior  ?' 

"  'Ain't  I  the  Captain's  own  man  ?' 

"  'Ay,  and  if  you  war.  Don't  I  belong  to  his  betters  ?  Isn't  my 
master  the  two  Liftenants  ?' 

"  This,  however  strange  it  may  sound,  was  so  far  true,  as  I  held 
a  commission  in  an  African  corps,  with  my  Lieutenancy  in  the 
5th. 

Be-gorra,  av  he  was  six — there  now,  you  done  it !' 


u  t 


206  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"At  the  same  moment  a  tremendous  crash  took  place,  and  a  large 
dish  fell  in  a  thousand  pieces  on  the  pavement,  while  the  spiced 
round  rolled  pensively  down  the  yard. 

"  Scarcely  was  the  noise  heard,  when,  with  one  vigorous  kick,  the 
tray  of  glasses  was  sent  spinning  into  the  air,  and  the  next  moment 
the  disputants  were  engaged  in  bloody  battle.  It  was  at  this  mo- 
ment that  our  attention  was  first  drawn  towards  them,  and  I  need 
not  say  with  what  feelings  of  interest  we  looked  on. 

"  '  Hit  him,  Pat — there,  Jem,  under  the  guard — that's  it — go  in — 
well  done,  left  hand — by  Jove,  that  was  a  facer — his  eye's  closed — 
he's  down — not  a  bit  of  it — how  do  you  like  that  ? — unfair,  unfair — 
no  such  thing — I  say  it  was — not  at  all — I  deny  it.' 

"  By  this  time  we  had  approached  the  combatants,  each  man  pat- 
ting his  own  fellow  on  the  back,  and  encouraging  him  by  the  most 
lavish  promises.  Now  it  was,  but  in  what  way  I  never  could  ex- 
actly tell,  that  I  threw  out  my  right  hand  to  stop  a  blow  that  I  saw 
coming  rather  too  near  me,  when,  by  some  unhappy  mischance,  my 
double  fist  lighted  upon  Tom  O'Eeilly's  nose.  Before  I  could  express 
my  sincere  regret  for  the  accident,  the  blow  was  returned  with  double 
force,  and  the  next  moment  we  were  at  it  harder  than  the  others. 
After  five  minutes'  sharp  work,  we  both  stopped  for  breath,  and  in- 
continently burst  out  a-laughing.  There  was  Tom,  with  a  nose  as 
large  as  three ;  a  huge  cheek  on  one  side,  and  the  whole  head  swing- 
ing round  like  a  harlequin's  ;  while  I,  with  one  eye  closed,  and  the 
other  like  a  half-shut  cockle-shell,  looked  scarcely  less  rueful.  We 
had  not  much  time  for  mirth,  for  at  the  same  instant  a  sharp,  full 
voice  called  out  close  beside  us, — 

"'To  your  quarters,  sirs.  I  put  you  both  under  arrest,  from 
which  you  are  not  to  be  released  until  the  sentence  of  a  court-mar- 
tial decide  if  such  conduct  as  this  becomes  officers  and  gentlemen.' 

"  I  looked  round,  and  saw  the  old  fellow  in  the  queue. 

"  '  Wolfe  Tone,  by  all  that's  unlucky  !'  said  I,  with  an  attempt  at 
a  smile. 

" '  The  rector  of  Tyrrell's  Pass/  cried  out  Tom,  with  a  snuffle ; 
1  the  worst  preacher  in  Ireland — eh,  Fred  ?' 

"We  had  not  much  time  for  further  commentaries  upon  our 
friend,  for  he  at  once  opened  his  frock  coat,  and  displayed  to  our 
horrified  gaze  the  uniform  of  a  general  officer. 

"  '  Yes,  sir,  General  Johnston,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  present  him 
to  your  acquaintance ;  and  now,  guard,  turn  out.' 

"  In  a  few  minutes  more  the  orders  were  issued,  and  poor  Tom  and 
myself  found  ourselves  fast  confined  to  our  quarters,  with  a  sentinel 
at  the  door,  and  the  pleasant  prospect  that  in  the  space  of  about  ten 
days  we  should  be  broke,  and  dismissed  the  service — which  verdict, 


THE   VOYAGE.  207 

as  the  general  order  would  say,  the  Commander  of  the  Forces  has 
been  graciously  pleased  to  approve. 

"  However,  when  morning  came,  the  old  General,  who  was  really 
a  trump,  inquired  a  little  further  into  the  matter,  saw  it  was  partly 
accidental,  and,  after  a  severe  reprimand,  and  a  caution  about 
Loughrea  whisky  after  the  sixth  tumbler,  released  us  from  arrest, 
and  forgave  the  whole  affair." 


CHAPTEE   XXXI. 

THE  VOYAGE. 

T~  "TGH !  what  a  miserable  thing  is  a  voyage  !  Here  we  are  now 
eight  days  at  sea,  the  eternal  sameness  of  all  around  growing 
^^  every  hour  less  supportable.  Sea  and  sky  are  beautiful  things 
when  seen  from  the  dark  woods  and  waving  meadows  on  shore ;  but 
their  picturesque  effect  is  sadly  marred  from  want  of  contrast ;  be- 
sides that,  the  "  toujours  pork,"  with  crystals  of  salt  as  long  as  your 
wife's  fingers ;  the  potatoes,  that  seemed  varnished  in  French  polish ; 
the  tea,  seasoned  with  geological  specimens  from  the  basin  of  Lon- 
don, yclept  maple  sugar;  and  the  butter — ye  gods! — the  butter! 
But  why  enumerate  these  smaller  features  of  discomfort,  and  omit 
the  more  glaring  ones?  The  utter  selfishness  which  blue  water 
suggests,  as  inevitably  as  the  cold  fit  follows  the  ague ;  the  good  fel- 
low that  shares  his  knapsack  or  his  last  guinea  on  land,  here  forages 
out  the  best  corner  to  hang  his  hammock ;  jockeys  you  into  a  com- 
fortless crib,  where  the  uncaulked  deck-butt  filters  every  rain  from 
heaven  on  your  head ;  he  votes  you  the  corner  at  dinner,  not  only 
that  he  may  place  you  with  your  back  to  the  thorough  draft  of  the 
gangway  ladder,  but  that  he  may  eat,  drink,  and  lie  down  before 
you  have  even  begun  to  feel  the  qualmishness  that  the  dinner  of  a 
troop-ship  is  well  calculated  to  suggest ;  cuts  his  pencil  with  your 
best  razor ;  wears  your  shirts,  as  washing  is  scarce ;  and  winds  up 
all  by  having  a  good  story  of  you  every  evening  for  the  edification 
of  the  other  "  sharp  gentlemen,"  who,  being  too  wide  awake  to  be 
humbugged  themselves,  enjoy  his  success  prodigiously.  This,  gentle 
reader,  is  neither  confession  nor  avowal  of  mine.  The  passage  I  have 
here  presented  to  you.  I  have  taken  from  the  journal  of  my  brother 
officer,  Mr.  Sparks,  who,  when  not  otherwise  occupied,  usually  em- 
ployed his  time  in  committing  to  paper  his  thoughts  upon  men, 
manners,  and  things  at  sea  in  general ;  though,  sooth  to  say,  his  was 
not  an  idle  life ;  being  voted  by  unanimous  consent  "  a  junior,"  he 


208  CHARLES  0' MALLET. 

was  condemned  to  offices  that  the  veriest  fag  in  Eton  or  Harrow 
bad  rebelled  against.  In  the  morning,  under  the  pseudonym  of  Mrs. 
Sparks,  he  presided  at  breakfast,  having  previously  made  tea,  coffee, 
and  chocolate  for  the  whole  cabin,  besides  boiling  about  twenty  eggs 
at  various  degrees  of  hardness ;  he  was  under  heavy  recognizances 
to  provide  a  plate  of  buttered  toast  of  very  alarming  magnitude,  fried 
ham,  kidneys,  &c,  to  no  end.  Later  on,  when  others  sauntered 
about  the  deck,  vainly  endeavoring  to  fix  their  attention  upon  a 
novel  or  a  review,  the  poor  Cornet  might  be  seen,  with  a  white  apron 
tucked  gracefully  round  his  spare  proportions,  whipping  eggs  for 
pancakes,  or,  with  upturned  shirt  sleeves,  fashioning  dough  for  a 
pudding.  As  the  day  waned,  the  cook's  galley  became  his  haunt, 
where,  exposed  to  a  roasting  fire,  he  inspected  the  details  of  a  cuisine 
for  which,  whatever  his  demerits,  he  was  sure  of  an  ample  remunera- 
tion in  abuse  at  dinner.  Then  came  the  dinner  itself,  that  dread 
ordeal,  where  nothing  was  praised,  and  everything  censured.  This 
was  followed  by  the  punch-making,  where  the  tastes  of  six  different 
and  differing  individuals  were  to  be  exclusively  consulted  in  the  self- 
same beverage;  and  lastly,  the  supper  at  night,  when  Sparkie  (as  he 
was  familiarly  called),  towards  evening,  quite  exhausted,  became  the 
subject  of  unmitigated  wrath  and  unmeasured  reprobation. 

"  I  say,  Sparks,  it's  getting  late ;  the  spatch-cock,  old  boy ;  don't 
be  slumbering." 

"By  the  bye,  Sparkie,  what  a  mess  you  made  of  that  pea-soup  to- 
day !     By  Jove  !  I  never  felt  so  ill  in  my  life." 

"Na,  na,  it  was'  na  the  soup;  it  was  something  he  pit  in  the 
punch,  that's  burnin'  me  ever  since  I  tuk  it.  Ou,  man,  but  ye're 
an  awfu'  creture  wi'  vittals." 

"He'll  improve,  Doctor,  he'll  improve;  don't  discourage  him; 
the  boy's  young.  Be  alive  now,  there ;  where's  the  toast  ?  Confound 
you — where's  the  toast  ?" 

"There,  Sparks,  you  like  a  drumstick,  I  know — mustn't  muzzle 
the  ox,  eh  ?  Scripture  for  you,  old  boy.  Eat  away ;  hang  the  ex- 
pense. Hand  him  over  the  jug.  Empty — eh,  Charley?  Come, 
Sparkie,  bear  a  hand ;  the  liquor's  out." 

"  But  won't  you  let  me  eat  ?" 

"  Eat !  heavens,  what  a  fellow  for  eating !  By  George,  such  an 
appetite  is  clean  against  the  articles  of  war  !  Come,  man,  it's  drink 
we're  thinking  of.  There's  the  rum,  sugar,  limes ;  see  to  the  hot 
water.     Well,  Skipper,  how  are  we  getting  on?" 

"  Lying  our  course ;  eight  knots  off  the  log.  Pass  the  rum.  Why, 
Mister  Sparks !" 

"Eh,  Sparks,  what's.this?" 

"Sparks,  my  man,  confound  it!"     And  then,  omnes  chorusing, 


THE  VOYAGE.  209 

91  Sparks  !"  in  every  key  of  the  gamut,  the  luckless  fellow  would  be 
obliged  to  jump  up  from  his  meagre  fare,  and  set  to  work  at  a  fresh 
brewage  of  punch  for  the  others.  The  bowl  and  the  glasses  filled, 
by  some  little  management  on  Power's  part,  our  friend  the  Cornet 
would  be  draivn  out,  as  the  phrase  is,  into  some  confession  of  his 
early  years,  which  seemed  to  have  been  exclusively  spent  in  love- 
making — devotion  to  the  fair  being  as  integral  a  portion  of  his  cha- 
racter as  tippling  was  of  the  worthy  Major's. 

Like  most  men  who  pass  their  lives  in  over-studious  efforts  to 
please, — however  ungallant  the  confession  be, — the  amiable  Sparks 
had  had  little  success.  His  love,  if  not,  as  it  generally  happened, 
totally  unrequited,  was  invariably  the  source  of  some  awkward 
catastrophe,  there  being  no  imaginable  error  he  had  not,  at  some 
time  or  other,  fallen  into,  nor  any  conceivable  mischance  to  which 
he  had  not  been  exposed.  Inconsolable  widows,  attached  wives, 
fond  mothers,  newly-married  brides,  engaged  young  ladies,  were,  by 
some  contretemps,  continually  the  subjects  of  his  attachments ;  and 
the  least  mishap  which  followed  the  avowal  of  his  passion  was  to  be 
heartily  laughed  at,  and  obliged  to  leave  the  neighborhood.  Duels, 
apologies,  actions  at  law,  compensations,  &c,  were  of  every-day 
occurrence,  and  to  such  an  extent,  too,  that  any  man  blessed  with  a 
smaller  bump  upon  the  occiput  would  eventually  have  long  since 
abandoned  the  pursuit,  and  taken  to  some  less  expensive  pleasure ; 
but  poor  Sparks,  in  the  true  spirit  of  a  martyr,  only  gloried  the 
more,  the  more  he  suffered,  and,  like  the  worthy  man  who  continued 
to  purchase  tickets  in  the  lottery  for  thirty  years,  with  nothing  but 
a  succession  of  blanks,  he  ever  imagined  that  fortune  was  only  try- 
ing his  patience,  and  had  some  cool  forty  thousand  pounds  of  hap- 
piness waiting  his  perseverance  in  the  end.  Whether  this  prize 
ever  did  turn  up  in  the  course  of  years,  I  am  unable  to  say ;  but, 
certainly,  up  to  the  period  of  his  history  I  now  speak  of,  all  had 
been  as  gloomy  and  unrequiting  as  need  be.  Power,  who  knew 
something  of  every  man's  adventures,  was  aware  of  so  much  of  poor 
Sparks' s  career,  and  usually  contrived  to  lay  a  trap  for  a  confession 
that  generally  served  to  amuse  us  during  an  evening,  as  much,  I 
acknowledge,  from  the  manner  of  the  recital  as  anything  contained 
in  the  story.  There  was  a  species  of  serious  matter-of-fact  sim- 
plicity in  the  detail  of  the  most  ridiculous  scenes,  that  left  you  con- 
vinced that  his  bearing  upon  the  affair  in  question  must  have 
greatly  heightened  the  absurdity,  nothing,  however  comic  or  droll 
in  itself,  ever  exciting  in  him  the  least  approach  to  a  smile.  He  sat 
with  his  large  light-blue  eyes,  light  hair,  long  upper  lip,  and  retreat- 
ing chin,  lisping  out  an  account  of  an  adventure,  with  a  look  of 
Liston  about  him  that  was  inconceivably  amusing. 
14 


210  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Come,  Sparks/'  said  Power,  "  I  claim  a  promise  you  made  me 
the  other  night,  on  condition  that  we  let  you  off  making  the  oyster- 
patties  at  ten  o'clock ;  you  can't  forget  what  I  mean."  Here  the 
Captain  knowingly  touched  the  tip  of  his  ear,  at  which  signal  the 
Cornet  colored  slightly,  and  drank  off  his  wine  in  a  hurried,  con- 
fused way.  "  He  promised  to  tell  us,  Major,  how  he  lost  the  tip  of 
his  left  ear.  I  have  myself  heard  hints  of  the  circumstance,  but 
would  much  rather  hear  Sparks's  own  version  of  it." 

"  Another  love  story,"  said  the  Doctor,  with  a  grin,  "  I'll  be 
bound." 

"  Shot  off  in  a  duel?"  said  I,  inquiringly;  "close  work,  too." 

"  No  such  thing,"  replied  Power ;  "  but  Sparks  will  enlighten 
you.  It  is,  without  exception,  the  most  touching  and  beautiful 
thing  I  ever  heard  ;  as  a  simple  story,  it  beats  the  i  Vicar  of  Wake- 
field' to  sticks." 

"  You  don't  say  so  ?"  said  poor  Sparks,  blushing. 

"  Ay,  that  I  do,  and  maintain  it  too.  I'd  rather  be  the  hero  of 
that  little  adventure,  and  be  able  to  recount  it  as  you  do, — for,  mark 
me,  that's  no  small  part  of  the  effect, — than  I'd  be  full  colonel  of 
the  regiment.  Well,  I  am  sure  I  always  thought  it  affecting ;  but, 
somehow,  my  dear  friend,  you  don't  know  your  powers ;  you  have 
that  within  you  which  would  make  the  fortune  of  half  the  periodi- 
cals going.  Ask  Monsoon  or  O'Malley  there  if  I  did  not  say  so  at 
breakfast,  when  you  were  grilling  the  old  hen, — which,  by  the  bye, 
let  me  remark,  was  not  one  of  your  chefs-d'ceuvre." 

"  A  tougher  beastie  I  never  put  a  tooth  in." 

"  But  the  story — the  story,"  said  I. 

"Yes,"  said  Power,  with  a  tone  of  command:  "the  story, 
Sparks." 

"  Well,  if  you  really  think  it  worth  telling,  as  I  have  always  felt 
it  a  very  remarkable  incident,  here  goes." 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

MB.   SPAEKS'S    STORY. 

I  SAT  at  breakfast  one  beautiful  morning  at  the  Goat  Inn  at 
Barmouth,  looking  out  of  a  window  upon  the  lovely  vale  of 
Barmouth,  with  its  tall  trees  and  brown  trout-stream  struggling 
through  the  woods,  then  turning  to  take  a  view  of  the  calm  sea,  that, 
speckled  over  with  white-sailed  fishing-boats,  stretched  away  in  the 


MR.  SPARKS' S  STORY.  211 

distance.  The  eggs  were  fresh ;  the  trout  newly  caught ;  the  cream 
delicious ;  before  me  lay  the  Plwdwddlwn  Advertiser,  which,  among 
the  fashionable  arrivals  at  the  sea-side,  set  forth  Mr.  Sparks,  nephew 
of  Sir  Toby  Sparks,  of  Manchester, — a  paragraph,  by  the  way,  I 
always  inserted.  The  English  are  naturally  an  aristocratic  people, 
and  set  a  due  value  upon  a  title." 

"A  very  just  observation,"  remarked  Power,  seriously,  while  Sparks 
continued. 

"  However,  as  far  as  any  result  from  the  announcement,  I  might 
as  well  have  spared  myself  the  trouble,  for  not  a  single  person 
called ;  not  one  solitary  invitation  to  dinner ;  not  a  picnic ;  not  a 
breakfast ;  no,  nor  even  a  tea-party  was  heard  of.  Barmouth,  at  the 
time  I  speak  of,  was  just  in  that  transition  state  at  which  the  cater- 
pillar may  be  imagined,  when,  having  abandoned  his  reptile  habits, 
he  still  has  not  succeeded  in  becoming  a  butterfly.  In  fact,  it  had 
ceased  to  be  a  fishing- village,  but  had  not  arrived  at  the  dignity  of  a 
watering-place.  Now,  I  know  nothing  as  bad  as  this.  You  have 
not,  on  one  hand,  the  quiet  retirement  of  a  little  peaceful  hamlet, 
with  its  humble  dwellings  and  cheap  pleasures,  nor  have  you  the 
gay  and  animated  tableau  of  fashion  in  miniature  on  the  other ;  but 
you  have  noise,  din,  bustle,  confusion,  beautiful  scenery,  and  lovely 
points  of  view,  marred  and  ruined  by  vulgar  associations.  Every 
bold  rock  and  jutting  promontory  has  its  citizen  occupants  ;  every 
sandy  cove  or  tide-washed  bay  has  its  myriads  of  squalling  babes  and 
red  baize-clad  bathing  women — those  veritable  descendants  of  the 
nymphs  of  old.  Pink  parasols,  donkey-carts,  baskets  of  bread-and- 
butter,  reticules,  guides  to  Barmouth,  specimens  of  ore,  fragments 
of  gypsum,  meet  you  at  every  step,  and  destroy  every  illusion  of  the 
picturesque. 

"  '  I  shall  leave  this,'  thought  I.  *  My  dreams,  my  long-cherished 
dreams  of  romantic  walks  upon  the  sea-shore,  of  evening  strolls  by 
moonlight,  through  dell  and  dingle,  are  reduced  to  a  short  prome- 
nade through  an  alley  of  bathing-boxes,  amid  a  screaming  popula- 
tion of  nursery-maids  and  sick  children,  with  a  thorough-bass  of 
"  Fresh  Shrimps !"  discordant  enough  to  frighten  the  very  fish  from 
the  shores.  There  is  no  peace,  no  quiet,  no  romance,  no  poetry,  no 
love.'  Alas !  that  most  of  all  was  wanting ;  for,  after  all,  what  is  it 
which  lights  up  the  heart,  save  the  flame  of  a  mutual  attachment  ? 
what  gilds  the  fair  stream  of  life,  save  the  bright  ray  of  warm  affec- 
tion? what " 

"  In  a  word,"  said  Power,  "  it  is  the  sugar  in  the  punch-bowl  of 
our  existence.     Perge,  Sparks;  push  on." 

"  I  was  not  long  in  making  up  my  mind.  I  called  for  my  bill ;  I 
packed  my  clothes ;  I  ordered  post-horses  ;  I  was  ready  to  start ;  one 


212  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

item  in  the  bill  alone  detained  me.  The  frequent  occurrence  of  the 
enigmatical  word  '  crw'  following  my  servant's  name  demanded  an 
explanation,  which  I  was  in  the  act  of  receiving,  when  a  chaise-and- 
four  drove  rapidly  up  to  the  house.  In  a  moment  the  blinds  were 
drawn  up,  and  such  a  head  appeared  at  the  window  !  Let  me  pause 
for  one  moment  to  drink  in  the  remembrance  of  that  lovely  being ; 
eyes,  where  heaven's  own  blue  seemed  concentrated,  were  shaded 
by  long,  deep  lashes  of  the  darkest  brown ;  a  brow  fair,  noble,  and 
expansive,  at  each  side  of  which  masses  of  dark-brown  hair  waved 
half  in  ringlets,  half  in  loose  falling  bands,  shadowing  her  pale  and 
downy  cheek,  where  one  faint  rosebud  tinge  seemed  lingering ; 
lips  slightly  parted,  which,  so  to  speak,  gave  to  the  features  all  the 
play  of  animation  which  completed  this  intellectual  character,  and 
made  up " 

"  What  I  should  say  was  a  devilish  pretty  girl,"  interrupted 
Power. 

"  Back  the  widow  against  her  at  long  odds,  any  day,"  murmured 
the  Adjutant. 

"  She  was  an  angel !  an  angel !"  cried  Sparks,  with  enthusiasm. 

"So  was  the  widow,  if  you  go  to  that,"  said  the  Adjutant,  hastily. 

"And  so  is  Matilda  Dalrymple,"  said  Power,  with  a  sly  look  at 
me.     "  We  are  all  honorable  men — eh,  Charley  ?" 

"  Go  ahead  with  the  story,"  said  the  Skipper ;  "  I'm  beginning  to 
feel  an  interest  in  it." 

"  '  Isabella/  said  a  man's  voice,  as  a  large,  well-dressed  personage 
assisted  her  to  alight — i  Isabella,  love,  you  must  take  a  little  rest 
here  before  we  proceed  farther.' 

"  '  I  think  she  had  better,  sir,'  said  a  matronly-looking  woman, 
with  a  plaid  cloak  and  a  black  bonnet. 

"  They  disappeared  within  the  house,  and  I  was  left  alone.  The 
bright  dream  was  past ;  she  was  there  no  longer ;  but  in  my  heart 
her  image  lived,  and  I  almost  felt  she  was  before  me.  I  thought  I 
heard  her  voice ;  I  saw  her  move ;  my  limbs  trembled ;  my  hands 
tingled ;  I  rang  the  bell,  ordered  my  trunks  back  again  to  No.  5, 
and,  as  I  sank  upon  the  sofa,  murmured  to  myself,  '  This  is  indeed 
love  at  first  sight.'  " 

"  How  devilish  sudden  it  was,"  said  the  Skipper. 

"Exactly  like  camp  fever,"  responded  the  Doctor.  "One  mo- 
ment ye  are  vara  well;  the  next  ye  are  seized  wi'  a  kind  of 
shivering ;  then  comes  a  kind  of  mandering,  dandering,  travelling 
a'overness." 

"  D —  the  camp  fever,"  interrupted  Power. 

"  Well,  as  I  observed,  I  fell  in  love ;  and  here  let  me  take  the  op- 
portunity of  observing  that  all  we  are  in  the  habit  of  hearing  about 


ME.  SPARKS'S  STORY.  213 

single  or  only  attachments  is  mere  nonsense.  No  man  is  so  capable 
of  feeling  deeply  as  he  who  is  in  the  daily  practice  of  it.  Love,  like 
everything  else  in  this  world,  demands  a  species  of  cultivation.  The 
mere  tyro  in  an  affair  of  the  heart  thinks  he  has  exhausted  all  its 
pleasures  and  pains ;  but  only  he  who  has  made  it  his  daily  study 
for  years,  familiarizing  his  mind  with  every  phase  of  the  passion, 
can  properly  or  adequately  appreciate  it.  Thus,  the  more  you  love, 
the  better  you  love;  the  more  frequently  has  your  heart  yielded " 

"  It's  vara  like  the  mucous  membrane,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"  I'll  break  your  neck  with  the  decanter  if  you  interrupt  him 
again !"  exclaimed  Power. 

"  For  days  I  scarcely  ever  left  the  house,"  resumed  Sparks,  "  watch- 
ing to  catch  one  glance  of  the  lovely  Isabella.  My  farthest  excursion 
was  to  the  little  garden  of  the  inn,  where  I  used  to  set  every  imagin- 
able species  of  snare,  in  the  event  of  her  venturing  to  walk  there. 
One  day  I  would  leave  a  volume  of  poetry ;  another  a  copy  of  Paul 
and  Virginia  with  a  marked  page ;  sometimes  my  guitar,  with  a 
broad  blue  ribbon,  would  hang  pensively  from  a  tree  ;  but,  alas !  all 
in  vain  ;  she  never  appeared.  At  length,  I  took  courage  to  ask  the 
waiter  about  her.  For  some  minutes  he  could  not  comprehend  what 
I  meant ;  but,  at  last,  discovering  my  object,  he  cried  out,  '  Oh !  No. 
8,  sir ;  it  is  No.  8  you  mean.' 

"  '  It  may  be/  said  I.     '  What  of  her,  then  V 

"  '  Oh,  sir,  she's  gone  these  three  days/ 

"  '  Gone !'  said  I,  with  a  groan. 

" '  Yes,  sir ;  she  left  this  early  on  Tuesday  with  the  same  old  gen- 
tleman and  the  old  woman  in  a  chaise-and-four.  They  ordered 
horses  at  Dolgelly  to  meet  them ;  but  I  don't  know  which  road  they 
took  afterwards.' 

"I  fell  back  on  my  chair  unable  to  speak.  Here  was  I  enacting 
Romeo  for  three  mortal  days  to  a  mere  company  of  Welsh  waiters 
and  chamber-maids,  sighing,  serenading,  reciting,  attitudinizing, 
rose-plucking,  soliloquizing,  half-suiciding,  and  all  for  the  edifica- 
tion of  a  set  of  savages,  with,  about  as  much  civilization  as  their 
own  goats. 

" '  The  bill,'  cried  I,  in  a  voice  of  thunder ;  •  my  bill  this  in- 
stant.' 

"  I  had  been  imposed  upon,  shamefully,  grossly  imposed  upon,  and 
would  not  remain  another  hour  in  the  house.  Such  were  my  feel- 
ings, at  least,  and  so  thinking,  1  sent  for  my  servant,  abused  him  for 
not  having  my  clothes  ready  packed.  He  replied  ;  I  reiterated ;  and, 
as  my  temper  was  mounted,  vented  every  imaginable  epithet  upon 
his  head,  and  concluded  by  paying  him  his  wages  and  sending  him 
about  his  business.     In  one  hour  more  I  was  upon  the  road. 


214  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

" *  What  road,  sir  ?'  said  the  postilion,  as  he  mounted  into  the 
saddle. 

"  '  To  the  devil,  if  you  please/  said  I,  throwing  myself  back  in  the 
carriage. 

"  '  Very  well,  sir,'  replied  the  boy,  putting  spurs  to  his  horse. 

"  That  evening  I  arrived  in  Bedgellert. 

"  The  little  humble  inn  of  Bedgellert,  with  its  thatched  roof  and 
earthen  floor,  was  a  most  welcome  sight  to  me,  after  eleven  hours' 
travelling  on  a  broiling  July  day.  Behind  the  very  house  itself  rose 
the  mighty  Snowdon,  towering  high  above  the  other  mountains, 
whose  lofty  peaks  were  lost  amid  the  clouds;  before  me  was  the 
narrow  valley " 

"  Wake  me  up  when  he's  under  weigh  again,"  said  the  Skipper, 
yawning  fearfully. 

"  Go  on,  Sparks,"  said  Power,  encouragingly;  "  I  was  never  more 
interested  in  my  life ;  eh,  O'Malley  ?" 

"  Quite  thrilling,"  responded  1,  and  Sparks  resumed. 

"  Three  weeks  did  I  loiter  about  that  sweet  spot,  my  mind  filled 
with  images  of  the  past  and  dreams  of  the  future,  my  fishing-rod  my 
only  companion ;  not,  indeed,  that  1  ever  caught  anything,  for, 
somehow,  my  tackle  was  always  getting  foul  of  some  willow-tree 
or  water-lily,  and  at  last  I  gave  up  even  the  pretence  of  whipping 
the  streams.  Well,,  one  day, — I  remember  it  as  well  as  though  it 
were  but  yesterday — it  was  the  4th  of  August, — I  had  set  off  upon 
an  excursion  to  Llanberris.  I  had  crossed  Snowdon  early,  and 
reached  the  little  lake  on  the  opposite  side  by  breakfast-time.  There 
I  sat  down  near  the  ruined  tower  of  Dolbadern,  and,  opening  my 
knapsack,  made  a  hearty  meal.  I  have  ever  been  a  day-dreamer  ; 
and  there  are  few  things  I  like  better  than  to  lie,  upon  some  hot  and 
sunny  day,  in  the  tall  grass  beneath  the  shade  of  some  deep  boughs, 
with  running  water  murmuring  near,  hearing  the  summer  bee  buz- 
zing monotonously,  and  in  the  distance  the  clear,  sharp  tingle  of  the 
sheep-bell.  In  such  a  place,  at  such  a  time,  one's  fancy  strays  play- 
fully, like  some  happy  child,  and  none  but  pleasant  thoughts  pre- 
sent themselves.  Fatigued  by  my  long  walk,  and  overcome  by 
heat,  I  fell  asleep.  How  long  I  lay  there  I  cannot  tell,  but  the  deep 
shadows  were  half-way  down  the  tall  mountain  when  I  awoke.  A 
sound  had  startled  me  ;  I  thought  I  heard  a  voice  speaking  close  to' 
me.  I  looked  up,  and  for  some  seconds  I  could  not  believe  that  I 
was  not  dreaming.  Beside  me,  within  a  few  paces,  stood  Isabella, 
the  beautiful  vision  that  I  had  seen  at  Barmouth,  but  far,  a  thou- 
sand times,  more  beautiful.  She  was  dressed  in  something  like  a 
peasant's  dress,  and  wore  the  round  hat  which,  in  Wales  at  least, 
seems  to  suit  the  character  of  the  female  face  so  well ;  her  long  and 


MR.  SPARKS' S  ST  OR  Y.  2\, 


A 


waving  ringlets  fell  carelessly  upon  her  shoulders,  and  her  chee 
flushed  from  walking.  Before  I  had  a  moment's  notice  to  recover 
my  roving  thought,  she  spoke.  Her  voice  was  full  and  round,  but 
soft  and  thrilling,  as  she  said, — 

"  '  I  beg  pardon,  sir,  for  having  disturbed  you  unconsciously ;  but 
having  done  so,  may  I  request  you  will  assist  me  to  fill  this  pitcher 
with  water  ?' 

"  She  pointed  at  the  same  time  to  a  small  stream  which  trickled 
down  a  fissure  in  the  rock,  and  formed  a  little  well  of  clear  water 
beneath.  I  bowed  deeply,  and  murmuring  something, — I  know  not 
what, — took  the  pitcher  from  her  hand,  and  scaling  the  rocky  cliff, 
mounted  to  the  clear  source  above,  where  having  filled  the  vessel,  I 
descended.  When  I  reached  the  ground  beneath,  I  discovered  that 
she  was  joined  by  another  person,  whom  in  an  instant  I  recognized 
to  be  the  old  gentleman  I  had  seen  with  her  at  Barmouth,  and  who 
in  the  most  courteous  manner  apologized  for  the  trouble  I  had 
been  caused.  He  informed  me  that  a  party  of  his  friends  were 
enjoying  a  little  picnic  quite  near,  and  invited  me  to  make  one  of 
them. 

"  I  need  not  say  that  I  accepted  the  invitation,  nor  that  with  de- 
light I  seized  the  opportunity  of  forming  an  acquaintance  with  Isa- 
bella, who,  I  must  confess,  upon  her  part,  showed  no  disinclination 
to  the  prospect  of  my  joining  the  party. 

"  After  a  few  minutes'  walking,  we  came  to  a  small  rocky  point 
which  projected  for  some  distance  into  the  lake,  and  offered  a  view 
for  several  miles  of  the  vale  of  Llanberris.  Upon  this  lovely  spot 
we  found  the  party  assembled.  They  consisted  of  about  fourteen  or 
fifteen  persons,  all  busily  engaged  in  the*  arrangement  of  a  very 
excellent  cold  dinner,  each  individual  having  some  peculiar  pro- 
vince allotted  to  him  or  her,  to  be  performed  by  their  own  hands. 
Thus,  one  elderly  gentleman  was  whipping  cream  under  a  chestnut- 
tree,  while  a  very  fashionably-dressed  young  man  was  washing 
radishes  in  the  lake ;  an  old  lady  with  spectacles  was  frying  salmon 
over  a  wood  fire,  opposite  to  a  short,  pursy  man,  with  a  bald  head 
and  drab  shorts,  deep  in  the  mystery  of  a  chicken  salad,  from  which 
he  never  lifted  his  eyes,  when  I  came  up.  It  was  thus  I  found  how 
the  fair  Isabella's  lot  had  been  cast,  as  a  drawer  of  water ;  she,  with 
the  others,  contributing  her  share  of  exertion  for  the  common  good. 
The  old  gentleman  who  accompanied  her  seemed  the  only  unoccu- 
pied person,  and  appeared  to  be  regarded  as  the  ruler  of  the  feast ; 
at  least,  they  all  called  him  General,  and  implicitly  followed  every 
suggestion  he  threw  out.  He  was  a  man  of  a  certain  grave  and 
quiet  manner,  blended  with  a  degree  of  mild  good-nature  and  cour- 
tesy, that  struck  me  much  at  first,  and  gained  greatly  on  me,  even  in 


216  CHARLES  0>M  ALLEY. 

the  few  minutes  I  conversed  with  him  as  we  came  along.  Just  be- 
fore he  presented  me  to  his  friends,  he  gently  touched  my  arm,  and, 
drawing  me  aside,  whispered  in  my  ear, — 

"  '  Don't  be  surprised  at  anything  you  may  hear  to-day  here ;  for 
I  must  inform  you  that  this  is  a  kind  of  club,  as  I  may  call  it, 
where  every  one  assumes  a  certain  character,  and  is  bound  to  sus- 
tain it  under  a  penalty.  We  have  these  little  meetings  every  now 
and  then,  and  as  strangers  are  never  present,  I  feel  some  explana- 
tion necessary,  that  you  may  be  able  to  enjoy  the  thing ;  you  under- 
stand ?' 

" '  Oh,  perfectly,'  said  I,  overjoyed  at  the  novelty  of  the  scene, 
and  anticipating  much  pleasure  from  my  chance  meeting  with  such 
very  original  characters. 

"  '  Mr.  Sparks,  Mrs.  Winterbottom.  Allow  me  to  present  Mr. 
Sparks.' 

"  '  Any  news  from  Batavia,  young  gentleman  V  said  the  sallow  old 
lady  addressed.     '  How  is  coffee  ?' 

"The  General  passed  on,  introducing  me  rapidly  as  he  went. 

"  '  Mr.  Doolittle,  Mr.  Sparks.' 

"  '  Ah,  how  do  you  do,  old  boy  ?'  said  Mr.  Doolittle ; '  sit  down 
beside  me.  We  have  forty  thousand  acres  of  pickled  cabbage  spoil- 
ing for  want  of  a  little  vinegar.' 

" '  Fie,  fie !  Mr.  Doolittle,'  said  the  General,  and  passed  on  to 
another. 

"  '  Mr.  Sparks,  Captain  Crosstree.' 

"  'Ah,  Sparks,  Sparks  !  son  of  old  Blazes?  Ha,  ha,  ha!'  and  the 
Captain  fell  back  in  an  immoderate  fit  of  laughter. 

"  '  Le  Roi  est  servi/  said  the  thin,  meagre  figure  in  nankeens,  bow- 
ing, cap  in  hand,  before  the  General;  and,  accordingly,  we  all 
assumed  our  places  upon  the  grass. 

"  'Say  it  again  !  say  it  again !  and  I'll  plunge  this  dagger  in  your 
heart !'  said  a  hollow  voice,  tremulous  with  agitation  and  rage, 
close  beside  me.  I  turned  my  head,  and  saw  an  old  gentleman,  with 
a  wart  on  his  nose,  sitting  opposite  a  meat  pie,  which  he  was  con- 
templating with  a  look  of  fiery  indignation.  Before  I  could  witness 
the  sequel  of  the  scene,  I  felt  a  soft  hand  pressed  upon  mine.  I 
turned.  It  was  Isabella  herself,  who,  looking  at  me  with  an  expres- 
sion I  shall  never  forget,  said, — 

"  '  Don't  mind  poor  Faddy ;  he  never  hurts  any  one.' 

"  Meanwhile  the  business  of  dinner  went  on  rapidly.  The  ser- 
vants, of  whom  enormous  numbers  were  now  present,  ran  hither 
and  thither;  and  duck,  ham,  pigeon-pie,  cold  veal,  apple  tarts, 
cheese,  pickled  salmon,  melon  and  rice-pudding,  flourished  on  every 
side.     As  for  me,  whatever  I  might  have  gleaned  from  the  coiner- 


MR.  SPARKS'S  STORY.  21V 

sation  around,  under  other  circumstances,  1  was  too  much  occupied 
with  Isabella  to  think  of  any  one  else.  My  suit — for  such  it  was — 
progressed  rapidly.  There  was  evidently  something  favorable  in  the 
circumstances  we  last  met  under,  for  her  manner  had  all  the  warmth 
and  cordiality  of  old  friendship.  It  is  true  that  more  than  once  I 
caught  the  General's  eye  fixed  upon  us,  with  anything  but  an  ex- 
pression of  pleasure,  and  I  thought  that  Isabella  blushed  and  seemed 
confused  also.  '  What  care  I  V  however,  was  my  reflection  ;  '  my 
views  are  honorable;    and    the    nephew  and    heir   of  Sir  Toby 

Sparks  - '    Just  in  the  very  act  of  making  this  reflection,  the  old 

man  in  the  shorts  hit  me  in  the  eye  with  a  roasted  apple,  calling 
out  at  the  moment, — 

" '  When  did  you  join,  thou  child  of  the  pale  faces?' 

"  '  Mr.  Murdocks  !'  cried  the  General,  in  a  voice  of  thunder,  and 
the  little  man  hung  down  his  head  and  spoke  not. 

"  '  A  word  with  you,  young  gentleman,'  said  a  fat  old  lady,  pinch- 
ing my  arm  above  the  elbow. 

"  *  Never  mind  her,'  said  Isabella,  smiling  ;  '  poor  dear  old  Dorkin, 
she  thinks  she's  an  hour-glass.     How  droll,  isn't  it  ?" 

"  *  Young  man,  have  you  any  feelings  of  humanity  ?'  inquired  the 
old  lady,  with  tears  in  her  eyes  as  she  spoke ;  '  will  you — dare  you — 
assist  a  fellow-creature  under  my  sad  circumstances  ?' 

"  '  What  can  I  do  for  you,  madam  ?'  said  I,  really  feeling  for  her 
distress. 

"  ■  Just,  like  a  good  dear  soul,  just  turn  me  up,  for  I'm  nearly  run 
out.' 

"  Isabella  burst  out  a-laughing  at  the  strange  request — an  excess 
which,  I  confess,  I  was  unable  myself  to  repress ;  upon  which  the 
old  lady,  putting  on  a  frown  of  the  most  ominous  blackness,  said, — 

" '  You  may  laugh,  madam ;  but  first,  before  you  ridicule  the  mis- 
fortunes of  others,  ask  yourself  are  you,  too,  free  from  infirmity  ? 
When  did  you  see  the  ace  of  spades,  madam  ?  answer  me  that.' 

"  Isabella  became  suddenly  pale  as  death,  her  very  lips  blanched, 
and  her  voice,  almost  inaudible,  muttered, — 

" '  Am  I,  then,  deceived?  Is  not  this  he?'  So  saying, she  placed 
her  hand  upon  my  shoulder. 

"  '  That  the  ace  of  spades !'  exclaimed  the  old  lady,  with  a  sneer — 
1  that  the  ace  of  spades  !' 

"  '  Are  you,  or  are  you  not,  sir  ?'  said  Isabella,  fixing  her  deep  and 
languid  eyes  upon  me.  '  Answer,  as  you  are  honest ;  are  you  the 
ace  of  spades  V 

"  '  He  is  the  King  of  Tuscarora.  Look  at  his  war-paint !'  cried 
an  elderly  gentleman,  putting  a  streak  of  mustard  across  my  nose 
and  cheek. 


218  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"'Then  am  I  deceived/  said  Isabella.  And,  flying  at  me,  she 
plucked  a  handful  of  hair  out  of  my  whiskers. 

"  '  Cuckoo,  cuckoo  !'  shouted  one  ;  '  Bow,  wow,  wow !'  roared  an- 
other ;  '  Phiz  V  went  a  third ;  and,  in  an  instant,  such  a  scene  of 
commotion  and  riot  ensued !  Plates,  dishes,  knives,  forks,  and  de- 
canters flew  right  and  left ;  every  one  pitched  into  his  neighbor  with 
the  most  fearful  cries,  and  hell  itself  seemed  let  loose.  The  hour- 
glass and  the  Moulah  of  Oude  had  got  me  down,  and  were  pummel- 
ling me  to  death,  when  a  short,  thickset  man  came  on  all  fours  slap 
down  upon  them,  shouting  out,  '  Way,  make  way  for  the  royal  Ben- 
gal tiger V  at  which  they  both  fled  like  lightning,  leaving  me  to  the 
encounter  single-handed.  Fortunately,  however,  this  was  not  of 
very  long  duration,  for  some  well-disposed  Christians  pulled  him 
from  off  me ;  not,  however,  before  he  had  seized  me  in  his  grasp, 
and  bitten  off  a  portion  of  my  right  ear,  leaving  me,  as  you  see,  thus 
mutilated  for  the  rest  of  my  days." 

"  What  an  extraordinary  club  I"  broke  in  the  Doctor. 

"  Club !  sir,  club  !  it  was  a  lunatic  asylum.  The  General  was  no 
other  than  the  famous  Doctor  Andrew  Moorville,  that  had  the  great 
madhouse  at  Bangor,  and  who  was  in  the  habit  of  giving  his  patients 
every  now  and  then  a  kind  of  country  party  ;  it  being  one  remark- 
able feature  of  their  malady  that,  when  one  takes  to  his  peculiar 
flight,  whatever  it  be,  the  others  immediately  take  the  hint,  and  go 
off  at  score.  Hence  my  agreeable  adventure,  the  Bengal  tiger  being 
a  Liverpool  merchant,  and  the  most  vivacious  madman  in  England; 
while  the  hour-glass  and  the  Moulah  were  both  on  an  experimental 
tour  to  see  whether  they  should  not  be  pronounced  totally  incurable 
for  life," 

"  And  Isabella  ?"  inquired  Power. 

"  Ah !  poor  Isabella  had  been  driven  mad  by  a  card-playing  aunt 
at  Bath,  and  was,  in  fact,  the  most  hopeless  case  there.  The  last 
words  I  heard  her  speak  confirmed  my  mournful  impression  of  her 
case : — 

"'Yes,'  said  she,  as  they  removed  her  to  her  carriage,  'I  must, 
indeed,  have  but  weak  intellects,  when  I  could  have  taken  the 
nephew  of  a  Manchester  cotton-spinner,  with  a  face  like  a  printed 
calico,  for  a  trump  card,  and  the  best  in  the  pack  !'  " 

Poor  Sparks  uttered  these  last  words  with  a  faltering  accent,  and 
finishing  his  glass  at  one  draught,  withdrew  without  wishing  us  good 
night. 


/ 


THE  SKIPPER.  219 

CHAPTEE   XXXIII. 

THE   SKIPPER. 


IN  such  like  gossipings  passed  our  days  away,  for  our  voyage 
itself  had  nothing  of  adventure  or  incident  to  break  its  dull 
monotony.  Save  some  few  hours  of  calm,  we  had  been  steadily 
following  our  seaward  track  with  a  fair  breeze,  and  the  long  pen- 
nant pointed  ever  to  the  land  where  our  ardent  expectations  were 
hurrying  before  it. 

The  latest  accounts  which  had  reached  us  from  the  Peninsula  told 
us  that  our  regiment  was  almost  daily  engaged ;  and  we  burned  with 
impatience  to  share  with  the  others  the  glory  they  were  reaping. 
Power,  who  had  seen  service,  felt  less  on  this  score  than  we  who  had 
not  "fleshed  our  maiden  swords;"  but  even  he  sometimes  gave  way; 
and  when  the  wind  fell,  towards  sunset,  he  would  break  out  into 
some  exclamation  of  discontent,  half- fearing  we  should  be  too  late ; 
"  for,"  said  he,  "  if  we  go  on  in  this  way,  the  regiment  will  be  re- 
lieved, and  ordered  home  before  we  reach  it." 

"  Never  fear,  my  boys,  you'll  have  enough  of  it.  Both  sides  like 
the  work  too  well  to  give  in ;  they've  got  a  capital  ground,  and 
plenty  of  spare  time,"  said  the  Major. 

"  Only  to  think,"  cried  Power,  "that  we  should  be  lounging  away 
our  idle  hours,  when  these  gallant  fellows  are  in  the  saddle  late  and 
early.  It  is  too  bad ;  eh,  O'Malley  ?  You'll  not  be  pleased  to  go  back 
with  the  polish  on  your  sabre  ?     What  will  Lucy  Dash  wood  say?" 

This  was  the  first  allusion  Power  had  ever  made  to  her,  and  I  be- 
came red  to  the  very  forehead. 

".  By  the  bye,"  added  he,  "  I  have  a  letter  for  Hammersley,  which 
should  rather  have  been  entrusted  to  your  keeping." 

At  these  words  I  felt  cold  as  death,  while  he  continued  : 

"  Poor  fellow  !  certainly  he  is  most  desperately  smitten  ;  for,  mark 
me,  when  a  man  at  his  age  takes  the  malady,  it  is  forty  times  as 
severe  as  with  a  younger  fellow,  like  you.  But  then,  to  be  sure,  he 
began  at  the  wrong  end  in  the  matter ;  why  commence  with  papa  ? 
When  a  man  has  his  own  consent  for  liking  a  girl,  he  must  be  a  con- 
temptible fellow  if  he  can't  get  her  !  and  as  to  anything  else  being 
wanting,  I  don't  understand  it.  But  the  moment  you  begin  by  in- 
fluencing the  heads  of  the  house,  good-bye  to  your  chances  with  the 
dear  thing  herself,  if  she  have  any  spirit  whatever.  It  is,  in  fact, 
calling  on  her  to  surrender  without  the  honors  of  war ;  and  what  girl 
would  stand  that  ?" 

"  It's  vara  true,"  said  the  Doctor ;  "  there's  a  strong  speerit  of  op- 
position in  the  sex,  from  physiological  causes." 


220  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Curse  your  physiology,  old  Galen  :  what  you  call  opposition  is 
that  piquant  resistance  to  oppression  that  makes  half  the  charm  of 
the  sex.  It  is  with  them — with  reverence  be  it  spoken— -as  with 
horses :  the  dull,  heavy-shouldered  ones,  that  bore  away  with  the 
bit  in  their  teeth,  never  caring  whether  you  are  pulling  to  the  right 
or  to  the  left,  are  worth  nothing;  the  real  luxury  is  in  the  manage- 
ment of  your  arching-necked  curveter,  springing  from  side  to  side 
with  every  motion  of  your  wrist,  madly  bounding  at  restraint;  yet 
to  the  practised  hand,  held  in  check  with  a  silk  thread ;  eh,  Skipper 
— am  I  not  right  V 

"  Well,  I  can't  say  I've  had  much  to  do  with  horse-beasts,  but  I 
believe  you're  not  far  wrong.  The  lively  craft  that  answers  the  helm 
quick,  goes  round  well  in  stays,  luffs  up  close  within  a  point  or  two, 
when  you  want  her,  is  always  a  good  sea-boat,  even  though  she 
pitches  and  rolls  a  bit;  but  the  heavy  lugger  that  never  knows 
whether  your  helm  is  up  or  down,  whether  she's  off  the  wind  or  on  it,  is 
only  fit  for  firewood — you  can  do  nothing  with  a  ship  or  a  woman 
if  she  hasn't  got  steerage  way  on  her." 

"  Come,  Skipper,  we've  all  been  telling  our  stories ;  let  us  hear 
one  of  yours  ?" 

"  My  yarn  won't  come  so  well  after  your  sky-scrapers  of  love  and 
courting,  and  all  that.  But  if  you  like  to  hear  what  happened  to 
me  once,  I  have  no  objection  to  tell  you. 

"  I  often  think  how  little  we  know  what's  going  to  happen  to  us 
any  minute  of  our  lives.  To-day  we  have  the  breeze  fair  in  our 
favor ;  we  are  going  seven  knots,  studding-sails  set,  smooth  water, 
and  plenty  of  sea-room  ;  to-morrow  the  wind  freshens  to  half  a  gale, 
the  sea  gets  up,  a  rocky  coast  is  seen  from  the  bow,  and  maybe — to 
add  to  all — we  spring  a  leak  forward ;  but  then,  after  all,  bad  as  it 
looks,  mayhap  we  rub  through  even  this,  and  with  the  next  day, 
the  prospect  is  as  bright  and  cheering  as  ever.  You'll  perhaps  ask 
me  what  has  all  this  moralizing  to  do  with  women  and  ships  at  sea? 
Nothing  at  all  with  them,  except  that  I  was  a-going  to  say  that 
when  matters  look  worst,  very  often  the  best  is  in  store  for  us,  and 
we  should  never  say  strike  when  there  is  a  timber  together.  Now 
for  my  story  : — 

"  It's  about  four  years  ago,  I  was  strolling  one  evening  down  the 
side  of  the  harbor  at  Cove,  with  my  hands  in  my  pockets,  having 
nothing  to  do,  nor  no  prospect  of  it,  for  my  last  ship  had  been 
wrecked  off  the  Bermudas,  and  nearly  all  the  crew  lost ;  and,  some- 
how, when  a  man  is  in  misfortune,  the  underwriters  won't  have  him 
at  any  price.  Well,  there  I  was,  looking  about  me  at  the  craft  that 
lay  on  every  side  waiting  for  a  fair  wind  to  run  down  channel.  All 
was  active  and  busy;  every  one  getting  his  vessel  ship-shape  and 


THE  SKIPPER.  221 

tidy,  tarring,  painting,  mending  sails,  stretching  new  bunting,  and 
getting  in  sea-store ;  boats  were  plying  on  every  side,  signals  flying, 
guns  firing  from  the  men-of-war,  and  everything  was  lively  as  might 
be ;  all  but  me.  There  I  was,  like  an  old  water-logged  timber-ship, 
never  moving  a  spar,  but  looking  for  all  the  world  as  though  I  were 
a-settling  fast  to  go  down  stern  foremost ;  maybe  as  how  I  had  no 
objection  to  that  same ;  but  that's  neither  here  nor  there.  Well,  I 
sat  down  on  the  fluke  of  an  anchor,  and  began  a-thinking  if  it  wasn't 
better  to  go  before  the  mast  than  live  on  that  way.  Just  before  me, 
where  I  sat  down,  there  was  an  old  schooner,  that  lay  moored  in  the 
same  place  for  as  long  as  I  could  remember.  She  was  there  when  I 
was  a  boy,  and  never  looked  a  bit  the  fresher  nor  newer  as  long  as 
I  recollected ;  her  old  bluff  bows,  her  high  poop,  her  round  stern, 
her  flush  deck,  all  Dutch-like,  I  knew  them  well,  and  many  a  time 
I  delighted  to  think  what  a  queer  kind  of  a  chap  he  was  that  first 
set  her  on  the  stocks,  and  pondered  in  what  trade  she  ever  could 
have  been.  All  the  sailors  about  the  port  used  to  call  her  Noah's 
Ark,  and  swear  she  was  the  identical  craft  that  he  stowed  away  all 
the  wild  beasts  in  during  the  rainy  season'.  Be  that  as  it  might,  since 
I  fell  into  misfortune,  I  got  to  feel  a  liking  for  the  old  schooner ;  she 
was  like  an  old  friend ;  she  never  changed  to  me,  fair  weather  or 
foul;  there  she  was,  just  the  same  as  thirty  years  before,  when  all 
the  world  were  forgetting  and  steering  wide  away  from  me.  Every 
morning  I  used  to  go  down  to  the  harbor  and  have  a  look  at  her, 
just  to  see  that  all  was  right,  and  nothing  stirred ;  and  if  it  blew 
very  hard  at  night,  I'd  get  up  and  go  down  to  look  how  she  weath- 
ered it,  just  as  if  I  was  at  sea  in  her.  Now  and  then  I'd  get  some  of 
the  watermen  to  row  me  aboard  of  her,  and  leave  me  there  for  a  few 
hours,  when  I  used  to  be  quite  happy  walking  the  deck,  holding 
the  old  worm-eaten  wheel,  looking  out  ahead,  and  going  down  below, 
just  as  though  I  was  in  command  of  her.  Day  after  day  this  habit 
grew  on  me,  and  at  last  my  whole  life  was  spent  in  watching  her 
and  looking  after  her ;  there  was  something  so  much  alike  in  our 
fortunes,  that  I  always  thought  of  her.  Like  myself,  she  had  had 
her  day  of  life  and  activity;  we  had  both  braved  the  storm  and  the 
breeze;  her  shattered  bulwarks  and  worn  cutwater  attested  that  she 
had,  like  myself,  not  escaped  her  calamities.  We  both  had  survived 
our  dangers,  to  be  neglected  and  forgotten,  and  to  lie  rotting  on  the 
stream  of  life  till  the  crumbling  hand  of  Time  should  break  us  up, 
timber  by  timber.  Is  it  any  wonder  if  I  loved  the  old  craft?  or  if, 
by  any  chance,  the  idle  boys  would  venture  aboard  of  her  to  play  and 
amuse  themselves,  that  I  halloed  them  away?  or,  when  a  newly- 
arrived  ship,  not  caring  for  the  old  boat,  would  run  foul  of  her,  and 
carry  away  some  spar  or  piece  of  running  rigging,  I  would  suddenly 


222  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

call  out  to  them  to  sheer  off  and  not  damage  us  ?  By  degrees  they 
came  all  to  notice  this  ;  and  I  found  that  they  thought  me  out  of  my 
senses,  and  many  a  trick  was  played  off  upon  old  Noah — for  that  was 
the  name  the  sailors  gave  me. 

"  Well,  this  evening,  as  I  was  saying,  I  sat  upon  the  fluke  of  the 
anchor,  waiting  for  a  chance  boat  to  put  me  aboard.  It  was  past 
sunset,  the  tide  was  ebbing,  and  the  old  craft  was  surging  to  the  fast 
current  that  ran  by  with  a  short,  impatient  jerk,  as  though  she  were 
well  weary,  and  wished  to  be  at  rest;  her  loose  stays  creaked  mourn- 
fully, and,  as  she  yawed  over,  the  sea  ran  from  many  a  breach  in  her 
worn  sides,  like  blood  trickling  from  a  wound.  'Ay,  ay,'  thought  I, 
'  the  hour  is  not  far  off;  another  stiff  gale,  and  all  that  remains  of 
you  will  be  found  high  and  dry  upon  the  shore.'  My  heart  was 
very  heavy  as  I  thought  of  this,  for,  in  my  loneliness,  the  old  Ark — 
though  that  was  not  her  name,  as  I'll  tell  you  presently — was  all  the 
companion  I  had.  I've  heard  of  a  poor  prisoner  who  for  many  and 
many  years  watched  a  spider  that  wove  his  web  within  his  window, 
and  never  lost  sight  of  him  from  morning  till  night ,  and,  somehow, 
I  can  believe  it  well ;  the  heart  will  cling  to  something,  and  if  it  has 
no  living  object  to  press  on,  it  will  find  a  lifeless  one — it  can  no 
more  stand  alone  than  the  shrouds  can  without  the  mast.  The  even- 
ing wore  on,  as  I  was  thinking  thus ;  the  moon  shone  out,  but  no 
boat  came,  and  I  was  just  determining  to  go  home  again  for  the 
night,  when  I  saw  two  men  standing  on  the  steps  of  the  wharf  below 
me,  and  looking  straight  at  the  Ark.  Now,  I  must  tell  you  I  always 
felt  uneasy  when  any  one  came  to  look  at  her,  for  I  began  to  fear 
that  some  shipowner  or  other  would  buy  her  to  break  up,  though, 
except  the  copper  fastenings,  there  was  little  of  any  value  about  her. 
Now,  the  moment  I  saw  the  two  figures  stop  short,  and  point  to  her, 
I  said  to  myself,  'Ah !  my  old  girl,  so  they  won't  even  let  the  blue 
water  finish  you,  but  they  must  set  their  carpenters  and  dockyard 
people  to  work  upon  you.'  This  thought  grieved  me  more  and  more. 
Had  a  stiff  sou' -wester  laid  her  over,  I  should  have  felt  it  more 
natural,  for  her  sand  was  run  out;  but,  just  as  this  passed  through 
my  mind,  I  heard  a  voice  from  one  of  the  persons,  that  I  at  once 
knew  to  be  the  Port  Admiral's  : — 

" '  Well,  Dawkins/  said  he  to  the  other,  '  if  you  think  she'll  hold 
together,  I'm  sure  I've  no  objection.  I  don't  like  the  job,  I  confess  ; 
but  still  the  Admiralty  must  be  obeyed.' 

" '  Oh,  my  lord/  said  the  other,  '  she's  the  very  thing ;  she's  a 
rakish-looking  craft,  and  will  do  admirably ;  any  repair  we  want,  a 
few  days  will  effect ;  secrecy  is  the  great  thing.' 

"  '  Yes/  said  the  Admiral,  after  a  pause,  '  as  you  observe,  secrecy 
is  the  great  thing/ 


THE  SKIPPER.  223 

" '  Ho !  ho !'  thought  I,  *  there's  something  in  the  wind  here  ;' 
so  I  laid  myself  out  upon  the  anchor-stock,  to  listen  better,  unob- 
served. 

"  '  We  must  find  a  crew  for  her,  give  her  a  few  carronades,  make 
her  as  ship-shape  as  we  can,  and,  if  the  Skipper ' 

"  'Ay,  but  there  is  the  real  difficulty/  said  the  Admiral,  hastily ; 
?J  where  are  we  to  find  a  fellow  that  will  suit  us?  We  can't  every 
day  find  a  man  willing  to  jeopardize  himself  in  such  a  cause  as  this, 
even  though  the  reward  be  a  great  one.' 

"  «  Very  true,  my  lord  ;  but  I  don't  think  there's  any  necessity  for 
our  explaining  to  him  the  exact  nature  of  the  service.' 

11  *  Come,  come,  Dawkins,  you  can't  mean  that  you'll  lead  a  poor 
fellow  into  such  a  scrape  blindfolded  ?' 

"  'Why,  my  lord,  you  never  think  it  requisite  to  give  a  plan  of 
your  cruise  to  your  ship's  crew  before  clearing  out  of  harbor.' 

" '  This  may  be  perfectly  just,  but  I  don't  like  it,'  said  the  Ad- 
miral. 

"  '  In  that  case,  my  lord,  you  are  imparting  the  secrets  of  the  Ad- 
miralty to  a  party  who  may  betray  the  whole  plot.' 

"  -  I  wish,  with  all  my  soul,  they'd  given  the  order  to  any  one 
else,'  said  the  Admiral,  with  a  sigh ;  and  for  a  few  moments  neither 
spoke  a  word. 

"  '  Well,  then,  Dawkins,  I  believe  there  is  nothing  for  it  but  what 
you  say  ;  meanwhile,  let  the  repairs  be  got  in  hand,  and  see  after  a 
crew.' 

"  '  Oh,  as  to  that,'  said  the  other,  '  there  are  plenty  of  scoundrels 
in  the  fleet  here  fit  for  nothing  else.  Any  fellow  who  has  been  thrice 
up  for  punishment  in  six  months,  we'll  draft  on  board  of  her ;  the 
fellows  who  have  only  been  once  to  the  gangway,  we'll  make  the 
officers.' 

"  'A  pleasant  ship's  company,'  thought  I,  '  if  the  devil  would  only 
take  the  command.' 

"  'And  with  a  skipper  proportionate  to  their  merit,'  said  Daw- 
kins. 

" '  Begad,  I'll  wish  the  French  joy  of  them,'  said  the  Admiral. 

" '  Ho,  ho !'  thought  I,  '  I've  found  you  out,  at  last ;  so  this  is  a 
secret  expedition  ;  I  see  it  all ;  they're  fitting  her  out  as  a  fire-ship, 
and  going  to  send  her  slap  in  ainong  the  French  fleet  at  Brest. 
Well,'  thought  I,  '  even  that's  better ;  that,  at  least,  is  a  glorious 
end,  though  the  poor  fellows  have  no  chance  of  escape.' 

" '  Now,  then/  said  the  Admiral,  ■  to-morrow  you'll  look  out  for 
the  fellow  to  take  the  command.  He  must  be  a  smart  seaman,  a 
bold  fellow,  too  ;  otherwise  the  ruffianly  crew  will  be  too  much  for 
him  ;  he  may  bid  high  :  we'll  come  to  his  price.' 


224  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  '  So  you  may,'  thought  I,  *  when  you  are  buying  his  life.' 

"'I  hope  sincerely,'  continued  the  Admiral,  ' that  we  may  light 
upon  some  one  without  wife  or  child.  I  never  could  forgive  my- 
self  ' 

"  '  Never  fear,  my  lord,'  said  the  other.  'My  care  shall  be  to  pitch 
Upon  one  whose  loss  no  one  would  feel — some  one  without  friend  or 
home,  who,  setting  his  life  at  naught,  cares  less  for  the  gain  than 
the  very  recklessness  of  the  adventure.' 

"  '  That's  me,'  said  I,  starting  up  from  the  anchor  stock,  and 
springing  between  them  ;  '  I'm  that  man.' 

"  Had  the  very  devil  himself  appeared  at  the  moment,  I  doubt  if 
they  would  have  been  more  scared.  The  Admiral  started  a  pace  or 
two  backward,  whilst  Dawkins,  the  first  surprise  over,  seized  me  by 
the  collar,  and  held  me  fast. 

"  '  Who  are  you,  scoundrel,  and  what  brings  you  here  ?'  said  he, 
in  a  voice  hoarse  with  passion. 

"  '  I'm  old  Noah,'  said  I ;  for,  somehow,  I  had  been  called  by  no 
other  name  for  so  long,  I  never  thought  of  my  real  one. 

"'Noah!' said  the  Admiral— '  Noah !  Well,  but,  Noah,  what 
were  you  doing  down  here  at  this  time  of  night  ?' 

"  '  I  was  watching  the  Ark,  my  lord,'  said  I,  bowing,  as  I  took  off 
my  hat. 

"  '  I've  heard  of  this  fellow  before,  my  lord,'  said  Dawkins  ;  'he's 
a  poor  lunatic  that  is  always  wandering  about  the  harbor,  and  I 
believe  has  no  harm  in  him.' 

"  '  Yes ;  but  he  has  doubtless  been  listening  to  our  conversation,' 
said  the  Admiral.  'Eh,  have  you  heard  all  we  have  been  say- 
ing?' 

"  '  Every  word  of  it,  my  lord.' 

"  At  this  the  Admiral  and  Dawkins  looked  steadfastly  at  each 
other  for  some  minutes,  but  neither  spoke.  At  last  Dawkins 
said,  '  Well,  Noah,  I've  been  told  you  are  a  man  to  be  depended  on  ; 
may  we  rely  upon  your  not  repeating  anything  you  overheard  this 
evening — at  least  for  a  year  to  come?* 

"  '  You  may,'  said  I. 

'" But,  Dawkins,'  said  the  Admiral,  in  a  half- whisper,  'if  the 
poor  fellow  be  mad  ?' 

"  '  My  lord,'  said  I  boldly,  '  I  am  not  mad.  Misfortune  and 
.calamity  I  have  had  enough  of  to  make  me  so ;  but,  thank  God ! 
my  brain  has  been  tougher  than  my  poor  heart.  I  was  once  the 
part  owner  and  commander  of  a  goodly  craft,  that  swept  the  sea,  if 
not  with  a  broad  pennon  at  her  mast-head,  with  as  light  a  spirit  as 
ever  lived  beneath  one.  I  was  rich  ;  I  had  a  home  and  a  child.  I 
am  now  poor,  houseless,  childless,  friendless,  and  an  outcast.    If,  in 


THE  SKIPPER.  225 

my  solitary  wretchedness,  I  have  loved  to  look  upon  that  old  bark, 
it  is  because  its  fortune  seemed  like  my  own.  It  had  outlived  all 
that  needed  or  cared  for  it.  For  this  reason  they  have  thought  me 
mad,  though  there  are  those,  and  not  few  either,  who  can  well  bear 
testimony  if  stain  or  reproach  lie  at  my  door,  and  if  I  can  be  re- 
proached with  aught  save  bad  luck.  I  have  heard  by  chance  what 
you  have  said  this  night ;  I  know  that  you  are  fitting  out  a  secret 
expedition;  I  know  its  dangers,  its  inevitable  dangers,  and  I  here 
.offer  myself  to  lead  it.  I  ask  no  reward,  I  look  for  no  price.  Alas! 
who  is  left  to  me  for  whom  I  can  labor  now  ?  Give  me  but  the 
opportunity  to  end  my  days  with  honor  on  board  the  old  craft, 
where  my  heart  still  clings ;  give  me  but  that.  Well,  if  you  will 
not  do  so  much,  let  me  serve  among  the  crew ;  put  me  before  the 
mast.  My  lord,  you'll  not  refuse  this  ;  it  is  an  old  man  who  asks — 
one  whose  gray  hairs  have  floated  many  a  year  before  the  breeze.' 

"  '  My  poor  fellow  I  you  know  not  what  you  ask ;  this  is  no  un- 
common case  of  danger.' 

"  '  I  know  it  all,  my  lord ;  I  have  heard  it  all.' 
"  '  Dawkins,  what  is  to  be  done  here  ?'  inquired  the  Admiral. 
"  '  I  say,  friend,'  inquired  Dawkins,  laying  his  hand  upon  my 
arm,  '  what  is  your  real  name  ?    Are  you  he  who  commanded  the 
Dwarf  privateer  in  the  Isle  of  France  V 
" '  The  same.' 

"  '  Then  you  are  known  to  Lord  Collingwood  ?' 
"  '  He  knows  me  well,  and  can  speak  to  my  character.' 
"  '  What  he  says  of  himself  is  all  true,  my  lord.' 
"  '  True,'  said  I — '  true !    You  did  not  doubt  it,  did  you  ?' 
" '  We,'  said  the  Admiral,  '  must  speak  together  again ;  be  here 
to-morrow  night  at  this  hour.     Keep  your  own  counsel  of  what  has 
passed  ;  and  now,  good-night.'     So  saying,  the  Admiral  took  Daw- 
kins by  the  arm,  and  returned  slowly  towards  the  town,  leaving  me 
where  I  stood,  meditating  on  this  singular  meeting,  and  its  possible 
consequences. 

"  The  whole  of  the  following  day  was  passed  by  me  in  a  state  of 
feverish  excitement,  which  I  cannot  describe.  This  strange  adven- 
ture breaking  in  so  suddenly  upon  the  dull  monotony  of  my  daily 
existence,  had  so  aroused  and  stimulated  me,  that  I  could  neither 
rest  nor  eat.  How  I  longed  for  night  to  come !  for,  sometimes,  as 
the  day  wore-later,  I  began  to  fear  that  the  whole  scene  of  my  meet- 
ing with  the  Admiral  had  been  merely  some  excited  dream  of  a  tor- 
tured and  fretted  mind;  and,  as  I  stood  examining  the  ground  where 
I  believed  the  interview  to  have  occurred,  I  endeavored  to  recall  the 
position  of  different  objects  as  they  stood  around,  to  corroborate  my 
own  failing  remembrance. 
15 


226  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  At  last  the  evening  closed  in ;  but,  unlike  the  preceding  one, 
the  sky  was  covered  with  masses  of  dark  and  watery  cloud,  that 
drifted  hurriedly  across ;  the  air  felt  heavy  and  thick,  and  unnatu- 
rally still  and  calm ;  the  water  of  the  harbor  looked  of  a  dull, 
leaden  hue,  and  all  the  vessels  seemed  larger  than  they  were,  and 
stood  out  from  the  landscape  more  clearly  than  usual.  Now  and 
then  a  low  rumbling  noise  was  heard,  somewhat  alike  in  sound,  but 
far  too  faint,  for  distant  thunder,  while  occasionally  the  boats  and 
smaller  craft  rocked  to  and  fro,  as  though  some  ground  swell  stirred 
them,  without  breaking  the  languid  surface  of  the  sea  above. 

"  A  few  drops  of  thick,  heavy  rain  fell  just  as  the  darkness  came 
on,  and  then  all  felt  still  and  calm  as  before.  I  sat  upon  the  anchor- 
stock,  my  eyes  fixed  upon  the  old  Ark,  until  gradually  her  outline 
grew  fainter  and  fainter  against  the  dark  sky,  and  her  black  hull 
could  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the  water  beneath.  I  felt  that 
I  was  looking  towards  her,  for  long  after  I  had  lost  sight  of  the  tall 
mast  and  high-pitched  bowsprit,  I  feared  to  turn  away  my  head, 
lest  I  should  lose  the  place  where  she  lay. 

"  The  time  went  slowly  on,  and,  although  in  reality  I  had  not 
been  long  there,  I  felt  as  if  years  themselves  had  passed  over  my 
head.  Since  I  had  come  there,  my  mind  brooded  over  all  the  mis- 
fortunes of  my  life.  As  I  contrasted  its  outset,  bright  with  hope 
and  rich  in  promise,  with  the  sad  reality,  my  heart  grew  heavy  and 
my  chest  heaved  painfully  ;  so  sunk  was  I  in  my  reflections,  so  lost 
in  thought,  that  I  never  knew  that  the  storm  had  broken  loose,  and 
that  the  heavy  rain  was  falling  in  torrents.  The  very  ground, 
parched  with  long  drought,  smoked  as  it  pattered  upon  it,  while  the 
low,  wailing  cry  of  the  sea-gull,  mingled  with  the  deep  growl  of  far- 
off  thunder,  told  that  the  night  was  a  fearful  one  for  those  at  sea. 
Wet  through  and  shivering,  I  sat  still — now  listening,  amid  the 
noise  of  the  hurricane  and  the  creaking  of  the  cordage,  for  any  foot- 
step to  approach,  and  now  relapsing  back  into  a  half-despairing 
dread,  that  my  heated  brain  alone  had  conjured  up  the  scene  of  the 
day  before.  Such  were  my  dreary  reflections,  when  a  loud  crash 
aboard  the  schooner  told  me  that  some  old  spar  had  given  way.  I 
strained  my  eyes  through  the  dark  to  see  what  had  happened,  but 
in  vain ;  the  black  vapor,  thick  with  falling  rain,  obscured  every- 
thing, and  all  was  hid  from  view.  I  could  hear  that  she  worked 
violently  as  the  waves  beat  against  her  worn  sides,  and  that  her 
iron  cable  creaked  as  she  pitched  to  the  breaking  sea.  The  wind 
was  momentarily  increasing,  and  I  began  to  fear  lest  I  should  have 
taken  my  last  look  at  the  old  craft,  when  my  attention  was  called 
off  by  hearing  a  loud  voice  cry  out,  '  Halloo  there !  Where  are 
you?' 


THE  SKIPPER.  227 

" '  Ay,  ay,  sir ;  I'm  here.'  In  a  moment  the  Admiral  and  his 
friend  were  beside  me. 

"  'What  a  night!'  exclaimed  the  Admiral,  as  he  shook  the  rain 
from  the  heavy  boat-cloak,  and  cowered  in  beneath  some  tall  blocks 
of  granite  near.  '  I  began  half  to  hope  that  you  might  not  have 
been  here,  my  poor  fellow,'  said  the  Admiral.  '  It's  a  dreadful  time 
for  one  so  poorly  clad  for  a  storm.  I  say,  Dawkins,  let  him  have  a 
pull  at  your  flask.'  The  brandy  rallied  me  a  little,  and  I  felt  that  it 
cheered  my  drooping  courage. 

"  '  This  is  not  a  time  nor  is  it  a  place  for  much  parley,'  said  the 
Admiral,  '  so  that  we  must  even  make  short  work  of  it.  Since  we 
met  here  last  night,  I  have  satisfied  myself  that  you  are  to  be  trusted, 
that  your  character  and  reputation  have  nothing  heavier  against 
them  than  misfortune,  which,  certainly,  if  I  have  been  rightly  in- 
formed, has  been  largely  dealt  out  to  you.  Now,  then,  I  am  willing 
to  accept  of  your  offer  of  service,  if  you  are  still  of  the  same  mind 
as  when  you  made  it,  and  if  you  are  willing  to  undertake  what  we 
have  to  do,  without  any  question  or  inquiry  as  to  points  on  which 
we  must  not  and  dare  not  inform  you.  Whatever  you  may  have 
overheard  last  night,  may  or  may  not  have  put  you  in  possession  of 
our  secret.  If  the  former,  your  determination  can  be  made  at  once ; 
if  the  latter,  you  have  only  to  decide  whether  you  are  ready  to  go 
blindfolded  in  the  business.' 

" '  I  am  ready,  my  lord,'  said  I. 

" '  You  perhaps  are  then  aware  what  is  the  nature  of  the  service  V 

" '  I  know  it  not,'  said  I.  'All  that  I  heard,  sir,  leads  me  to  sup- 
pose it  one  of  danger,  but  that's  all.' 

" '  I  think,  my  lord,'  said  Dawkins,  'that  no  more  need  now  be  said. 
Cupples  is  ready  to  engage,  we  are  equally  so  to  accept ;  the  thing 
is  pressing.     When  can  you  sail  ?' 

"  '  To-night,'  said  I,  '  if  you  will.' 

"  '  Really,  Dawkins,'  said  the  Admiral,  '  I  don't  see  why ' 

" '  My  lord,  I  beg  of  you,'  said  the  other,  interrupting,  '  let  me 
now  complete  the  arrangement.  This  is  the  plan,'  said  he,  turning 
towards  me  as  he  spoke :  'As  soon  as  that  old  craft  can  be  got  ready  for 
sea,  or  some  other,  if  she  be  not  worth  it,  you  will  sail  from  this  port 
with  a  strong  crew,  well  armed  and  supplied  with  ammunition.  Your 
destination  is  Malta,  your  object  to  deliver  to  the  Admiral  stationed 
there  the  despatches  with  which  you  will  be  entrusted ;  they  contain 
information  of  immense  importance,  which,  for  certain  reasons,  can- 
not be  sent  through  a  ship  of  war,  but  must  be  forwarded  by  a  vessel 
that  may  not  attract  peculiar  notice.  If  you  be  attacked,  your  orders 
are  to  resist ;  if  you  be  taken,  on  no  account  destroy  the  papers,  for 
the  French  vessel  can  scarcely  escape  recapture  from  our  frigates, 


228  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

and  it  is  of  great  consequence  these  papers  should  remain.  Such  is 
a  brief  sketch  of  our  plan ;  the  details  can  be  made  known  to  you 
hereafter.' 

"'I  am  quite  ready,  my  lord.  I  ask  for  no  terms ;  I  make  no 
stipulations.  If  the  result  be  favorable,  it  will  be  time  enough  to 
speak  of  that.     When  am  I  to  sail  ?' 

"As  I  spoke,  the  Admiral  turned  suddenly  round,  and  said  some- 
thing in  a  whisper  to  Dawkins,  who  appeared  to  overrule  it,  what- 
ever it  might  be,  and  finally  brought  him  over  to  his  own  opinion. 

" '  Come,  Cupples/  said  Dawkins,  '  the  affair  is  now  settled ; 
to-morrow  a  boat  will  be  in  waiting  for  you  opposite  Spike  Island 
to  convey  you  on  board  the  Semiramis,  where  every  step  in  the 
whole  business  shall  be  explained  to  you ;  meanwhile,  you  have 
only  to  keep  your  own  counsel,  and  trust  the  secret  to  no  one.' 

" '  Yes,  Cupplcs/  said  the  Admiral,  'we  rely  upon  you  for  that, 
so  good-night.'  As  he  spoke,  he  placed  within  my  hands  a  crumpled 
note  for  ten  pounds,  and,  squeezing  my  fingers,  departed. 

"  My  yarn  is  spinning  out  to  a  far  greater  length  than  I  intended, 
so  I'll  try  and  shorten  it  a  bit.  The  next  day  I  went  aboard  the 
iSemiramis,  where,  when  I  appeared  upon  the  quarter-deck,  I  found 
myself  an  object  of  some  interest.  The  report  that  I  was  the  man 
about  to  command  the  Brian — that  was  the  real  name  of  the  old 
craft — had  caused  some  curiosity  among  the  officers,  and  they  all 
spoke  to  me  with  great  courtesy.  After  waiting  a  short  time,  I  was 
ordered  to  go  below,  where  the  Admiral,  his  Flag-Captain  Dawkins, 
and  the  others  were  seated.  They  repeated  at  greater  length  the 
conversation  of  the  night  before,  and  finally  decided  that  I  was  to 
sail  in  three  weeks ;  for,  although  the  old  schooner  was  sadly  dam- 
aged, they  had  lost  no  time,  but  had  her  already  high  in  dock,  with 
two  hundred  ship  carpenters  at  work  upon  her. 

"  I  do  not  shorten  sail  here  to  tell  you  what  reports  were  circu- 
lated about  Cove  as  to  my  extraordinary  change  in  circumstances, 
nor  how  I  bore  my  altered  fortunes.  It  is  enough  if  I  say  that  in 
less  than  three  weeks  I  weighed  anchor,  stood  out  to  sea  one  beauti- 
ful morning  in  autumn,  and  set  out  upon  my  expedition. 

"  I  have  already  told  you  something  of  the  craft.  Let  me  complete 
the  picture  by  informing  you  that,  before  twenty-four  hours  passed 
over,  I  discovered  that  so  ungainly,  so  awkward,  so  unmanageable  a 
vessel  never  put  to  sea.  In  light  winds  she  scarcely  stirred,  or  moved 
as  if  she  were  water-logged ;  if  it  came  to  blow  upon  the  quarter, 
she  fell  off  from  her  helm  at  a  fearful  rate;  in  wearing,  she  endan- 
gered every  spar  she  had ;  and  when  you  put  her  in  stays,  when  half 
way  round  she  would  fall  back,  and  nearly  carry  away  every  stitch 
of  canvas  with  the  shock.     If  the  ship  was  bad,  the  crew  were  ten 


THE  SKirrER.  221) 

times  worse.  What  Dawkins  had  said  turned  out  to  be  literally- 
true  :  every  ill-conducted,  disorderly  fellow  who  had  been  up  the 
gangway  once  a  week  or  so,  every  unreclaimed  landsman  of  bad 
character  and  no  seamanship,  was  sent  on  board  of  us  ;  and  in  fact, 
except  that  there  was  scarcely  any  discipline  and  no  restraint,  we 
appeared  like  a  floating  penitentiary  of  convicted  felons. 

"  So  long  as  we  ran  down  channel,  with  a  slack  sea  and  fair  wind, 
so  long  all  went  on  tolerably  well ;  to  be  sure,  they  only  kept  watch 
when  they  were  tired  below ;  when  they  came  up,  reeled  about  the 
deck,  did  all  just  as  they  pleased,  and  treated  me  with  no  manner  of 
respect.  After  some  vain  efforts  to  repress^heir  excesses — vain,  for 
I  had  but  one  to  second  me — I  appeared  to  take  no  notice  of  their 
misconduct,  and  contented  myself  with  waiting  for  the  time  when, 
my  dreary  voyage  over,  I  should  quit  the  command,  and  part  com- 
pany with  such  associates  forever.  At  last,  however,  it  came  on  to 
blow,  and  the  night  we  passed  the  Lizard  was  indeed  a  fearful  one. 
As  morning  broke,  a  sea  running  mountains  high,  a  wind  strong 
from  the  northwest  was  hurrying  the  old  craft  along  at  a  rate  I  be- 
lieved impossible.  I  shall  not  stop  to  recount  the  frightful  scenes 
of  anarchy,  confusion,  drunkenness,  and  insubordination  which  our 
crew  exhibited ;  the  recollection  is  too  bad  already,  and  I  would 
spare  you  and  myself  the  recital ;  but  from  the  fourth  day  of  the 
setting  in  of  the  gale,  as  we  entered  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  some  one  aloft 
descried  a  strange  sail  to  windward,  bearing  down  as  if  in  pursuit 
of  us.  Scarcely  did  the  news  reach  the  deck,  when,  bad  as  it  was 
before,  matters  became  now  ten  times  worse,  some  resolving  to  give 
themselves  up  if  the  chase  happened  to  be  French,  and  vowing  that, 
before  surrendering,  the  spirit-room  should  be  forced,  and  every  man 
let  drink  as  he  pleased.  Others  proposed,  if  there  were  anything 
like  equality  in  the  force,  to  attack,  and  convert  the  captured  vessel 
if  they  succeeded,  inJ;o  a  slaver,  and  sail  at  once  for  Africa.  Some 
were  for  blowing  up  the  old  Brian  with  all  on  board ;  and,  in  fact, 
every  counsel  that  drunkenness,  insanity,  and  crime  combined  could 
suggest  was  offered  and  descanted  on.  Meanwhile  the  chase  gained 
rapidly  upon  us,  and  before  noon  we  discovered  her  to  be  a  French 
letter-of-marque,  with  four  guns,  and  a  long  brass  swivel  upon  the 
poop  deck.  As  for  us,  every  sheet  of  canvas  we  could  crowd  was 
crammed  on,  but  in  vain ;  and,  as  we  labored  through  the  heavy 
sea,  our  riotous  crew  grew  every  moment  worse,  and,  sitting  down 
sulkily  in  groups  upon  the  deck,  declared  that,  come  what  might, 
they  would  neither  work  the  ship  nor  fight  her ;  that  they  had  been 
sent  to  sea  in  a  rotten  craft,  merely  to  effect  their  destruction,  and 
that  they  cared  little  for  the  disgrace  of  a  flag  they  detested.  Half 
furious  with  the  taunting  sarcasm  I  heard  on  every  side,  and  nearly 


230  CHARLES  0>M ALLEY.     - 

mad  from  passion,  and  bewildered,  my  first  impulse  was  to  rush 
amongst  them  with  my  drawn  cutlass,  and,  ere  I  fell  their  victim, 
take  heavy  vengeance  upon  the  ringleaders,  when  suddenly  a  sharp 
booming  noise  came  thundering  along,  and  a  round  shot  went  flying 
over  our  heads. 

"  '  Down  with  the  ensign  ;  strike  at  once !'  cried  eight  or  ten  voices 
together,  as  the  ball  whizzed  through  the  rigging.  Anticipating 
this,  and  resolving,  whatever  might  happen,  to  fight  her  to  the  last, 
I  had  made  the  mate,  a  staunch-hearted,  resolute  fellow,  to  make 
fast  the  signal  sailyard  aloft,  so  that  it  was  impossible  for  any  one 
on  deck  to  lower  the  bunting.  Bang  went  another  gun,  and,  before 
the  smoke  cleared  away,  a  third,  which,  truer  in  its  aim  than  the 
rest,  went  clean  through  the  lower  part  of  our  mainsail. 

" '  Steady,  then,  boys,  and  clear  for  action,'  said  the  mate.  '  She's 
a  French  smuggling  craft  that  will  sheer  off  when  we  show  fight,  so 
that  we  must  not  fire  a  shot  till  she  comes  alongside.' 

" '  And  harkee,  lads,'  said  I,  taking  up  the  tone  of  encourage- 
ment he  spoke  with,  '  if  we  take  her,  I  promise  to  claim  nothing 
of  the  prize.  Whatever  we  capture  you  shall  divide  amongst 
yourselves.' 

"  ■  It's  very  easy  to  divide  what  we  never  had,'  said  one  ;  'Nearly 
as  easy  as  to  give  it,'  cried  another ;  *  I'll  never  light  match  or  draw 
cutlass  in  the  cause,'  said  a  third. 

"  '  Surrender !'  '  Strike  the  flag  !'  '  Down  with  the  colors  !'  roared 
several  voices  together. 

"  By  this  time  the  Frenchman  was  close  up,  and  ranging  his  long 
gun  to  sweep  our  decks ;  his  crew  were  quite  perceptible — about 
twenty  bronzed,  stout-looking  fellows,  stripped  to  the  waist,  and 
carrying  pistols  in  broad,  flat  belts,  slung  over  the  shoulder. 

"  '  Come,  my  lads,'  said  I,  raising  my  voice,  as  I  drew  a  pistol 
from  my  side  and  cocked  it,  '  our  time  is  short  now  ;  I  may  as  well 
tell  you  that  the  first  shot  that  strikes  us  amidship  blows  up  the 
whole  craft  and  every  man  on  board.  We  are  nothing  less  than  a 
fire-ship,  destined  for  Brest  harbor  to  blow  up  the  French  fleet.  If 
you  are  willing  to  make  an  effort  for  your  lives,  follow  me  !' 

"The  men  looked  aghast.  Whatever  recklessness  crime  and 
drunkenness  had  given  them,  the  awful  feeling  of  inevitable  death 
at  once  repelled.  Short  as  was  the  time  for  reflection,  they  felt  that 
there  were  many  circumstances  to  encourage  the  assertion;  the 
nature  of  the  vessel,  her  riotous,  disorderly  crew,  the  secret  nature 
of  the  service,  all  confirmed  it,  and  they  answered  with  a  shout  of 
despairing  vengeance,  '  We'll  board  her ;  lead  us  on.'  As  the  cry 
rose  up,  the  long  swivel  from  the  chase  rang  sharply  in  our  ears,  and 
a  tremendous  discharge  of  grape  flew  through  our  rigging ;  none  of 


THE  SKIPPER.  231 

our  men,  however,  fell ;  and,  animated  now  with  the  desire  for  battle, 
they  sprang  to  the  binnacle,  and  seized  their  arms. 

"  In  an  instant  the  whole  deck  became  a  scene  of  excited  bustle ; 
and  scarcely  was  the  ammunition  dealt  out,  and  the  boarding-party 
drawn  up,  when  the  Frenchman  broached  to,  and  lashed  his  bow- 
sprit to  our  own. 

"  One  terrific  yell  burst  from  our  fellows  as  they  sprang  from  the 
rigging  and  the  poop  upon  the  astonished  Frenchmen,  who  thought 
that  the  victory  was  already  their  own.  With  death  and  ruin  behind, 
their  only  hope  before,  they  dashed  forward  like  madmen  to  the  fray. 

"  The  conflict  was  bloody  and  terrific,  though  not  a  long  one ; 
nearly  equal  in  number,  but  far  superior  in  personal  strength,  and 
stimulated  by  their  sense  of  danger,  our  fellows  rushed  onward, 
carrying  all  before  them  to  the  quarter-deck.  Here  the  Frenchmen 
rallied,  and  for  some  minutes  had  rather  the  advantage,  until  the 
mate,  turning  one  of  their  guns  against  them,  prepared  to  sweep 
them  down  in  a  mass.  Then  it  was  that  they  ceased  their  fire,  and 
cried  out  for  quarter, — all  save  their  captain,  a  short,  thick-set  fellow, 
with  a  grizzly  beard  and  moustache,  who,  seeing  his  men  fall  back, 
turned  on  them  one  glance  of  scowling  indignation,  and,  rushing 
forward,  clove  our  boatswain  to  the  deck  with  one  blow.  Before  the 
example  could  have  been  followed,  he  lay  a  bloody  corpse  upon  the 
deck,  while  our  people,  roused  to  madness  by  the  loss  of  a  favorite 
among  the  men,  dashed  impetuously  forward,  and,  dealing  death  on 
every  side,  left  not  one  man  living  among  their  unresisting  enemies. 
My  story  is  soon  told  now.  We  brought  our  prize  safe  into  Malta, 
which  we  reached  in  five  days.  In  less  than  a  week  our  men  were 
drafted  into  different  men-of-war  on  the  station.  I  was  appointed  a 
warrant  officer  in  the  Sheervoater,  forty-four  guns ;  and,  as  the  Ad- 
miral opened  the  despatch,  the  only  words  he  spoke  puzzled  me  for 
many  a  day  after. 

"  '  You  have  accomplished  your  orders  too  well,'  said  he ;  '  that 
privateer  is  but  a  poor  compensation  for  the  whole  French  navy.'  " 

"  Well,"  inquired  Power,  "  and  did  you  never  hear  the  meaning  of 
the  words?" 

"  Yes,"  said  he ;  "  many  years  after,  I  found  out  that  our  de- 
spatches were  false  ones,  intended  to  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
the  French,  and  mislead  them  as  to  Lord  Nelson's  fleet,  which  at 
that  time  was  cruising  to  the  southward  to  catch  them.  This,  of 
course,  explained  what  fate  was  destined  for  us — a  French  prison,  if 
not  death ;  and,  after  all,  either  was  fully  good  enough  for  the  crew 
that  sailed  in  the  old  Brian" 


232  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE   LAND. 

IT  was  late  when  we  separated  for  the  night,  and  the  morning 
was  already  far  advanced  ere  I  awoke .;  the  monotonous  tramp 
overhead  showed  me  that  the  others  were  stirring,  and  I  gently 
moved  the  shutter  of  the  narrow  window  beside  me  to  look  out. 

The  sea,  slightly  rippled  upon  its  surface,  shone  like  a  plate  of 
fretted  gold  ;  not  a  wave,  not  a  breaker  appeared  ;  but  the  rushing 
sound  close  by  showed  that  we  were  moving  fast  through  the  water. 

"  Always  calm,  hereabouts,"  said  a  gruif  voice  on  deck,  which  I 
soon  recognized  as  the  Skipper's  ;  "  no  sea  whatever." 

"  I  can  make  nothing  of  it,"  cried  out  Power  from  the  forepart  of 
the  vessel ;  "  it  appears  to  me  all  cloud." 

"  No,  no,  sir ;  believe  me,  it's  no  fog-bank,  that  large  dark  mass 
to  leeward  there  :  that's  Cintra." 

"  Land !"  cried  I,  springing  up  and  rushing  upon  deck ;  "  where, 
Skipper, — where  is  the  land  ?" 

"  I  say,  Charley,"  said  Power,  "  I  hope  you  mean  to  adopt  a  little 
more  clothing  on  reaching  Lisbon;  for  though  the  climate  is  a  warm 
one " 

"Nevermind,  O'Malley,"  said  the  Major;  "the  Portuguese  will 
only  be  nattered  by  the  attention,  if  you  land  as  you  are." 

"Why,  how  so?" 

"  Surely  you  remember  what  the  niggers  said  when  they  saw  the 
79th  Highlanders  landing  at  St.  Lucie.  They  had  never  seen  a 
Scotch  regiment  before,  and  were  consequently  somewhat  puzzled  at 
the  costume  ;  till,  at  last,  one  more  cunning  than  the  rest  explained 
it  by  saying,  '  They  are  in  such  a  hurry  to  kill  the  poor  black  man, 
that  they  come  away  without  their  breeches.'  " 

"  Now,  what  say  you  ?"  cried  the  Skipper,  as  he  pointed  with  his 
telescope  to  a  dark  blue  mass  in  the  distance ;  "see  there !" 

"Ah,  true  enough,  that's  Cintra  !" 

"Then  we  shall  probably  be  in  the  Tagus  before  morning?" 

"  Before  midnight,  if  the  wind  holds,"  said  the  Skipper. 

We  breakfasted  on  deck,  beneath  an  awning  ;  the  vessel  scarcely 
seemed  to  move  as  she  cut  her  way  through  the  calm  water. 

The  misty  outline  of  the  coast  grew  gradually  more  defined,  and 
at  length  the  blue  mountains  could  be  seen,  at  first  but  dimly ;  but 
as  the  day  wore  on,  there  many-colored  hues  shone  forth,  and 
patches  of  green  verdure,  dotted  with  sheep,  or  sheltered  by  dark 
foliage,  met  the  eye.  The  bulwarks  were  crowded  with  anxious 
faces;  each  looked  pointedly  towards  the  shore,  and  many  a  stout 


THE  LAND.  233 

heart  beat  high  as  the  land  drew  near,  fated  to  cover  with  its  earth 
more  than  one  amongst  us. 

"  And  that's  Portingale,  Mister  Charles,"  said  a  voice  behind  me. 
I  turned,  and  saw  my  man  Mike,  as,  with  anxious  joy,  he  fixed  his 
eyes  upon  the  shore. 

"  They  tell  me  it's  a  beautiful  place,  with  wine  for  nothing,  and 
spirits  for  less.  Isn't  it  a  pity  they  won't  be  raisonable,  and  make 
peace  with' us  ?" 

"  Why,  my  good  fellow,  we  are  excellent  friends ;  it's  the  French 
who  want  to  beat  us  all." 

"  Upon  my  conscience,  that's  not  right.  There's  an  ould  saying 
in  Connanght, — it's  not  fair  for  one  to  fall  upon  twenty.  Sergeant 
Haggarty  says  that  I'll  see  none  of  the  divarsion  at  all." 

"  I  don't  well  understand " 

"  He  does  be  telling  me  that,  as  I'm  only  your  footboy,  he'll  send 
me  away  to  the  rear,  where  there's  nothing  but  wounded,  and  wagons, 
and  women." 

"  I  believe  the  sergeant  is  right  there ;  but,  after  all,  Mike,  it's  a 
safe  place." 

"  Ah  !  then,  musha  for  the  safety  ;  I  don't  think  much  of  it ;  sure 
they  might  circumvint  us.  And,  av  it  wasn't  displazing  to  you,  I'd 
rather  list." 

"  Well,  I've  no  objection,  Mickey ;  would  you  like  to  join  my 
regiment  ?" 

"  By  coorse,  your  honor.  I'd  like  to  be  near  yourself;  bekase,  too, 
if  anything  happens  to  you — the  Lord  be  between  us  and  harm," — 
here  he  crossed  himself  piously, — "  sure  I'd  like  to  be  able  to  tell 
the  master  how  you  died ;  and,  sure,  there's  Mr.  Considine — God 
pardon  him  ! — he'll  be  beating  my  brains  out  av  I  couldn't  explain 
it  all." 

"  Well,  Mike,  I'll  speak  to  some  of  my  friends  here  about  you, 
and  we'll  settle  it  all  properly.     Here's  the  Doctor." 

"  Arrah,  Mr.  Charles,  don't  mind  him ;  he's  a  poor  crayture  en- 
tirely ;  divil  a  thing  he  knows." 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean,  man  ?  he's  physician  to  the  forces." 

"  Oh,  be-gorra,  and  so  he  may  be,"  said  Mike,  with  a  toss  of  his 
head  ;  "  those  army  docthers  isn't  worth  their  salt.  It's  thruth  I'm 
tellin'  you ;  sure,  didn't  he  come  see  me  when  I  was  sick  below  in 
the  hould  ? 

"  '  How  do  you  feel  V  says  he. 

"  '  Terribly  dhry  in  the  mouth,'  says  I. 

"  '  But  your  bones,'  says  he;  'how's  them?' 

"  '  As  if  cripples  was  kicking  me,'  says  I. 

"  Well,  with  that  he  wint  away,  and  brought  back  two  powthers. 


234  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  'Take  them/  says  he/and  you'll  be  cured  in  no  time.' 

"  'What's  them V  says  L 

"  '  They're  ematics,'  says  he. 

"  '  Blood  and  ages/  says  I,  '  are  they  ?' 

"  '  Devil  a  lie/  says  he ;  '  take  them  immediately.' 

"  And  I  tuk  them,  and,  would  you  believe  me,  Mister  Charles? — 
it's  thruth  I'm  telling  you — devil  a  one  o'  them  would  stay  on  my 
j  stomach.     So  you  see  what  a  docther  he  is  I" 

I  could  not  help  smiling  at  Mike's  ideas  of  medicine,  as  I  turned 
away  to  talk  to  the  Major,  who  was  busily  engaged  beside  me.  His 
occupation  consisted  in  furbishing  up  a  very  tarnished  and  faded 
uniform,  whose  white  seams  and  threadbare  lace  betokened  many 
years  of  service. 

"  Getting  up  our  traps,  you  see,  O'Malley,"  said  he,  as  he  looked 
with  no  small  pride  at  the  faded  glories  of  his  old  vestment;  "aston- 
ish them  at  Lisbon,  we  flatter  ourselves.  I  say,  Power,  what  a  bad 
style  of  dress  they've  got  into  latterly,  with  their  tight  waists  and 
strapped  trousers — nothing  free,  nothing  easy,  nothing  dtgagi  about 
it.  When  in  a  campaign,  a  man  ought  to  be  able  to  stow  prog  for 
twenty-four  hours  about  his  person,  and  no  one  the  wiser.  A  very 
good  rule,  I  assure  you,  though  it  sometimes  leads  to  awkward  re- 
sults. At  Vimeira,  I  got  into  a  sad  scrape  that  way.  Old  Sir  Harry, 
who  commanded  there,  sent  for  the  sick  return.  I  was  at  dinner 
when  the  orderly  came ;  so  I  packed  up  the  eatables  about  me,  and 
rode  off.  Just,  however,  as  I  came  up  to  the  quarters,  my  horse 
stumbled,  and  threw  me  slap  on  my  head. 

"  '  Is  he  killed?'  said  Sir  Harry. 

"  '  Only  stunned,  your  excellency/  said  some  one. 

"'Then  he'll  come  to,  I  suppose.  Look  for  the  papers  in  his 
pocket.' 

"  So  they  turned  me  on  my  back,  and  plunged  a  hand  into  my 
side-pocket,  but,  the  devil  take  it,  they  pulled  out  a  roast  hen. 
Well,  the  laugh  was  scarcely  over  at  this,  when  another  fellow 
dived  into  my  coat  behind,  and  lugged  out  three  sausages ;  and  so 
they  went  on,  till  the  ground  was  covered  with  ham,  pigeon-pie, 
veal,  kidney,  and  potatoes,  and  the  only  thing  like  a  paper  was  a 
mess  roll  of  the  4th,  with  a  droll-  song  about  Sir  Harry,  written  in 
pencil  on  the  back  of  it.  Devil  of  a  bad  affair  for  me  ;  I  was  nearly 
broke  for  it ;  but  they  only  reprimanded  me  a  little,  and  I  was 
afterwards  attached  to  the  victualling  department." 

What  an  anxious  thing  is  the  last  day  of  a  voyage !  How  slowly 
creep  the  hours,  teeming  with  memories  of  the  past  and  expecta- 
tions of  the  future! 

Every  plan,  every  well-devised  expedient  to  cheat  the  long  and 


THE  LAND.  235 

weary  days,  is  at  once  abandoned  ;  the  chess-board  and  the  new 
novel  are  alike  forgotten,  and  the  very  quarter-deck  walk,  with  its 
merry  gossip  and  careless  chit-chat,  becomes  distasteful.  One  blue 
and  misty  mountain,  one  faint  outline  of  the  far-off  shore,  has  dis- 
pelled all  thought  of  these,  and  with  straining  eye  and  anxious 
heart  we  watch  for  land. 

As  the  day  wears  on  apace,  the  excitement  increases;  the  faint 
and  shadowy  forms  of  distant  objects  grow  gradually  clearer.  Where 
before  some  tall  and  misty  mountain-peak  was  seen,  we  now  descry 
patches  of  deepest  blue  and  sombre  olive ;  the  mellow  corn  and  the 
waving  woods,  the  village  spire  and  the  lowly  cot,  come  out  of  the 
landscape;  and,  like  some  well-remembered  voice,  they  speak  of 
home.  The  objects  we  have  seen,  the  sounds  we  have  heard  a  hun- 
dred times  before  without  interest,  become  to  us  now  things  that 
stir  the  heart. 

For  a  time  the  bright  glare  of  the  noonday  sun  dazzles  the  view, 
and  renders  indistinct  the  prospect;  but,  as  evening  falls,  once 
more  is  all  fair,  and  bright,  and  rich  before  us.  Rocked  by  the  long 
and  rolling  swell,  I  lay  beside  the  bowsprit,  watching  the  shore- 
birds  that  came  to  rest  upon  the  rigging,  or  following  some  long  and 
tangled  sea-weed  as  it  floated  by, — my  thoughts  now  wandering 
back  to  the  brown  hills  and  the  broad  river  of  my  early  home — now 
straying  off  in  dreary  fancies  of  the  future. 

How  flat  and  unprofitable  does  all  ambition  seem  at  such  mo- 
ments as  these !  how  valueless,  how  poor,  in  our  estimation,  those 
worldly  distinctions  we  have  so  often  longed  and  thirsted  for,  as 
with  lowly  heart  and  simple  spirit  we  watch  each  humble  cottage, 
weaving  to  ourselves  some  story  of  its  inmates  as  we  pass ! 

The  night  at  length  closed  in,  but  it  was  a  bright  and  starry  one, 
lending  to  the  landscape  a  hue  of  sombre  shadow,  while  the  outline 
of  the  objects  were  still  sharp  and  distinct  as  before.  One  solitary 
star  twinkled  near  the  horizon.  I  watched  it  as,  at  intervals  disap- 
pearing, it  would  again  shine  out,  marking  the  calm  sea  with  a  tall 
pillar  of  light. 

"Come  down,  Mr.  O'Malley,"  cried  the  Skipper's  well-known 
voice, — "  come  down  below,  and  join  us  in  a  parting  glass.  That's 
the  Lisbon  light  to  leeward,  and  before  two  hours  we  drop  our 
anchor  in  the  Tagus." 


236  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

MAJOR  MONSOON. 

OF  my  travelling  companions  I  have  already  told  my  readers 
something.  Power  is  now  an  old  acquaintance ;  to  Sparks 
I  have  already  presented  them ;  of  the  Adjutant  they  are 
not  entirely  ignorant ;  and  it  therefore  only  remains  for  me  to  intro- 
duce to  their  notice  Major  Monsoon.  I  should  have  some  scruple 
for  the  digression  which  this  occasions  in  my  narrative,  were  it  not 
that  with  the  worthy  Major  I  was  destined  to  meet  subsequently, 
and  indeed  served  under  his  orders  for  some  months  in  the  Penin- 
sula. When  Major  Monsoon  had  entered  the  army,  or  in  what  pre- 
cise capacity,  I  never  yet  met  the  man  who  could  tell.  There  were 
traditionary  accounts  of  his  having  served  in  the  East  Indies  and  in 
Canada,  in  times  long  past.  His  own  peculiar  reminiscences  ex- 
tended to  nearly  every  regiment  in  the  service — "  horse,  foot,  and 
dragoons."  There  was  not  a  clime  he  had  not  basked  in,  not  an 
engagement  he  had  not  witnessed.  His  memory,  or,  if  you  will,  his 
invention,  was  never  at  fault;  and  from  the  siege  of  Seringapatam 
to  the  battle  of  Corunna  he  was  perfect.  Besides  this,  he  possessed 
a  mind  retentive  of  even  the  most  trifling  details  of  his  profession : 
from  the  formation  of  a  regiment  to  the  introduction  of  a  new  but- 
ton— from  the  laying  down  of  a  parallel  to  the  price  of  a  camp- 
kettle,  he  knew  it  all.  To  be  sure,  he  had  served  in  the  Commis- 
sary-General's department  for  a  number  of  years,  and  nothing  in- 
stills such  habits  as  this. 

"  The  commissaries  are  to  the  army  what  the  special  pleaders  are 
to  the  bar/'  observed  my  friend  Power — "dry  dogs,  not  over- 
creditable,  on  the  whole,  but  devilish  useful." 

The  Major  had  begun  life  a  two-bottle  man,  but  by  a  studious 
cultivation  of  his  natural  gifts,  and  a  steady  determination  to  suc- 
ceed, he  had  at  the  time  I  knew  him  attained  to  his  fifth.  It  need 
not  be  wondered  at,  then,  that  his  countenance  bore  some  traces  of 
his  habits.  It  was  of  a  deep,  sunset  purple,  wThich,  becoming  trop- 
ical, at  the  tip  of  the  nose  verged  almost  upon  a  plum  color;  his 
mouth  was  large,  thick-lipped,  and  good-humored ;  his  voice  rich, 
mellow  and  racy,  and  contributed,  with  the  aid  of  a  certain  dry, 
chuckling  laugh,  greatly  to  increase  the  effect  of  the  stories  which  he 
was  ever  ready  to  recount ;  and,  as  they  most  frequently  bore  in 
some  degree  against  some  of  what  he  called  his  little  failings,  they 
were  ever  well  received,  no  man  being  so  popular  wTith  the  world  as 
he  who  flatters  its  vanity  at  his  own  expense.  To  do  this  the  Major 
was  ever  ready,  but  at  no  time  more  so  than  when  the  evening  wore 


MAJOR  MONSOON:  237 

late,  and  the  last  bottle  of  his  series  seemed  to  imply  that  any  cau- 
tion regarding  the  nature  of  his  communication  was  perfectly  unne- 
cessary. Indeed,  from  the  commencement  of  his  evening  to  its  close, 
he  seemed  to  pass  through  a  number  of  mental  changes,  all  in  a 
manner  preparing  him  for  this  final  consummation,  when  he  con- 
fessed anything  and  everything;  and  so  well-regulated  had  these 
stages  become,  that  a  friend  dropping  in  upon  him  suddenly  could 
at  once  pronounce,  from  the  tone  of  his  conversation,  on  what  pre- 
cise bottle  the  Major  was  then  engaged. 

Thus,  in  the  outset  he  was  gastronomic ;  discussed  the  dinner,  from 
the  soup  to  the  Stilton  ;  criticised  the  cutlets ;  pronounced  upon  the 
merits  of  the  mutton ;  and  threw  out  certain  vague  hints  that  he 
would  one  day  astonish  the  world  by  a  little  volume  upon  cookery. 

With  bottle  No.  2  he  took  leave  of  the  cuisine,  and  opened  his  bat- 
tery upon  the  wine.  Bordeaux,  Burgundy,  hock,  and  hermitage,  all 
passed  in  review  before  him ;  their  flavor  discussed,  their  treatment 
descanted  upon,  their  virtues  extolled  ;  from  humble  port  to  imperial 
tokay,  he  was  thoroughly  conversant  with  all ;  and  not  a  vintage 
escaped  as  to  when  the  sun  had  suffered  eclipse  or  when  a  comet  had 
wagged  his  tail  over  it. 

With  No.  3  he  became  pipeclay ;  talked  army  list  and  eighteen 
manoeuvres;  lamented  the  various  changes  in  equipments  which 
modern  innovation  had  introduced ;  and  feared  that  the  loss  of  pig- 
tails might  sap  the  military  spirit  of  the  nation. 

With  No.  4  his  anecdotic  powers  came  into  play  ;  he  recounted 
various  incidents  of  the  war,  with  his  own  individual  adventures  and 
experience,  told  with  an  honest  naivelS  that  proved  personal  vanity ; 
indeed,  self-respect  never  marred  the  interest  of  the  narrative  ;  be- 
sides, as  he  had  ever  regarded  a  campaign  something  in  the  light  of 
a  foray,  and  esteemed  war  as  little  else  than  a  pillage  excursion,  his 
sentiments  were  singularly  amusing. 

With  his  last  bottle,  those  feelings  that  seem  inevitably  connected 
with  whatever  is  last  appeared  to  steal  over  him.  A  tinge  of  sad- 
ness for  pleasures  fast  passing  and  nearly  passed,  a  kind  of  retro- 
spective glance  at  the  fallacy  of  all  our  earthly  enjoyments,  insensibly 
suggesting  moral  and  edifying  reflections,  led  him  by  degrees  to 
confess  that  he  was  not  quite  satisfied  with  himself,  though  "  not 
very  bad  for  a  commissary ;"  and,  finally,  as  the  decanter  waxed  low, 
he  would  interlard  his  meditations  by  passages  of  Scripture,  singu- 
larly perverted,  by  his  misdescription,  from  their  true  meaning,  and 
alternately  throwing  out  prospects  of  censure  or  approval.  Such 
was  Major  Monsoon ;  and  to  conclude  in  his  own  words  this  brief 
sketch,  he  "  would  have  been  an  excellent  officer  if  Providence  had 
not  made  him  such  a  confounded  drunken  old  scoundrel." 


238  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  Now,  then,  for  the  King  of  Spain's  story.  Out  with  it,  old  boy , 
we  are  all  good  men  and  true  here,"  cried  Power,  as  we  slowly  came 
along  upon  the  tide  up  the  Tagus,  "so  you've  nothing  whatever  to 
fear." 

"  Upon  my  life,"  said  the  Major,  "  I  don't  half  like  the  tone  of  our 
conversation.  There  is  a  certain  freedom  young  men  affect  nowa- 
days regarding  morals  that  is  not  at  all  to  my  taste.  When  I  was 
five  or  six  and  twenty " 

"  You  were  the  greatest  scamp  in  the  service,"  cried  Power. 

"Fie,  fie,  Fred.  If  I  was  a  little  wild  or  so" — here  the  Major's 
eyes  twinkled  maliciously — "  it  was  the  ladies  that  spoiled  me ;  I 
was  always  something  of  a  favorite,  just  like  our  friend  Sparks  there. 
Not  that  we  fared  very  much  alike  in  our  little  adventures  ;  for, 
somehow,  I  believe  I  was  generally  in  fault  in  most  of  mine,  as  many 
a  good  man  and  many  an  excellent  man  has  been  before."  Here  his 
voice  dropped  into  a  moralizing  key,  as  he  added,  "  David,  you  know, 
didn't  behave  well  to  old  Uriah.  Upon  my  life  he  did  not,  and  he 
was  a  very  respectable  man." 

"  The  King  of  Spain's  sherry  !  the  sherry !"  cried  I,  fearing  that 
the  Major's  digression  might   lose  us  a  good  story. 

"  You  shall  not  have  a  drop  of  it,"  replied  the  Major. 

"  But  the  story,  Major,  the  story." 

"  Nor  the  story  either." 

"  What,"  said  Power,  "  will  you  break  faith  with  us  ?" 

"There's  none  to  be  kept  with  reprobates  like  you.  Fill  my 
glass." 

"Hold  there! — stop!"  cried  Power.  "Not  a  spoonful  till  he  re- 
deems his  pledge." 

"Well,  then,  if  you  must  have  a  story — for  most  assuredly  I 
must  drink — I  have  no  objection  to  give  you  a  leaf  from  my  early 
reminiscences  ;  and,  in  compliment  to  Sparks  there,  my  tale  shall  be 
of  love." 

"  I  dinna  like  to  lose  the  King's  story.  I  hae  my  thoughts  it  was 
na  a  bad  ane." 

"  Nor  I  neither,  Doctor ;  but " 

"  Come,  come,  you  shall  have  that  too,  the  first  night  we  meet  in 
a  bivouac,  and,  as  I  fear  the  time  may  not  be  very  far  distant,  don't 
be  impatient ;  besides,  a  love-story " 

"Quite  true,"  said  Power;  "a  love-story  claims  precedence — 
place  aux  dames.  There's  a  bumper  for  you,  old  Wickedness  ;  so  go 
along." 

The  Major  cleared  off  his  glass,  refilled  it,  sipped  twice,  and  ogled 
it  as  though  he  would  have  no  peculiar  objection  to  sip  once  more, 
took  a  long  pinch  of  snuff  from  a  box  nearly  as  long  as,  and  some- 


MA  JOE  MONSOON.  239 1 

thing  the  shape  of,  a  child's  coffin,  looked  around  to  see  that  we  were 
all  attention,  and  thus  began : 

"  When  I  have  been  in  a  moralizing  mood,  as  I  very  frequently 
am  about  this  hour  in  the  morning,  I  have  often  felt  surprised  by 
what  little,  trivial,  and  insignificant  circumstances  our  lot  in  life 
seems  to  be  cast ;  I  mean  especially  as  regards  the  fair  sex.  You 
are  prospering,  as  it  were,  to-day ;  to-morrow  a  new  cut  of  your 
whiskers,  a  novel  tie  of  your  cravat,  mars  your  destiny  and  spoils 
your  future  varium  et  mutabile,  as  Horace  has  it.  On  the  other  hand, 
some  equally  slight  circumstance  will  do  what  all  your  ingenuity 
may  have  failed  to  effect.  I  knew  a  fellow  who  married  the  great- 
est fortune  in  Bath,  from  the  mere  habit  he  had  of  squeezing  one's 
hand.  The  lady  in  question  thought  it  particular,  looked  conscious, 
and  all  that ;  he  followed  up  the  blow  ;  and,  in  a  word,  they  were 
married  in  a  week.  So  a  friend  of  mine,  who  could  not  help  wink- 
ing his  left  eye,  once  opened  a  flirtation  with  a  lively  widow  which 
cost  him  a  special  license  and  a  settlement.  In  fact,  you  are  never 
safe.  They  are  like  the  guerillas,  and  they  pick  you  off  when  you 
least  expect  it,  and  when  you  think  there  is  nothing  to  fear.  There- 
fore, as  young  fellows  beginning  life,  I  would  caution  you.  On  this 
head  you  can  never  be  too  circumspect.  Do  you  know,  I  was  once 
nearly  caught  by  so  slight  a  habit  as  sitting  thus,  with  my  legs 
across." 

Here  the  Major  rested  his  right  foot  on  his  left  knee,  in  illustra- 
tion, and  continued: 

"  We  were  quartered  in  Jamaica.  I  had  not  long  joined,  and  was 
about  as  raw  a  young  gentleman  as  you  could  see ;  the  only  very 
clear  ideas  in  my  head  being  that  we  were  monstrous  fine  fellows  in 
the  50th,  and  that  the  planters'  daughters  were  deplorably  in  love 
with  us.  Not  that  I  was  much  wrong  on  either  side.  For  brandy- 
and-water,  sangaree,  Manilla  cigars,  and  the  ladies  of  color,  I'd  have 
backed  the  corps  against  the  service.  Proof  was,  of  eighteen  only 
two  ever  left  the  island ;  for  what  with  the  seductions  of  the  coffee 
plantations,  the  sugar-canes,  the  new  rum,  the  brown  skins,  the 
rainy  season,  and  the  yellow  fever,  most  of  us  settled  there. 

11  It's  very  hard  to  leave  the  West  Indies  if  once  you've  been  quar- 
tered there." 

"  So  I  have  heard,"  said  Power. 

"  In  fine,  if  you  don't  knock  under  to  the  climate,  you  become 
soon  totally  unfit  for  living  anywhere  else.  Preserved  ginger,  yams, 
flannel  jackets,  and  grog  won't  bear  exportation ;  and  the  free-and- 
easy  chuck  under  the  chin,  cherishing,  waist-pressing  kind  of  way 
we  get  with  the  ladies,  would  be  quite  misunderstood  in  less-favored 
regions,  and  lead  to  very  unpleasant  consequences. 


240  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"It  is  singular  how  much  climate  has  to  do  with  love-making. 
In  our  cold  country  the  progress  is  lamentably  slow :  fogs,  east  winds, 
sleet-storms,  and  cutting  March  weather,  nip  many  a  budding  flirta- 
tion ;  whereas  warm,  sunny  days,  and  bright  moonlight  nights,  with 
genial  air  and  balmy  zephyrs,  open  the  heart,  like  the  cup  of  a 
cainelia,  and  let  us  drink  in  the  soft  dew  of " 

"  Devilish  poetical,  that !"  said  Power,  evolving  a  long  blue  line 
of  smoke  from  the  corner  of  his  mouth. 

"  Isn't  it,  though  ?"  said  the  Major,  smiling  graciously.  "  Ton 
my  life,  I  thought  so  myself.     Where  was  I  ?" 

"  Out  of  my  latitude  altogether,"  said  the  poor  Skipper,  who  often 
found  it  hard  to  follow  the  thread  of  a  story. 

"  Yes,  I  remember.  I  was  remarking  that  sangaree  and  calipash, 
mangoes  and  Guava  jelly,  dispose  the  heart  to  love,  and  so  they  do. 
I  was  no  more  than  six  weeks  in  Jamaica  when  I  felt  it  myself. 
Now,  it  was  a  very  dangerous  symptom,  if  you  had  it  strong  in  you, 
for  this  reason.  Our  colonel,  the  most  cross-grained  old  crabstick 
that  ever  breathed,  happened  himself  to  be  taken  in  when  young, 
and  resolving,  like  the  fox  who  lost  his  tail,  and  said  it  was  not  the 
fashion  to  wear  one,  to  pretend  he  did  the  thing  for  fun,  resolved  to 
make  every  fellow  marry  upon  the  slightest  provocation.  Begad, 
you  might  as  well  enter  a  powder  magazine  with  a  branch  of  candles 
in  your  hand  as  go  into  society  in  the  island  with  a  leaning  towards 
the  fair  sex.  Very  hard  this  was  for  me  particularly ;  for,  like  poor 
Sparks  there,  my  weakness  was  ever  for  the  petticoats.  I  had,  be- 
sides, no  petty,  contemptible  prejudices  as  to  nation,  habits,  lan- 
guage, color,  or  complexion — black,  brown,  or  fair,  from  the  Mus- 
covite to  the  Malabar,  from  the  voluptuous  embonpoint  of  the  Adju- 
tant's widow — don't  be  angry,  old  boy — to  the  fairy  form  of  Isabella 
herself,  I  loved  them  all  round.  But  were  I  to  give  a  preference 
anywhere,  I  should  certainly  do  so  to  the  West  Indians,  if  it  were 
only  for  the  sake  of  the  planters'  daughters.  I  say  it  fearlessly, 
these  colonies  are  the  brightest  jewels  in  the  crown.  Let's  drink 
their  health,  for  I'm  as  husky  as  a  lime-kiln." 

This  ceremony  being  performed  with  suitable  enthusiasm,  the 
Major  cried  out,  "  Another  cheer  for  Polly  Hackett,  the  sweetest 
girl  in  Jamaica.  By  Jove,  Power,  if  you  only  saw  her,  as  I  did,  five- 
and-forty  years  ago,  with  eyes  black  as  jet,  twinkling,  ogling,  leer- 
ing, teasing,  and  imploring,  all  at  once,  do  you  mind,  and  a  mouth- 
ful of  downright  pearls  pouting  and  smiling  at  you,  why,  man,  you'd 
have  proposed  for  her  in  the  first  half-hour,  and  shot  yourself  the 
next  when  she  refused  you.  She  was,  indeed,  a  perfect  little  beauty ; 
rayther  dark,  to  be  sure — a  little  upon  the  rosewood  tinge,  but  beau- 
tifully polished,  and  a  very  nice  piece  of  furniture  for  a  cottage  orne', 


MAJOR  MONSOON.  241 

as  the  French  call  it.  Alas,  alas  !  how  these  vanities  do  catch  hold 
of  us!  My  recollections  have  made  me  quite  feverish  and  thirsty; 
is  there  any  cold  punch  in  the  bowl?  Thank  you,  O'Malley,  that 
will  do — merely  to  touch  my  lips.  Well,  well,  it's  all  past  and 
gone  now.  But  I  was  very  fond  of  Polly  Hackett,  and  she  was  of 
me.  We  used  to  take  our  little  evening  walks  together  through  the 
coffee  plantations  ;  very  romantic  little  strolls  they  were :  she  in 
white  muslin,  with  a  blue  sash,  and  blue  shoes ;  I  in  a  flannel  jacket 
and  trousers,  straw  hat  and  cravat ;  a  Virginia  cigar,  as  long  as  a 
walking-stick,  in  my  mouth,  puffing  and  courting  between  times  j 
then  we'd  take  a  turn  to  the  refining-house,  look  in  at  the  big  boilers, 
quiz  the  niggers,  and  come  back  to  Twangberry  Moss  to  supper, 
where  old  Hackett,  the  father,  sported  a  glorious  table  at  eleven 
o'clock.  Great  feeding  it  was.  You  were  always  sure  of  a  preserved 
monkey,  a  baked  land-crab,  or  some  such  delicacy.  And  such 
Madeira !  it  makes  me  dry  to  think  of  it ! 

"  Talk  of  West  India  slavery,  indeed !  It's  the  only  land  of 
liberty.  There  is  nothing  to  compare  with  the  perfect  free-and-easy, 
devil-may-care  kind  of  a  take-yourself  way  that  every  one  has  there. 
If  it  would  be  any  peculiar  comfort  for  you  to  sit  in  the  saddle  of 
mutton,  and  put  your  legs  in  a  soup  tureen  at  dinner,  there  would 
be  found  very  few  to  object  to  it.  There  is  no  nonsense  of  any  kind 
about  etiquette.  You  eat,  drink,  and  are  merry,  or,  if  you  prefer, 
are  sad ;  just  as  you  please.  You  may  wear  uniform,  or  you  may 
not — it's  your  own  affair ;  and  consequently,  it  may  be  imagined 
how  insensibly  such  privileges  gain  upon  one,  and  how  very  reluc- 
tant we  become  ever  to  resign  or  abandon  them. 

"  I  was  the  man  to  appreciate  it  all.  The  whole  course  of  proceed- 
ing seemed  to  have  been  invented  for  my  peculiar  convenience,  and 
not  a  man  on  the  island  enjoyed  a  more  luxurious  existence  than 
myself,  not  knowing  all  the  while  how  dearly  I  was  destined  to  pay 
for  my  little  comforts.  Among  my  plenary  after-dinner  indulgences 
I  had  contracted  an  inveterate  habit  of  sitting  cross-legged,  as  I 
showed  you.  Now,  this  was  become  a  perfect  necessity  of  existence 
to  me.  I  could  have  dispensed  with  cheese,  with  my  glass  of  port, 
my  pickled  mango,  my  olive,  my  anchovy  toast,  my  nutshell  of 
curacoa,  but  not  my  favorite  lounge.  You  may  smile ;  but  I've  read 
of  a  man  who  could  never  dance  except  in  the  room  with  an  old 
hair-brush.  Now  I'm  certain  my  stomach  would  not  digest  if  my 
legs  were  perpendicular.  I  don't  mean  to  defend  the  thing.  The 
attitude  was  not  graceful ;  it  was  not  imposing ;  but  it  suited  me 
somehow,  and  I  liked  it. 

"  From  what  I  have  already  mentioned,  you  may  suppose  that 
West  India  habits  exercised  but  little  control  over  my  favorite  prac- 
1G 


242  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

tice,  which  I  indulged  in  every  evening  of  my  life.  Well,  one  day, 
old  Hackett  gave  us  a  great  blow-out — a  dinner  of  two-and-twenty 
souls  •  six  days'  notice;  turtle  from  St.  Lucie,  guinea-fowl,  claret  of 
the  year  forty,  Madeira  a  discretion,  and  all  that.  Very  well  done 
the  whole  thing :  nothing  wrong,  nothing  wanting.  As  for  me,  I 
was  in  great  feather.  I  took  Polly  in  to  dinner,  greatly  to  the  dis- 
comfiture of  old  Belson,  our  Major,  who  was  making  up  in  that 
quarter ;  for,  you  must  know,  she  was  an  only  daughter,  and  had  a 
very  nice  thing  of  it  in  molasses  and  niggers.  The  papa  preferred 
the  Major,  but  Polly  looked  sweetly  upon  me.  Well,  down  we  went, 
and  really  a  most  excellent  feed  we  had.  Now,  I  must  mention  here 
that  Polly  had  a  favorite  Blenheim  spaniel  the  old  fellow  detested  ; 
it  was  always  tripping  him  up  and  snarling  at  him  ;  for  it  was,  ex- 
cept to  herself,  a  beast  of  rather  vicious  inclinations.  With  a  true 
Jamaica  taste,  it  was  her  pleasure  to  bring  the  animal  always  into 
the  dinner-room,  where,  if  papa  discovered  him,  there  was  sure  to  be 
a  row — servants  sent  in  one  direction  to  hunt  him  out ;  others  en- 
deavoring to  hide  him,  and  so  on ;  in  fact,  a  tremendous  hubbub 
always  followed  his  introduction  and  accompanied  his  exit,  upon 
which  occasions  I  invariably  exercised  my  gallantry  by  protecting 
the  beast,  although  I  hated  him  like  the  devil  all  the  time. 

"To  return  to  our  dinner.  After  two  hours  of  hard  eating,  the  pace 
slackened,  and  as  evening  closed  in,  a  sense  of  peaceful  repose  seemed 
to  descend  upon  our  labors,  Pastilles  shed  an  aromatic  vapor  through 
the  room.  The  well-iced  decanters  went  with  measured  pace  along; 
conversation,  subdued  to  the  meridian  of  after-dinner  comfort,  just 
murmured ;  the  open  jalousies  displayed  upon  the  broad  verandah  the 
orange  tree  in  full  blossom,  slightly  stirring  with  the  cool  sea-breeze. ' 

"And  the  piece  of  white  muslin  beside  you,  what  of  her?" 

"  Looked  twenty  times  more  bewitching  than  ever.  Well,  it  was 
just  the  hour  when,  opening  the  last  two  buttons  of  your  white 
waistcoat  (remember  we  were  in  Jamaica),  you  stretch  your  legs  to 
the  full  extent,  throw  your  arm  carelessly  over  the  back  of  your 
chair,  look  contemplatively  towards  the  ceiling,  and  wonder,  within 
yourself,  why  it  is  not  all  '  after  dinner'  in  this  same  world  of  ours. 
Such,  at  least,  were  my  reflections  as  I  assumed  my  attitude  of 
supreme  comfort,  and  inwardly  ejaculated  a  health  to  Sneyd  and 
Barton.  Just  at  this  moment  I  heard  Polly's  voice  gently  whisper, — 

"  \  Isn't  he  a  love?  isn't  he  a  darling  V 

"  *  Zounds  I1  thought  I,  as  a  pang  of  jealousy  shot  through  my 
heart,  'is  it  the  Major  she  means  ?'  for  old  Belson,  with  his  bag  wig 
and  rouged  cheeks,  was  seated  on  the  other  side  of  her. 

" '  What  a  dear  old  thing  it  is  !'  said  Polly. 

"  '  Worse  and  worse,'  said  I ;  'it  must  be  him.' 


MAJOR  MONSOON.  243 

" '  I  do  so  love  his  muzzy  face/ 

" '  It  is  him  I'  said  I,  throwing  off  a  bumper,  and  almost  boiling 
over  with  passion  at  the  moment. 

" '  I  wish  I  could  take  one  look  at  him,'  said  she,  laying  down  her 
head  as  she  spoke. 

"The  Major  whispered  something  in  her  ear,  to  which  she  re- 
plied,— 

"  f  Oh  !  I  dare  not ;  papa  will  see  me  at  once.' 

" '  Don't  be  afraid,  madam,'  said  I,  fiercely ;  '  your  father  perfectly 
approves  of  your  taste.' 

"  '  Are  you  sure  of  it?'  said  she,  giving  me  such  a  look. 

"  '  I  know  it,'  said  I,  struggling  violently  with  my  agitation. 

"  The  Major  leaned  over,  as  if  to  touch  her  hand  beneath  the 
cloth.  I  almost  sprang  from  my  chair,  when  Polly,  in  her  sweetest 
accents,  said, — 

" '  You  must  be  patient,  dear  thing,  or  you  may  be  found  out, 
and  then  there  will  be  such  a  piece  of  work.  Though,  I'm  sure, 
Major,  you  would  not  betray  me.'  The  Major  smiled  till  he 
cracked  the  paint  upon  his  cheeks.  '  And  I  am  sure  that  Mr.  Mon- 
soon   ' 

"  '  You  may  rely  upon  me,'  said  I,  half-sneeringly. 

"The  Major  and  I  exchanged  glances  of  defiance,  while  Polly 
continued, — 

"  '  Now,  come,  don't  be  restless.  You  are  very  comfortable  there. 
Isn't  he,  Major  ?'  The  Major  smiled  again  more  graciously  than 
before,  as  he  added, — 

"'May  I  take  a  look?' 

"  'Just  one  peep,  then, — no  more  !'  said  she,  coquettishly  ;  'poor 
dear  Wowski  is  so  timid.' 

"  Scarcely  had  these  words  borne  balm  and  comfort  to  my  heart — 
for  I  now  knew  that  to  the  dog,  and  not  to  my  rival,  were  all  the 
flattering  expressions  applied — when  a  slight  scream  from  Polly, 
and  a  tremendous  oath  from  the  Major,  roused  me  from  my  dream 
of  happiness. 

" '  Take  your  foot  down,  sir.  Mr.  Monsoon,  how  could  you  do 
so?'  cried  Polly. 

"  '  What  the  devil,  sir,  do  you  mean?'  shouted  the  Major. 

"  '  Oh  !  I  shall  die  of  shame,'  sobbed  she. 

"  '  I'll  shoot  him  like  a  riddle,'  muttered  old  Belson. 

"  By  this  time  the  whole  table  had  got  at  the  story,  and  such 
peals  of  laughter,  mingled  with  suggestions  for  my  personal  mal- 
treatment, I  never  heard.  All  my  attempts  at  explanation  were  in 
vain.  I  was  not  listened  to,  much  less  believed,  and  the  old  colonel 
finished  the  scene  by  ordering  me  to  my  quarters,  in  a  voice  I  shall 


244  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

never  forget,  the  whole  room  being,  at  the  time  I  made  my  exit,  one 
scene  of  tumultuous  laughter  from  one  end  to  the  other.  Jamaica 
after  this  became  too  hot  for  me.  The  story  was  repeated  on  every 
side ;  for  it  seems  I  had  been  sitting  with  my  foot  on  Polly's  lap ; 
but  so  occupied  was  I  with  my  jealous  vigilance  of  the  Major,  I  was 
not  aware  of  the  fact  until  she  herself  discovered  it. 

"  I  need  not  say  how  the  following  morning  brought  with  it  every 
possible  offer  of  amende  upon  my  part;  anything,  from  a  written 
apology  to  a  proposition  to  marry  the  lady,  I  was  ready  for,  and 
how  the  matter  might  have  ended  I  know  not ;  but  in  the  middle  of 
the  negotiations  we  were  ordered  off  to  Halifax,  where,  be  assured, 
I  abandoned  my  oriental  attitude  for  many  a  long  day  after." 


CHAPTER     XXXVI. 

THE   LANDING. 

WHAT  a  contrast  to  the  dull  monotony  of  our  life  at  sea  did 
the  scene  present  which  awaited  us  on  landing  in  Lisbon. 
The  whole  quay  was  crowded  with  hundreds  of  people 
eagerly  watching  the  vessel  which  bore  from  her  mast  the  broad 
ensign  of  Britain.  Dark-featured,  swarthy,  moustached  faces,  with 
red  caps  rakishly  set  on  one  side,  mingled  with  the  Saxon  faces  and 
fair-haired  natives  of  our  own  country.  Men-of-war  boats  plied 
unceasingly  to  and  fro  across  the  tranquil  river,  some  slender  reefer 
in  the  stern-sheets,  while  behind  him  trailed  the  red  pennon  of  some 
"  tall  admiral." 

The  din  and  clamor  of  a  mighty  city  mingled  with  the  far-off 
sounds  of  military  music,  and  in  the  vistas  of  the  opening  street 
masses  of  troops  might  be  seen,  in  marching  order.  All  betokened 
the  near  approach  of  war. 

Our  anchor  had  scarcely  been  dropped,  when  an  eight-oar  gig, 
with  a  midshipman  steering,  came  alongside. 

"  Ship  ahoy,  there !     You've  troops  on  board  ?" 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir." 

Before  the  answer  could  be  spoken,  he  was  on  deck. 

"  May  I  ask,"  said  he,  touching  his  cap  slightly,  "  who  is  the 
officer  in  command  of  the  detachment?" 

"  Captain  Power — very  much  at  your  service,"  said  Fred,  return- 
ing the  salute. 

"  Rear-Admiral  Sir  Edward  Douglas  requests  that  you  will  do 


THE  LANDING.  245 

him  the  favor  to  come  on  board  immediately,  and  bring  your  des- 
patches with  you." 

"I'm  quite  ready,"  said  Power,  as  he  placed  his  papers  in  his 
sabretasche ;  "  but  first  tell  us  what's  doing  here.  Anything  new 
lately  ?" 

"  I  have  heard  nothing,  except  of  some  affair  with  the  Portuguese. 
They've  been  drubbed  again  ;  but  our  people  have  not  been  engaged. 
I  say,  we  had  better  get  under  way ;  there's  our  first  lieutenant,  with 
his  telescope  up  ;  he's  looking  straight  at  us.  So,  come  along. 
Good-evening,  gentlemen."  And  in  another  moment  the  sharp 
craft  was  cutting  the  clear  water,  where  Power  gayly  waved  us  a 
good-bye. 

"  Who's  for  shore  ?"  said  the  Skipper,  as  half  a  dozen  boats 
swarmed  around  the  side,  or  held  on  by  their  boat-hooks  to  the 
rigging. 

"  Who  is  not  ?"  said  Monsoon,  who  now  appeared  in  his  old  blue 
frock  covered  with  tarnished  braiding,  and  a  cocked  hat  that  might 
have  roofed  a  pagoda.  "  Who  is  not,  my  old  boy  ?  Is  not  every 
man  amongst  us  delighted  with  the  prospect  of  fresh  prog,  cool 
wine,  and  a  bed  somewhat  longer  than  four  feet  six  ?  I  say,  O'Malley, 
Sparks  !  where's  the  Adjutant  ?  Ah,  there  he  is.  We'll  not  mind 
the  Doctor;  he's  a  very  jovial  little  fellow,  but  an  infernal  bore; 
entre  nous;  and  we'll  have  a  cosy  little  supper  at  the  Eua  di  Toledo. 
I  know  the  place  well.  Whew,  now  !  Get  away,  boy.  Sit  steady. 
Sparks ;  she's  only  a  cockle-shell.  There — that's  the  Plaza  de  la 
Regna — there,  to  the  left.  There's  the  great  cathedral — you  can't 
see  it  now.  Another  seventy-four !  why,  there's  a  whole  fleet  here  I 
I  wish  old  Power  joy  of  his  afternoon  with  old  Douglas." 

"Do  you  know  him,  then,  Major?" 

"  Do  I !— I  should  rather  think  I  do.  He  was  going  to  put  me  in 
irons  here  in  this  river  once.  A  great  shame  it  was ;  but  I'll  tell 
you  the  story  another  time.  There — gently  now  ;  that's  it.  Thank 
God  !  once  more  upon  land.  How  I  do  hate  a  ship !  Upon  my  life, 
a  sauce-boat  is  the  only  boat  endurable  in  this  world." 

We  edged  our  way  with  difficulty  through  the  dense  crowd,  and 
at  last  reached  the  Plaza.  .  Here  the  numbers  were  still  greater,  but 
of  a  different  class.  Several  pretty  and  well-dressed  women,  with 
their  dark  eyes  twinkling  above  their  black  mantillas,  as  they  held 
them  across  their  faces,  watched  with  an  intense  curiosity  one  of  the 
streets  that  opened  upon  the  square. 

In  a  few  moments  the  band  of  a  regiment  was  heard,  and  very 
shortly  after  the  regular  tramp  of  troops  followed,  as  the  87th 
marched  into  the  Plaza,  and  formed  a  line. 

The  music  ceased ;  the  drums  rolled  along  the  line  ;  the  next  mo- 


246  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

ment  all  was  still.  It  was  really  an  inspiriting  sight,  to  one  whose 
heart  was  interested  in  the  career,  to  see  those  gallant  fellows  as, 
with  their  bronzed  faces  and  stalwart  frames,  they  stood  motionless 
as  a  rock.  All  continued  to  look;  the  band  marched  into  the 
square,  and  struck  up  "Garryowen."  Scarcely  was  the  first  part 
played,  when  a  tremendous  cheer  burst  from  the  troop-ship  in  the 
river.  The  welcome  notes  had  reached  the  poor  fellows  there ;  the 
well-known  sounds,  that  told  of  home  and  country,  met  their  ears, 
and  the  loud  cry  of  recognition  bespoke  their  hearts'  fullness. 

"  There  they  go.  Your  wild  countrymen  have  heard  their  Ranz 
des  vaches,  it  seems.  Lord,  how  they  frightened  the  poor  Portuguese ! 
Look  how  they're  running !" 

Such  was  actually  the  case.  The  loud  cheer  uttered  from  the 
river  was  taken  up  by  others  straggling  on  shore,  and  one  universal 
shout  betokened  that  fully  one-third  of  the  red-coats  around  came 
from  the  dear  island,  and  in  their  enthusiasm  had  terrified  the 
natives  to  no  small  extent. 

"  Is  not  that  Ferguson  there  ?"  cried  the  Major,  as  an  officer 
passed  us  with  his  arm  in  a  sling.  "  I  say,  Joe — Ferguson !  Oh ! 
knew  it  was." 

"Monsoon,  my  hearty,  how  goes  it? — only  just  arrived,  I  see. 
Delighted  to  meet  you  out  here  once  more.  Why,  we've  been  dull 
as  a  veteran  battalion  without  you.  These  your  friends  ?  Pray 
present  me."  The  ceremony  of  introduction  over,  the  Major  invited 
Ferguson  to  join  our  party  at  supper.  "No,  not  to-night,  Major," 
said  he ;  "  you  must  be  my  guests  this  evening.  My  quarters  are 
not  five  minutes'  walk  from  this.  I  shall  not  promise  you  very 
luxurious  fare." 

"A  carbonade  of  olives,  a  roast  duck,  a  bowl  of  bishop,  and,  if  you 
will,  a  few  bottles  of  Burgundy,"  said  the  Major;  "don't  put  your- 
self out  for  us — soldier's  fare,  eh  ?" 

I  could  not  help  smiling  at  the  naive  notion  of  simplicity  so  cun- 
ningly suggested  by  old  Monsoon.  As  I  followed  the  party  through 
the  streets,  my  step  was  light,  my  heart  not  less  so ;  for  what  sensa- 
tions are  more  delightful  than  those  of  landing  after  a  voyage  ? — the 
escape  from  the  durance  vile  of  shipboard,  with  its  monotonous  days 
and  dreary  nights,  its  ill-regulated  appointments,  its  cramped  ac- 
commodations, its  uncertain  duration,  its  eternal  round  of  unchang- 
ing amusements,  for  the  freedom  of  the  shore,  with  a  land  breeze, 
and  a  firm  footing  to  tread  upon  ;  and,  certainly,  not  least  of  all,  the 
sight  of  that  brightest  part  of  creation,  whose  soft  eyes  and  tight 
ankles  are,  perhaps,  the  greatest  of  all  imaginable  pleasures  to  him 
who  has  been  the  dweller  on  blue  water  for  several  weeks  long. 

"  Here  we  arc,"  cried  out  Ferguson,  as  we  stopped  at  the  door  of  a 


THE  LANDING.  247 

large  and  handsome  house.  We  followed  up  a  spacious  stair  into  an 
ample  room,  sparingly  but  not  uncomfortably  furnished.  Plans  of 
sieges,  maps  of  the  seat  of  war,  pistols,  sabres,  and  belts,  decorated 
the  white  walls,  and  a  few  books  and  a  stray  army-list  betokened 
the  habits  of  the  occupant. 

While  Ferguson  disappeared  to  make  some  preparations  for  sup- 
per, Monsoon  commenced  a  congratulation  to  the  party  upon  the 
good  fortune  that  had  befallen  them.  "  Capital  fellow  is  Joe — never 
without  something  good,  and  a  rare  one  to  pass  the  bottle.  Oh !  here 
he  comes.  Be  alive  there,  Sparks ;  take  a  corner  of  the  cloth.  How 
deliciously  juicy  that  ham  looks !  Pass  the  Madeira  down  there ; 
what's  under  that  cover — stewed  kidneys  ?  While  Monsoon  went  on 
thus,  we  took  our  places  at  table,  and  set  to  with  an  appetite  which 
only  a  newly-landed  traveller  ever  knows. 

"Another  spoonful  of  tlie  gravy?  Thank  you.  And  so  they  say 
we've  not  been  faring  over  well  latterly?"  said  the  Major. 

"No  truth  in  the  report.  Our  people  have  not  been  engaged. 
The  only  thing  lately  was  a  smart  brush  we  had  at  the  Tamega. 
Poor  Patrick,  a  countryman  of  ours,  and  myself  were  serving  with 
the  Portuguese  brigade,  when  Laborde  drove  us  back  upon  the  town, 
and  actually  routed  us.  The  Portuguese  general,  caring  for  little 
or  anything  save  his  own  safety,  was  making  at  once  for  the  moun- 
tains, when  Patrick  called  upon  his  battalion  to  face  about  and 
charge  ;  and  nobly  they  did  it,  too.  Down  they  came  upon  the  ad- 
vancing masses  of  the  French,  and  literally  hurled  them  back  upon 
the  main  body.  The  other  regiments,  seeing  this  gallant  stand, 
wheeled  about,  and  poured  in  a  volley,  and  then,  fixing  bayonets, 
stormed  a  little  mount  beside  the  hedge,  which  commanded  the 
whole  suburb  of  Villa  Real.  The  French,  who  soon  recovered  their 
order,  now  prepared  for  a  second  attack,  and  came  on  in  two  dense 
columns,  when  Patrick,  who  had  little  confidence  in  the  steadiness 
of  his  people  for  any  lengthened  resistance,  resolved  upon  once  more 
charging  with  the  bayonet.  The  order  was  scarcely  given  when  the 
French  were  upon  us,  their  flank  defended  by  some  of  La  Houssaye's 
heavy  dragoons.  For  an  instant  the  conflict  was  doubtful,  until  poor 
Patrick  fell  mortally  wounded  upon  the  parapet ;  when  the  men,  no 
longer  hearing  his  bold  cheer,  nor  seeing  his  noble  figure  in  the  ad- 
vance, turned  and  fled,  pell-mell,  back  upon  the  town.  As  for  me, 
blocked  up  amid  the  mass,  I  was  cut  down  from  the  shoulder  to  the 
elbow  by  a  young  fellow  of  about  sixteen,  who  galloped  about  like  a 
schoolboy  on  a  holiday.  The  wound  was  only  dangerous  from  the 
loss  of  blood,  and  so  I  contrived  to  reach  Amacante  without  much 
difficulty,  from  whence,  with  three  or  four  others,  I  was  ordered  here 
until  fit  for  service. " 


248  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  But  what  news  from  our  own  head-quarters?"  inquired  I. 

"All  imaginable  kind  of  rumors  are  afloat.  Some  say  that  Crad- 
dock  is  retiring ;  others,  that  a  part  of  the  army  is  in  motion  upon 
Caldas." 

"  Then  we  are  not  going  to  have  a  very  long  sojourn  here  after  all, 
eh,  Major  ?  Donna  Maria  de  Tonnes  will  be  inconsolable.  By  the 
bye,  their  house  is  just  opposite  us.  Have  you  never  heard  Mon- 
soon mention  his  friends  there  ?" 

"  Come,  come,  Joe,  how  can  you  be  so  foolish  ?" 

"But,  Major,  my  dear  friend,  what  signifies  your  modesty?  there 
is  not  a  man  in  the  service  does  not  know  it,  save  those  in  the  last 
Gazette" 

"  Indeed,  Joe,  I  am  very  angry  with  you." 

"  Well,  then,  by  Jove !  I  must  tell  it  myself;  though,  faith,  lads, 
you  lose  not  a  little  for  want  of  Monsoon's  tact  in  the  narrative." 

"Anything  is  better  than  trusting  to  such  a  biographer,"  cried  the 
Major  ;  "so  here  goes : 

"When  I  was  Acting  Commissary-General  to  the  Portuguese 
forces,  some  few  years  ago,  I  obtained  great  experience  of  the  habits 
of  the  people;  for  though  naturally  of  an  unsuspecting  tempera- 
ment myself,  I  generally  contrive  to  pick  out  the  little  foibles  of 
my  associates,  even  upon  a  short  acquaintance.  Now,  my  appoint- 
ment pleased  me  very  much  on  this  score ;  it  gave  me  little  oppor- 
tunities of  examining  the  world.  '  The  greatest  study  of  mankind 
is  man, — Sparks  would  say  woman — but  no  matter. 

"  Now,  I  soon  discovered  that  our  ancient  and  very  excellent 
allies,  the  Portuguese,  with  a  beautiful  climate,  delicious  wines,  and 
very  delightful  wives  and  daughters,  were  the  most  infernal  rogues 
and  scoundrels  ever  met  with.  'Make  yourself  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  the  leading  features  of  the  natives,'  said  old  Sir 
Harry  to  me,  in  a  despatch  from  head-quarters ;  and,  faith,  it  was 
not  difficult ;  such  open,  palpable,  undisguised  rascals  never  were 
heard  of.  I  thought  I  knew  a  thing  or  two  myself,  when  I  landed; 
but,  Lord  love  you !  I  was  a  babe ;  I  was  an  infant  in  swaddling 
clothes  compared  with  them ;  and  they  humbugged  me, — ay,  me ! — 
till  1  began  to  suspect  that  I  was  only  walking  in  my  sleep. 

"'Why,  Monsoon,'  said  the  General,  'they  told  me  you  were  a 
sharp  fellow,  and  yet  the  people  here  seem  to  work  round  you  every 
day.  This  will  never  do.  You  must  brighten  up  a  little,  or  I  shall 
be  obliged  to  send  you  back.' 

"  '  General,'  said  I,  '  they  used  to  call  me  no  fool  in  England,  but, 
somehow,  here ' 

" '  I  understand/  said  he,  '  you  don't  know  the  Portuguese ;  there's 
but  one  way  with  them — strike  quickly,  and  strike  home.     Never 


THE  LANDING.  249 

give  them  time  for  roguery ;  for,  if  they  have  a  moment's  reflection, 
they'll  cheat  the  devil  himself;  but  when  you  see  the  plot  working, 
come  slap  down  and  decide  the  thing  your  own  way.' 

"  Well,  now,  there  never  was  anything  so  true  as  this  advice,  and, 
for  the  eighteen  months  I  acted  upon  it,  I  never  knew  it  fail. 

'MI  want  a  thousand  measures  of  wheat.' 

"  -  Senhor  Excellenza,  the  crops  have  been  miserably  deficient, 
and * 

"  -  Sergeant-major,'  I  would  say,  '  these  poor  people  have  no  corn ; 
it's  a  wine  country ;  let  them  make  up  the  rations  that  way.' 

"The  wheat  came  in  that  evening. 

" '  One  hundred  and  twenty  bullocks  wanted  for  the  reserve.' 

" '  The  cattle  are  all  up  the  mountains.' 

" '  Let  the  alcalde  catch  them  before  night,  or  I'll  catch  him.' 

"Lord  bless  you!  I  had  beef  enough  to  feed  the  Peninsula.  And 
in  this  way,  while  the  forces  were  eating  short  allowance  and  half- 
rations  elsewhere,  our  brigade  were  plump  as  aldermen. 

"  When  we  lay  in  Andalusia,  this  was  easy  enough.  What  a  coun- 
try, to  be  sure !  Such  vineyards,  such  gardens,  such  delicious  valleys, 
waving  with  corn,  and  fat  with  olives  ;  actually  it  seemed  a  kind  of 
dispensation  of  Providence  to  make  war  in.  There  was  everything 
you  could  desire ;  and,  then,  the  people,  like  all  your  wealthy  ones, 
were  so  timid,  and  so  easily  frightened,  you  could  get  what  you 
pleased  out  of  them  by  a  little  terror.  My  scouts  managed  this  very 
well. 

"  '  He's  coming,'  they  would  say,  '  after  to-morrow.' 

"  lMadre  de  Bios  V 

" *  I  hope  he  won't  burn  the  village.' 

"  'Questos  infernales  Ingleses!  how  wicked  they  are.' 

"  '  You'd  better  try  what  a  sack  of  moidores  or  doubloons  might 
do  with  him  ;  he  may  refuse  them,  but  make  the  effort.' 

"Ha!"  said  the  Major,  with  a  long-drawn  sigh,  "those  were 
pleasant  times ;  alas  !  that  they  should  ever  come  to  an  end.  Well, 
among  the  old  hidalgos  I  met  there  was  one  Don  Emanuel  Selvio  de 
Tormes,  an  awful  old  miser,  rich  as  Croesus,  and  suspicious  as  the 
arch-fiend  himself.  Lord,  how  I  melted  him  down !  I  quartered 
two  squadrons  of  horse  and  a  troop  of  flying  artillery  upon  him. 
How  the  fellows  did  eat !  Such  a  consumption  of  wines  was  never 
heard  of;  and  as  they  began  to  slacken  a  little,  I  took  care  to  re- 
place them  by  fresh  arrivals — fellows  from  the  mountains — cagadores 
they  call  them.  At  last  my  friend  Don  Emanuel  could  stand  it  no 
longer,  and  he  sent  me  a  diplomatic  envoy  to  negotiate  terms,  which, 
upon  the  whole,  I  must  say  were  fair  enough.  In  a  few  days  after, 
the  cagadores  were  withdrawn,  and  I  took  up  my  quarters  at  the 


250  CHARLES  O'M  ALLEY. 

chateau.  I  have  had  various  chances  and  changes  in  this  wicked 
world,  but  I  am  free  to  confess  that  I  never  passed  a  more  agreeable 
time  than  the  seven  weeks  I  spent  there.  Don  Emanuel,  when  pro- 
perly managed,  became  a  very  pleasant  little  fellow.  Donna  Maria, 
his  wife,  was  a  sweet  creature.  You  need  not  be  winking  that  way. 
Upon  my  life  she  was ;  rather  fat,  to  be  sure,  and  her  age  something 
verging  upon  the  fifties  ;  but  she  had  such  eyes,  black  as  sloes,  and 
luscious  as  ripe  grapes ;  and  she  was  always  smiling,  and  ogling, 
and  looking  so  sweet.  Confound  me,  if  I  think  she  wasn't  the  most 
enchanting  being  in  this  world,  with  about  ten  thousand  pounds' 
worth  of  jewels  upon  her  fingers  and  in  her  ears.  I  have  her  before 
me  at  this  instant,  as  she  used  to  sit  in  the  little  arbor  in  the  gar- 
den, with  a  Manilla  cigar  in  her  mouth,  and  a  little  brandy-and- 
water — quite  weak,  you  know — beside  her. 

"  '  Ah  !  General/  she  used  to  say,— she  always  called  me  Gene- 
ral,— '  what  a  glorious  career  yours  is  !   A  soldier  is  indeed  a  man.' 

"  Then  she  would  look  at  poor  Emanuel,  who  used  to  sit  in  a  cor- 
ner, holding  his  hand  to  his  face  for  hours,  calculating  interest  and 
cent,  per  cent,  till  he  fell  asleep. 

"  Now,  he  labored  under  a  very  singular  malady — not  that  I  ever 
knew  it  at  the  time — a  kind  of  luxation  of  the  lower  jaw,  which, 
when  it  came  on,  happened  somehow  to  press  upon  some  vital  nerve 
or  other,  and  left  him  perfectly  paralyzed  till  it  was  restored  to  its 
proper  place.  In  fact,  during  the  time  the  agony  lasted,  he  was  like 
one  in  a  trance  ;  for  though  he  could  see  and  hear,  he  could  neither 
speak  nor  move,  and  looked  as  if  he  had  done  with  both  for  many  a 
day  to  come. 

"  Well,  as  I  was  saying,  I  knew  nothing  of  all  this,  till  a  slight 
circumstance  made  it  known  to  me.  I  was  sitting  one  evening  in 
the  little  arbor  I  mentioned  with  Donna  Maria,  There  was  a  little 
table  before  us,  covered  with  wines  and  fruits,  a  dish  of  olives,  some 
Castile  oranges,  and  a  fresh  pine.  I  remember  it  well.  My  eye 
roved  over  the  little  dessert,  set  out  in  old-fashioned,  rich  silver 
dishes,  then  turned  towards  the  lady  herself,  with  rings,  brooches,  ear- 
rings, and  chains  enough  to  reward  one  for  sacking  a  town ;  and  I 
said  to  myself,  '  Monsoon,  Monsoon,  this  is  better  than  long  marches 
in  the  Pyrenees,  with  a  cork-tree  for  a  bed-curtain  and  wet  grass  for 
a  mattress.  How  pleasantly  one  might  jog  on  in  this  world  with 
this  little  country-house  for  his  abode,  and  Donna  Maria  for  a  com- 
panion !' 

"  I  tasted  the  port — it  was  delicious.  Now,  I  knew  very  little 
Portuguese,  but  I  made  some  effort  to  ask  if  there  was  much  of  it  in 
the  cellar. 

"  She  smiled,  and  said,  '  Oh  !  yes.' 


THE  LANDING.  251 

"  '  What  a  luxurious  life  one  might  lead  here  P  thought  I ;  '  and, 
after  all,  perhaps  Providence  might  remove  Don  Emanuel.' 

"  I  finished  the  bottle  as  I  thus  meditated.  The  next  was,  if  pos- 
sible, more  crusty. 

"  '  This  is  a  delicious  retreat,'  said  I,  soliloquizing. 

"  Donna  Maria  seemed  to  know  what  was  passing  in  my  mind,  for 
she  smiled  too. 

"'Yes/  said  I,  in  broken  Portuguese,  'one  ought  to  be  very 
happy  here,  Donna  Maria.' 

"  She  blushed,  and  I  continued  : 

"  '  What  can  one  want  for  more  in  this  life  ?— all  the  charms  that 
rendered  Paradise  what  it  was' — I  took  her  hand  here — '  and  made 
Adam  blessed.' 

"  '  Ah,  General !'  said  she,  with  a  sigh,  '  you  are  such  a  flatterer.' 

"  \  Who  could  flatter,'  said  I,  with  enthusiasm,  '  when  there  are 
not  words  enough  to  express  what  he  feels  ?'  This  was  true,  for  my 
Portuguese  was  fast  failing  me.  '  But  if  ever  I  was  happy,  it  is 
now.' 

"  I  took  another  pull  at  the  port. 

"  *  If  I  only  thought,'  said  I,  '  that  my  presence  here  was  not 
thought  unwelcome ' 

"  '  Fie,  General,'  said  she,  '  how  could  you  say  such  a  thing  ?' 

"  '  If  I  only  thought  I  was  not  hated,'  said  I,  tremblingly. 

"  ■  Oh  !'  said  she  again. 

"  '  Despised.' 

" '  Oh  !' 

" '  Loathed.' 

"  She  pressed  my  hand — I  kissed  hers ;  she  hurriedly  snatched  it 
from  me,  and  pointed  towards  a  lime-tree  near,  beneath  which,  in 
the  cool  enjoyment  of  his  cigar,  sate  the  spare  and  detested  figure  of 
Don  Emanuel. 

"  '  Yes,'  thought  I,  '  there  he  is — the  only  bar  to  my  good  fortune. 
Were  it  not  for  him,  I  should  not  bs  long  before  I  became  possessor 
of  this  excellent  old  chateau,  with  a  most  indiscretionary  power  over 
the  cellar.  Don  Mauricius  Monsoon  would  speedily  assume  his 
place  among  the  grandees  of  Portugal.' 

"  I  know  not  how  long  my  reverie  lasted,  nor,  indeed,  how  the 
evening  passed ;  but  I  remember  well  the  moon  was  up,  and  a  sky 
bright  with  a  thousand  stars  was  shining,  as  I  sat  beside  the  fair 
Donna  Maria,  endeavoring,  with  such  Portuguese  as  it  had  pleased 
fate  to  bestow  on  me,  to  instruct  her  touching  my  warlike  services 
and  deeds  of  arms.  The  fourth  bottle  of  port  was  ebbing  beneath 
my  eloquence,  as  responsively  her  heart  beat,  when  I  heard  a  slight 
rustle  in  the  branches  near.     I  looked,  and,  heavens  !  what  a  sight 


252  CHARLES  0>M ALLEY. 

did  I  behold.  There  was  little  Don  Emanuel  stretched  upon  tlve 
grass,  with  his  mouth  wide  open,  his  face  pale  as  death,  his  arms 
stretched  out  at  either  side,  aud  his  legs  stiffened  straight  out.  I  ran 
over  and  asked  if  he  were  ill,  but  no  answer  came.  I  lifted  up  an 
arm,  but  it  fell  heavily  upon  the  ground  as  I  let  it  go  ;  the  leg  did 
likewise.     I  touched  his  nose — it  was  cold. 

" '  Hallo/  thought  I,  '  is  it  so  ?  This  comes  of  mixing  water  with 
your  sherry.     I  saw  where  it  would  end. 

"  Now,  upon  my  life,  I  felt  sorry  for  the  little  fellow ;  but,  some- 
how, one  gets  so  familiarized  with  this  sort  of  thing  in  a  campaign, 
that  one  only  half  feels  in  a  case  like  this. 

"  '  Yes,'  said  I,  '  man  is  but  grass ;  but  I,  for  one,  must  make  hay 
when  the  sun  shines.  Now  for  the  Donna  Maria/  for  the  poor 
thing  was  asleep  in  the  arbor  all  this  while. 

"  ■  Donna/  said  I,  shaking  her  by  the  elbow, — '  Donna,  don't  be 
shocked  at  what  I'm  going  to  say.' 

"  '  Ah  !  General/  said  she,  with  a  sigh,  f  say  no  more  ;  I  must  not 
listen  to  you.' 

"  '  You  don't  know  that/  said  I,  with  a  knowing  look, — '  you  don't 
know  that.' 

"  '  Why,  what  can  you  mean  ?' 

" '  The  little  fellow  is  done  for.'  The  port  was  working  strong 
now,  and  destroyed  all  my  fine  sensibility.  '  Yes,  Donna/  said  I, 
1  you  are  free/ — here  I  threw  myself  upon  my  knees, — '  free  to  make 
me  the  happiest  of  commissaries,  and  the  jolliest  grandee  of  Por- 
tugal that  ever ' 

"'But  Don  Emanuel?' 

"  '  Bun  out — dry — empty/  inverting  a  finished  decanter,  to  typify 
my  words  as  I  spoke. 

"  '  He  is  not  dead  ?'  said  she,  with  a  scream. 

"  '  Even  so/  said  I,  with  a  hiccup  ;  '  ordered  for  service  in  a  better 
world,  where  there  are  neither  inspections  nor  arrears.' 

"  Before  the  words  were  well  out,  she  sprang  from  the  bench  and 
rushed  over  to  the  spot  where  the  little  Don  lay.  What  she  said  or 
did  I  know  not,  but  the  next  moment  he  sat  bolt  upright  on  the 
grass,  and,  as  he  held  his  jaw  with  one  hand  and  supported  himself 
on  the  other,  vented  such  a  torrent  of  abuse  and  insult  at  me,  that, 
for  want  of  Portuguese  enough  to  reply,  I  rejoined  in  English,  in 
which  I  swore  pretty  roundly  for  five  minutes.  Meanwhile  the 
Donna  had  summoned  the -servants,  who  removed  Don  Emanuel  to 
the  house,  where  on  my  return  I  found  my  luggage  displayed  before 
the  door,  with  a  civil  hint  to  deploy  in  orderly  time,  and  take 
ground  elsewhere. 

"  In  a  few  days,  however,  his  anger  cooled  down,  and  I  received  a 


LISBON.  253 

polite  note  from  Donna  Maria  that  the  Don  at  length  began  to 
understand  the  joke,  and  begged  that  I  would  return  to  the  chateau, 
and  that  he  would  expect  me  at  dinner  the  same  day." 

"  With  which,  of  course,  you  complied  ?" 

"  Which  of  course  I  did.  Forgive  your  enemies,  my  dear  boy  ; 
it  is  only  Christian-like ;  and,  really,  we  lived  very  happily  ever 
after.  The  Donna  was  a  mighty  clever  woman,  and  a  dear  good 
soul  besides." 

If  was  late  when  the  Major  concluded  his  story ;  so  after  wishing 
Ferguson  a  good  night,  we  took  our  leave,  and  retired  for  the  night 
to  our  quarters. 


CHAPTER   XXXVII. 

LISBON. 

THE  tramp  of  horses'  feet  and  the  sound  of  voices  beneath  my 
window  roused  me  from  a  deep  sleep.  I  sprang  up,  and  drew 
aside  the  curtain.  What  a  strange  confusion  beset  me  as  I 
looked  forth  !  Before  me  lay  a  broad  and  tranquil  river,  whose  oppo- 
site shore,  deeply  wooded,  and  studded  with  villas  and  cottages,  rose 
abruptly  from  the  water's  edge ;  vessels  of  war  lay  tranquilly  in 
the  stream,  their  pennants  trailing  in  the  tide.  The  loud  boom  of 
a  morning  gun  rolled  along  the  surface,  awaking  a  hundred  echoes 
as  it  passed,  and  the  lazy  smoke  rested  for  some  minutes  on  the 
glassy  water  as  it  blended  with  the  thin  air  of  the  morning. 

"  Where  am  I  ?"  was  my  first  question  to  myself,  as  I  continued 
to  look  from  side  to  side,  unable  to  collect  my  scattered  senses. 

One  word  sufficed  to  recall  me  to  myself,  as  I  heard  Power's  voice 
from  without,  call  out, — 

"  Charley !  O'Malley,  I  say !     Come  down  here !" 

I  hurriedly  threw  on  my  clothes,  and  went  to  the  door. 

"  Well,  Charley !  I've  been  put  in  harness  rather  sooner  than  I 
expected.  Here's  old  Douglas  has  been  sitting  up  all  night,  writing 
despatches ;  and  I  must  hasten  on  to  head-quarters  without  a 
moment's  delay.  There's  work  before  us — that's  certain ;  but  when, 
where,  and  how,  of  that  I  know  nothing.  You  may  expect  the  route 
every  moment ;  the  French  are  still  advancing.  Meanwhile,  I  have 
a  couple  of  commissions  for  you  to  execute.  First,  here's  a  packet 
for  Hammersley ;  you  are  sure  to  meet  him  with  the  regiment,  in  a 
day  or  two.  I  have  some  scruples  about  asking  you  this — but,  con- 
found it ! — you're  too  sensible  a  fellow  to  care " 

Here  he  hesitated,  and,  as  I  colored  to  the  eyes,  for  some  minutes 


254  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

he  seemed  uncertain  how  to  proceed.  At  length,  recovering  himself, 
he  went  on  : 

**  Now  for  the  other.  This  is  a  most  loving  epistle  from  a  poor 
devil  of  a  midshipman,  written  last  night,  by  a  tallow  candle,  in  the 
cockpit,  containing  vows  of  eternal  adoration  and  a  lock  of  hair.  I 
promised  faithfully  to  deliver  it  myself:  for  the  Thunderer  sails  for 
Gibraltar  next  tide,  and  he  cannot  go  ashore  for  an  instant.  How- 
ever, as  Sir  Arthur's  billet  may  be  of  more  importance  than  the 
reefer's,  I  must  entrust  its  safe  keeping  to  your  hands.  Now,  then, 
don't  look  so  devilish  sleepy,  but  seem  to  understand  what  I  am 
saying.  This  is  the  address  : — '  La  Senhora  Inez  da  Silviero,  Eua 
Nuova,  opposite  the  barber's ;'  you'll  not  neglect  it.  So  now,  my 
dear  boy,  till  our  next  meeting,  adios  /" 

"Stop!  for  heaven's  sake,  not  so  fast,  I  pray.  Where's  the 
street?" 

"The  Eua  Nuova.  Eemember  Figaro,  my  boy.  Cinque  per- 
ruche." 

"  But  what  am  I  to  do  ?" 

"  To  do  I  what  a  question !  Anything — everything.  Be  a  good 
diplomate;  speak  of  the  torturing  agony  of  the  lover,  for  which  I  can 
vouch  (the  boy  is  only  fifteen) ;  swear  that  he  is  to  return  in  a  month 
first  lieutenant  of  the  Thunder  Bomb,  with  intentions  that  even 
Madame  Dalrymple  would  approve." 

"  What  nonsense,"  said  I,  blushing  to  the  eyes. 

"And  if  that  suffice  not,  I  know  of  but  one  resource." 

"  Which  is— " 

"  Make  love  to  her  yourself.  Ay,  even  so.  Don't  look  so  con- 
foundedly vinegar ;  the  girl,  I  hear,  is  a  devilish  pretty  one,  the 
house  pleasant,  and  I  sincerely  wish  I  could  exchange  duties  with 
you,  leaving  you  to  make  your  bows  to  his  Excellency  the  C.  0.  F., 
and  myself  free  to  make  mine  to  la  Senhora.  And  now,  push 
along,  old  red  cap." 

So  saying,  he  made  a  significant  cut  of  his  whip  at  the  Portuguese 
guide,  and  in  another  moment  was  out  of  sight. 

My  first  thought  was  one  of  regret  at  Power's  departure.  For 
some  time  past  we  had  been  inseparable  companions ;  and,  notwith- 
standing the  reckless  and  wild  gayety  of  his  conduct,  I  had  ever 
found  him  ready  to  assist  me  in  every  difficulty,  and  that  with  an 
address  and  dexterity  a  more*  calculating  adviser  might  not  have 
possessed.  I  was  now  utterly  alone ;  for  though  Monsoon  and  the 
Adjutant  were  still  in  Lisbon,  as  was  also  Sparks,  I  never  could 
make  intimates  of  them. 

I  ate  my  breakfast  with  a  heavy  heart,  my  solitary  position  again 
suggesting  thoughts  of  home  and  kindred.     Just  at  this  moment  my 


LISBON.  255 

eyes  fell  upon  the  packet  destined  for  Hammersley ;  I  took  it  up 
and  weighted  it  in  my  hand.  "Alas  I"  thought  I,  "  how  much  of  my 
destiny  may  lie  within  that  envelope !  how  fatally  may  my  after-life 
be  influenced  by  it  I"  It  felt  heavy,  as  though  there  was  something 
besides  letters.  True,  too  true;  there  was  a  picture;  Lucy's  por- 
trait !  The  cold  drops  of  perspiration  stood  upon  my  forehead  as 
my  fingers  traced  the  outline  of  a  miniature-case  in  the  parcel.  I 
became  deadly  weak,  and  sank  half-fainting  upon  a  chair.  And 
such  is  the  end  of  my  first  dream  of  happiness  !  How  have  I  duped, 
how  have  I  deceived  myself!  For,  alas !  though  Lucy  had  never  re- 
sponded to  my  proffered  vows  of  affection,  yet  had  I  ever  nurtured  in 
my  heart  a  secret  hope  that  I  was  not  altogether  uncared  for.  Every 
look  she  had  given  me,  every  word  she  had  spoken,  the  tone  of  her 
voice,  her  step,  her  every  gesture — all  were  before  me,  confirming 
my  delusion  ;  and  yet — I  could  bear  no  more,  and  burst  into  tears. 

The  loud  call  of  a  cavalry  trumpet  aroused  me. 

How  long  I  had  passed  in  this  state  of  despondency  I  knew  not ; 
but  it  was  long  past  noon  when  I  rallied  myself.  My  charger  was 
already  awaiting  me ;  and  a  second  blast  of  the  trumpet  told  that  the 
inspection  in  the  Plaza  was  about  to  commence. 

As  I  continued  to  dress,  I  gradually  rallied  from  my  depressing 
thoughts  ;  and  ere  I  belted  my  sabretasche,  the  current  of  my  ideas 
had  turned  from  their  train  of  sadness  to  one  of  hardihood  and 
daring.  Lucy  Dashwood  had  treated  me  like  a  wilful  schoolboy. 
Mayhap  I  may  prove  myself  as  gallant  a  soldier  as  even  him  she 
has  preferred  before  me. 

A  third  sound  of  the  trumpet  cut  short  my  reflections.  I  sprang 
into  the  saddle,  and  hastened  towards  the  Plaza.  As  I  dashed  along 
the  streets,  my  horse,  maddened  with  the  impulse  that  stirred  my 
own  heart,  curveted  and  plunged  unceasingly.  As  I  reached  the 
Plaza  the  crowd  became  dense,  and  I  was  obliged  to  pull  up.  The 
sound  of  the  music,  the  parade,  the  tramp  of  the  infantry,  and  the 
neighing  of  the  horses,  were,  however,  too  much  for  my  mettlesome 
steed,  and  he  became  nearly  unmanageable  ;  he  plunged  fearfully, 
and  twice  reared  as  though  he  would  have  fallen  back.  As  I  scat- 
tered the  foot  passengers  right  and  left  with  terror,  my  eye  fell  upon 
one  lovely  girl,  who,  tearing  herself  from  her  companion,  rushed 
wildly  towards  an  open  doorway  for  shelter ;  suddenly,  however, 
changing  her  intention,  she  came  forward  a  few  paces,  and  then,  as 
if  overcome  by  fear,  stood  stock-still,  her  hands  clasped  upon  her 
bosom,  her  eyes  upturned,  her  features  deadly  pale,  while  her  knees 
seemed  bending  beneath  her.  Never  did  I  behold  a  more  beautiful 
object.  Her  dark  hair  had  fallen  loose  upon  her  shoulder,  and  she 
stood  the  very  ideal  of  the  "  Madonna  Supplicating."     My  glance 


256  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

was  short  as  a  lightning  flash,  for  the  same  instant  my  horse 
swerved,  and  dashed  forward  right  at  the  place  where  she  was 
standing.  One  terrific  cry  rose  from  the  crowd  who  saw  her 
danger.  Beside  her  stood  a  muleteer,  who  had  drawn  up  his  mule 
and  cart  close  beside  the  footway  for  safety ;  she  made  one  effort  to 
reach  it,  but  her  outstretched  arms  alone  moved,  and,  paralyzed  by 
terror,  she  sank  motionless  upon  the  pavement.  There  was  but  one 
course  open  to  me  now  ;  collecting  myself  for  the  effort,  I  threw  my 
horse  upon  his  haunches,  and  then,  dashing  the  spurs  into  his 
flanks,  breasted  him  at  the  mule-cart.  With  one  spring  he  rose, 
and  cleared  it  at  a  bound,  while  the  very  air  rang  with  the  acclama- 
tions of  the  multitude,  and  a  thousand  bravos  saluted  me  as  I  alighted 
upon  the  opposite  side. 

"  Well  done,  O'Malley !"  sang  out  the  little  Adjutant,  as  I  flew 
past,  and  pulled  up  in  the  middle  of  the  Plaza. 

"  Something  devilish  like  Galway  in  that  leap,"  said  a  very  musi- 
cal voice  beside  me  ;  and  at  the  same  instant  a  tall,  soldier-like  man, 
in  an  undress  dragoon  frock,  touched  his  cap,  and  said,  "  A  14th 
man,  I  perceive,  sir.  May  I  introduce  myself? — Major  O'Shaugh- 
nessy." 

I  bowed,  and  shook  the  Major's  proffered  hand,  while  he  con- 
tinued : 

"  Old  Monsoon  mentioned  your  name  to  us  this  morning.  You 
came  out  together,  if  I  mistake  not?" 

"  Yes ;  but  somehow,  Pve  missed  the  Major  since  my  landing." 

"  Oh,  you'll  see  him  presently  ;  he'll  be  on  parade.  By  the  bye, 
he  wishes  particularly  to  meet  you.     We  dine  to-day  at  the  '  Quai 

de  Soderi,'  and  if  you're  not  engaged Yes,  this  is  the  person," 

said  he,  turning  at  the  moment  towards  a  servant,  who,  with  a 
card  in  his  hand,  seemed  to  search  for  some  one  in  the  crowd. 

The  man  approached  and  handed  it  to  me. 

"What  can  this  mean?"  said  I.  "Don  Emanuel  de  Blacas  y 
Silviero,  Eua  Nuova." 

"  Why,  that's  the  great  Portuguese  contractor,  the  intendant  of 
half  the  army,  the  richest  fellow  in  Lisbon.     Have  you  known  him 
long?" 
•    "  Never  heard  of  him  till  now." 

"  By  Jove,  you're  in  luck  !  No  man  gives  such  dinners ;  he  has 
such  a  cellar !  I'll  wager  a  fifty  it  was  his  daughter  you  took  in  the 
flying  leap  a  while  ago.     I  hear  she  is  a  beautiful  creature." 

"Yes,"  thought  I,  "that  must  be  it;  and  yet,  strange  enough,  I 
think  the  name  and  address  are  familiar  to  me." 

"  Ten  to  one,  you've  heard  Monsoon  speak  of  him ;  he's  most  inti- 
mate there.     But  here  comes  the  Major." 


LISBON.  257 

As  he  spoke,  the  illustrious  Commissary  came  forward,  hold- 
ing a  vast  bundle  of  papers  in  one  hand  and  his  snuff-box  in  the 
other,  followed  by  a  long  string  of  clerks,  contractors,  assistant-sur- 
geons, paymasters,  &c,  all  eagerly  pressing  forward  to  be  heard. 
I  "  It's  quite  impossible ;  1  can't  do  it.  to-day.  Victualling  and 
I  physicking  are  very  good  things,  but  must  be  done  in  season.  I 
iave  been  up  all  night  at  the  accounts — haven't  I,  O'Malley?" — 
{here  he  winked  at  me  most  significantly ; — "  and  then  1  have  the 
forage  and  stoppage  fund  to  look  through"  ("  We  dine  at  six,  sharp," 
said  he,  sotto  voce),  "  which  will  leave  me  without  one  minute  unoccu- 
pied for  the  next  twenty-four  hours.  Look  to  your  toggery  this 
evening  ;  I've  something  in  my  eye  for  you,  O'Malley." 

"  Officers  unattached  to  their  several  corps  will  fall  into  the 
middle  of  the  Plaza,"  said  a  deep  voice  among  the  crowd.  In 
obedience  to  the  order,  I  rode  forward,  and  placed  myself  with  a 
number  of  others,  apparently  newly-joined,  in  the  open  square.  A 
short  gray-haired  old  colonel,  with  a  dark,  eagle  look,  proceeded  to 
inspect  us,  reading  from  a  paper  as  he  came  along : 

"  Mr.  Hepton,  6th  foot ;  commission  bearing  date  11th  January ; 
drilled ;  proceed  to  Ovar,  and  join  his  regiment. 

"  Mr.  Gronow,  Fusilier  Guards ;  remains  with  the  depot. 

"  Captain  Mortimer,  1st  Dragoons ;  appointed  aide-de-camp  to  the 
General  commanding  the  cavalry  brigade. 

"Mr.  Sparks — where  is  Mr.  Sparks?  Mr.  Sparks  absent  from 
parade  ;  make  a  note  of  it. 

"Mr.  O'Malley,  14th  Light  Dragoons.  Mr.  O'Malley— oh,  I 
remember ;  I  have  received  a  letter  from  Sir  George  Dash  wood  con- 
cerning you.  You  will  hold  yourself  in  readiness  to  march.  Your 
friends  desire  that,  before  you  may  obtain  any  staff  appointment, 
you  should  have  the  opportunity  of  seeing  some  service.  Am  I  to 
understand  such  is  your  wish  ?" 

"  Most  certainly." 

"May  I  have  the  pleasure  of  your  company  at  dinner  to  day?" 

"  I  regret  that  I  have  already  accepted  an  invitation  to  dine  with 
Major  Monsoon." 

"  With  Major  Monsoon  ?  ah,  indeed !  Perhaps  it  might  be  as  well 
I  should  mention But  no  matter.     I  wish  you  good  morning." 

So  saying,  the  little  colonel  rode  off,  leaving  me  to  suppose  that 
my  dinner  engagement  had  not  raised  me  in  his  estimation,  though 
why,  I  could  not  exactly  determine. 


17 


258  CHARLES  0' MALLET. 

CHAPTER   XXXVIII. 

THE  RTTA  NTJOYA. 

OUR  dinner  was  a  long  and  uninteresting  one,  and  as  I  found 
that  the  Major  was  likely  to  prefer  his  seat,  as  chairman  of 
the  party,  to  the  seductions  of  ladies'  society,  I  took  the  first 
opportunity  of  escaping,  and  left  the  room. 

It  was  a  rich  moonlight  night,  as  I  found  myself  in  the  street. 
My  way,  which  led  along  the  banks  of  the  Tagus,  was  almost  as 
light  as  in  daytime,  and  crowded  with  walking  parties,  who  sauntered 
carelessly  along,  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  cool,  refreshing  night  air. 
On  inquiring,  I  discovered  that  the  Rua  Nuova  was  at  the  extremity 
of  the  city ;  but,  as  the  road  led  along  by  the  river,  I  did  not  regret 
the  distance,  but  walked  on  with  increasing  pleasure  at  the  charms 
of  so  heavenly  a  climate  and  country. 

After  three-quarters  of  an  hour's  walk,  the  streets  became  by 
degrees  less  and  less  crowded.  A  solitary  party  passed  me  now  and 
then  ;  the  buzz  of  distant  voices  succeeded  to  the  gay  laughter  and 
merry  tones  of  the  passing  groups,  and  at  length  my  own  footsteps 
alone  awoke  the  echoes  along  the  deserted  pathway.  I  stopped 
every  now  and  then  to  gaze  upon  the  tranquil  river,  whose  eddies 
were  circling  in  the  pale  silver  of  the  moonlight.  I  listened  with 
attentive  ear,  as  the  night  breeze  wafted  to  me  the  far-off  sounds  of 
a  guitar,  and  the  deep  tones  of  some  lover's  serenade;  while  again 
the  tender  warbling  of  the  nightingale  came  borne  across  the  stream, 
on  a  wind  rich  with  the  odor  of  the  orange-tree. 

As  thus  I  lingered  on  my  way,  the  time  stole  on,  and  it  was  near 
midnight  ere  I  had  roused  myself  from  the  reverie  surrounding 
objects  had  thrown  about  me.  I  stopped  suddenly,  and  for  some 
minutes  I  struggled  with  myself  to  discover  if  I  was  really  awake. 
As  I  walked  along,  lost  in  my  reflections,  I  had  entered  a  little 
garden  beside  the  river.  Fragrant  plants  and  lovely  flowers 
bloomed  on  every  side :  the  orange,  the  camelia,  the  cactus,  and  the 
rich  laurel  of  Portugal  were  blending  their  green  and  golden  hues 
around  me,  while  the  very  air  was  filled  with  delicious  music. 
"Was  it  a  dream?  Could  such  ecstasy  be  real?"  I  asked  myself, 
as  the  rich  notes  swelled  upward  in  their  strength,  and  sank  in  soft 
cadence  to  tones  of  melting  harmony ;  now  bursting  forth  in  the 
full  force  of  gladness,  the  voices  blended  together  in  one  stream  of 
mellow  music,  and  suddenly  ceasing,  the  soft  but  thrilling  shake  of 
a  female  voice  rose  upon  the  air,  and,  in  its  plaintive  beauty,  stirred 
the  very  heart.  The  proud  tramp  of  martial  music  succeeded  to  the 
low  wailing  cry  of  agony;  then  came  the  crash  of  battle,  the  clang 


THE  RUA  NUOVA.  2f>9 

of  steel ;  the  thunder  of  the  fight  rolled  on  in  all  its  majesty,  in- 
creasing in  its  maddening  excitement  till  it  ended  in  one  loud  shout 
of  victory. 

All  was  still ;  not  a  breath  moved,  not  a  leaf  stirred,  and  again 
was  I  relapsing  into  my  dreamy  skepticism,  when  again  the  notes 
swelled  upward  in  concert.  But  now  their  accents  were  changed, 
and,  in  low,  subdued  tones,  faintly  and  slowly  uttered,  the  prayer  of 
thanksgiving  rose  to  heaven,  and  spoke  their  gratefulness.  I  almost 
fell  upon  my  knees,  and  already  the  tears  filled  my  eyes,  as  I  drank 
in  the  sounds.  My  heart  was  full  to  bursting,  and  even  now  as  I 
write  it,  my  pulse  throbs  as  I  remember  the  hymn  of  the  Abencer- 
rages. 

When  I  rallied  from  my  trance  of  excited  pleasure,  my  first 
thought  was — where  was  I,  and  how  came  I  there  ?  Before  I  could 
resolve  my  doubts  upon  the  question,  my  attention  was  turned  in 
another  direction,  for  close  beside  me  the  branches  moved  forward, 
and  a  pair  of  arms  were  thrown  around  my  neck,  while  a  delicious 
voice  cried  out,  in  an  accent  of  childish  delight,  "  Trovado  !"  At 
the  same  instant  a  lovely  head  sank  upon  my  shoulder,  covering  it 
with  tresses  of  long  brown  hair.  The  arms  pressed  me  still  more 
closely,  till  I  felt  her  very  heart  beating  against  my  side. 

"Mio  fradre,"  said  a  soft,  trembling  voice,  as  her  fingers  played  in 
my  hair  and  patted  my  temples. 

What  a  situation  was  mine !  I  well  knew  some  mistaken  identity 
had  been  the  cause ;  but,  still,  I  could  not  repress  my  inclination  to 
return  the  embrace,  as  I  pressed  my  lips  upon  the  fair  forehead  that 
leaned  upon  my  bosom ;  at  the  same  moment  she  threw  back  her 
head,  as  if  to  look  me  more  fully  in  the  face.  One  glance  sufficed  ; 
blushing  deeply  over  her  cheeks  and  neck,  she  sprang  from  my  arms, 
and,  uttering  a  faint  cry,  staggered  against  a  tree.  In  an  instant  I 
saw  it  was  the  lovely  girl  I  had  met  in  the  morning ;  and,  without 
losing  a  second,  I  poured  out  apologies  for  my  intrusion  with  all  the 
eloquence  I  was  master  of,  till  she  suddenly  interrupted  me  by  ask- 
ing if  I  spoke  French.  Scarcely  had  I  recommenced  my  excuses. in 
that  language,  when  a  third  party  appeared  upon  the  stage.  This 
was  a  short,  elderly  man,  in  a  green  uniform,  with  several  decora- 
tions upon  his  breast,  and  a  cocked  hat,  with  a  flowing  plume,  in  his 
right  hand. 

"May  I  beg  to  know  whom  I  have  the  honor  of  receiving?"  in- 
quired he,  in  very  excellent  English,  as  he  advanced  with  a  look  of 
very  ceremonious  and  distant  politeness. 

I  immediately  explained  that,  presuming  upon  the  card  which  his 
servant  had  presented  me,  I  had  resolved  on  paying  my  respects, 
when  a  mistake  had  led  me  accidentally  into  his  garden. 


260  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

My  apologies  had  not  come  to  an  end,  when  he  folded  me  in  his 
arms  and  overwhelmed  me  with  thanks,  at  the  same  time  saying 
a  few  words  in  Portuguese  to  his  daughter ;  she  stooped  down, 
and  taking  my  hand  gently  within  her  own,  touched  it  with  her  lips. 

This  piece  of  touching  courtesy — which  I  afterwards  found  meant 
little  or  nothing — affected  me  deeply  at  the  time,  and  I  felt  the  blood 
rush  to  my  face  and  forehead,  half  in  pride,  half  in  a  sense  of  shame. 
My  confusion  was,  however,  of  short  duration,  for,  taking  my  arm, 
the  old  gentleman  led  me  along  a  few  paces,  and  turning  round  a 
small  clump  of  olives,  entered  a  little  summer-house.  Here  a  con- 
siderable party  were  assembled,  which  for  their  picturesque  effect 
could  scarcely  have  been  better  managed  on  the  stage. 

Beneath  the  mild  lustre  of  a  large  lamp  of  stained  glass,  half  hid 
in  the  overhanging  boughs,  was  spread  a  table  covered  with  vessels 
of  gold  and  silver  plate  of  gorgeous  richness ;  drinking  cups  and 
goblets  of  antique  pattern  shone  among  cups  of  Sevres  china  or 
Venetian  glass ;  delicious  fruit,  looking  a  thousand  times  more 
tempting  for  being  contained  in  baskets  of  silver  foliage,  peeped 
from  amid  a  profusion  of  fresh  flowers,  whose  odor  was  continually 
shed  around  by  a  slight  jet  d!eau  that  played  among  the  leaves. 
Around,  upon  the  grass,  seated  upon  cushions,  or  reclining  on 
Genoa  carpets,  were  several  beautiful  girls,  in  most  becoming  cos- 
tumes, their  dark  locks  and  darker  .eyes  speaking  of  "  the  soft 
south,"  while  their  expressive  gestures  and  animated  looks  beto- 
kened a  race  whose  temperament  is  glowing  as  their  clime.  There 
were  several  men  also,  the  greater  number  of  whom  appeared  in 
uniform — bronzed,  soldier-like  fellows,  who  had  the  jaunty  air  and 
easy  carriage  of  their  calling — among  whom  was  one  Englishman, 
or  at  least  so  I  guessed  from  his  wearing  the  uniform  of  a  heavy 
dragoon  regiment. 

"  This  is  my  daughter's  fete,"  said  Don  Emanuel,  as  he  ushered 
me  into  the  assembly, — "her  birthday:  a  sad  day  it  might  have 
been  for  us  had  it  not  been  for  your  courage  and  forethought."  So 
saying,  he  commenced  a  recital  of  my  adventure  to  the  bystanders, 
who  overwhelmed  me  with  civil  speeches  and  a  shower  of  soft  looks 
that  completed  the  fascination  of  the  fairy  scene.  Meanwhile,  the 
fair  Inez  had  made  room  for  me  beside  her,  and  I  found  myself  at 
once  the  lion  of  the  party,  each  vieing  with  her  neighbor  who  should 
show  me  the  most  attention,  la  Senhora  herself  directing  her  conver- 
sation exclusively  to  me — a  circumstance  which,  considering  the 
awkwardness  of  our  first  meeting,  I  felt  no  small  surprise  at,  and 
which  led  me,  somewhat  maliciously,  I  confess,  to  make  a  half  allu- 
sion to  it,  feeling  some  interest  in  ascertaining  for  whom  the  flatter- 
ing reception  was  really  intended. 


THE  RUA  NUOVA.  26i 

"  I  th ought  you  were  Charles,"  said  she,  blushing  in  answer  to  my 
question. 

"And  you  were  right,"  said  I,  "  I  am  Charles." 

"  Nay,  but  I  meant  my  Charles." 

There  was  something  of  touching  softness  in  the  tones  of  these 
few  words  that  made  me  half  wish  I  were  her  Charles.  Whether 
my  look  evinced  as  much  or  not,  I  cannot  tell,  but  she  speedily 
added, — 

"  He  is  my  brother ;  he  is  a  captain  in  the  cagadores,  and  I  expected 
him  here  this  evening.  Some  one  saw  a  figure  pass  the  gate  and 
conceal  himself  in  the  trees,  and  1  was  sure  it  was  he." 

"  What  a  disappointment,"  said  I. 

"  Yes,  was  it  not  ?"  said  she,  hurriedly ;  and  then,  as  if  remem- 
bering how  ungracious  was  the  speech,  she  blushed  more  deeply  and 
hung  down  her  head. 

Just  at  this  moment,  as  I  looked  up,  I  caught  the  eye  of  the  Eng- 
lish officer  fixed  steadily  upon  me.  He  was  a  tall,  fine-looking 
fellow,  of  about  two  or  three  and  thirty,  with  marked  and  handsome 
features,  which,  however,  conveyed  an  expression  of  something 
sneering  and  sinister,  that  struck  me  the  moment  I  saw  him.  His 
glass  was  fixed  in  his  eye,  and  I  perceived  that  he  regarded  us  both 
with  a  look  of  no  common  interest.  My  attention  did  not,  however, 
dwell  long  upon  the  circumstance,  for  Don  Emanuel,  coming  behind 
my  shoulder,  asked  me  if  I  would  not  take  out  his  daughter  in  the 
bolero  they  were  just  forming. 

To  my  shame  I  was  obliged  to  confess  that  I  had  not  even  seen 
the  dance  ;  and  while  I  continued  to  express  my  resolve  to  correct 
the  errors  of  my  education,  the  Englishman  came  up  and  asked  the 
Senhora  to  be  his  partner.  This  put  the  very  keystone  upon  my 
annoyance,  and  I  half  turned  angrily  away  from  the  spot,  when  I 
heard  her  decline  his  invitation,  and  avow  her  determination  not  to 
dance. 

There  was  something  which  pleased  me  so  much  at  this  refusal, 
that  I  could  not  help  turning  upon  her  a  look  of  most  grateful  ac- 
knowledgment ;  but  as  I  did  so,  I  once  more  encountered  the  gaze 
of  the  Englishman,  whose  knitted  brows  and  compressed  lips  were 
bent  upon  me  in  a  manner  there  was  no  mistaking.  This  was  neither 
the  fitting  time  nor  place  to  seek  any  explanation  of  the  circum- 
stance ;  so  wisely  resolving  to  wait  a  better  occasion,  I  turned  away 
and  resumed  my  attentions  towards  my  fair  companion. 

"  Then  you  don't  care  for  the  bolero  ?"  said  I,  as  she  re-seated  her- 
self upon  the  grass. 

"  Oh !  I  delight  in  it,"  said  she,  enthusiastically. 

"  But  you  refused  to  dance." 


262  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

She  hesitated,  blushed,  tried  to  mutter  something,  and  was  silent. 

"I  had  determined  to  learn  it,"  said  I,  half  jestingly;  "but  if 
you  will  not  dance  with  me " 

"  Yes ;  that  I  will— indeed  I  will." 

"  But  you  declined  my  countryman.  Is  it  because  he  is  inex- 
pert?" 

The  Senhora  hesitated;  looked  confused  for  some  minutes;  at 
length,  coloring  slightly,  she  said,  "  I  have  already  made  one  rude 
speech  to  you  this  evening ;  I  fear  lest  I  should  make  a  second. 
Tell  me,  is  Captain  Trevyllian  your  friend  ?" 

u  If  you  mean  that  gentleman  yonder,  I  never  saw  him  before." 

"Nor  heard  of  him?" 

"  Nor  that  either.     We  are  total  strangers  to  each  other." 

"  Well,  then,  I  may  confess  it.  1  do  not  like  him.  My  father 
prefers  him  to  any  one  else,  invites  him  daily  here,  and,  in  fact, 
installs  him  as  his  first  favorite.  But  still,  I  cannot  like  him ;  and 
yet  I  have  done  my  best  to  do  so." 

"  Indeed  I"  said  I,  pointedly.  '*  What  are  his  chief  demerits  ?  Is 
he  not  agreeable?  is  he  not  clever?" 

"  Oh  !  on  the  contrary,  most  agreeable ;  fascinating,  I  should  say, 
in  conversation  ;  has  travelled ;  seen  a  great  deal  of  the  world ;  is 
very  accomplished,  and  has  distinguished  himself  on  several  occa- 
sions ;  he  wears,  as  you  see,  a  Portuguese  order." 

"  And,  with  all  that " 

"  And,  with  all  that,  I  cannot  bear  him.  He  is  a  duellist,  a  noto- 
rious duellist.  My  brother,  too,  knows  more  of  him,  and  always 
avoids  him.  But  let  us  not  speak  further :  I  see  his  eyes  are  again 
fixed  on  us ;  and,  somehow,  I  fear  him,  without  well  knowing 
wherefor." 

A  movement  among  the  party ;  shawls  and  mantillas  were  sought 
for  on  all  sides,  and  the  preparations  for  leave-taking  appeared  gen- 
eral. Before,  however,  I  had  time  to  express  my  thanks  for  my 
hospitable  reception,  the  guests  had  assembled  in  a  circle  around 
the  Senhora,  and,  toasting  her  with  a  parting  bumper,  they  com- 
menced in  concert  a  little  Portuguese  song  of  farewell,  each  verse 
concluding  with  a  Good-night !  which,  as  they  separated  and  held 
their  way  homeward,  might  now  and  then  be  heard  rising  upon 
the  breeze,  and  wafting  their  last  thoughts  back  to  her.  The  con* 
eluding  verse,  which  struck  me  much,  I  have  essayed  to  translate. 
It  ran  somehow  thus : — 

"  The  morning  breezes  chill 
Now  close  our  joyous  scene, 
And  yet  we  linger  still, 
Where  we've  so  happy  been. 


THE  VILLA.  263 

How  blest  were  it  to  live 

With  hearts  like  ours  so  light, 
And  only  part  to  give 

One  long  and  last  Good-night ! 

Good-night !" 

With  many  an  invitation  to  renew  my  visit,  most  kindly  proffered 
by  Don  Emanuel,  and  warmly  seconded  by  his  daughter,  I,  too, 
wished  my  Good-night !  and  turned  my  steps  homeward. 


CHAPTEE   XXXIX. 

THE  VILLA. 

THE  first  object  that  presented  itself  to  my  eye  the  next  morn- 
ing was  the  midshipman's  packet,  entrusted  to  my  care  by 
Power.  I  turned  it  over  to  read  the  address  more  carefully, 
and  what  was  my  surprise  to  find  that  the  name  was  that  of  my  fair 
friend  Donna  Inez ! 

"  This  certainly  thickens  the  plot,"  thought  I ;  "  and  so  I  have 
now  fallen  upon  the  real  Simon  Pure,  and  the  reefer  has  had  the 
good  fortune  to  distance  the  dragoon.  Well,  thus  far,  I  cannot  say 
that  I  regret  it.  Now,  however,  for  the  parade,  and  then  for  the 
villa." 

"I  say,  O'Malley,"  cried  out  Monsoon,  as  I  appeared  on  the 
Plaza,  "I  have  accepted  an  invitation  for  you  to-day.  We  dine 
across  the  river.  Be  at  my  quarters  a  little  before  six,  and  we'll  go 
together." 

I  should  rather  have  declined  the  invitation,  but,  not  well  know- 
ing why,  and  having  no  ready  excuse,  acceded,  and  promised  to  be 
punctual. 

"  You  were  at  Don  Emanuel's  last  night ;  I  heard  of  you !" 
"  Yes  ;  I  spent  a  most  delightful  evening." 

"  That's  your  ground,  my  boy  ;  a  million  of  moidores,  and  such  a 
campagna  in  Valencia — a  better  thing  than  the  Dalrymple  affair. 
Don't  blush.     I  know  it  all.     But  stay  ;  here  they  come." 

As  he  spoke,  the  general  commanding,  with  a  numerous  staff, 
rode  forward.  As  they  passed,  I  recognized  a  face  which  I  had  cer- 
tainly seen  before,  and  in  a  moment  remembered  it  was  that  of  the 
dragoon  of  the  evening  before.  He  passed  quite  close,  and  fixing 
his  eyes  steadily  on  me,  evinced  no  sign  of  recognition. 

The  parade  lasted  above  two  hours,  and  it  was  with  a  feeling  of 
impatience  that  I  mounted  a  fresh  horse  to  canter  out  to  the  villa. 


264  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

When  I  arrived,  the  servant  informed  me  that  Don  Emanuel  was 
in  the  city,  but  that  the  Senhora  was  in  the  garden,  offering  at  the 
same  time  to  escort  me.  Declining  this  honor,  I  entrusted  my  horse 
to  his  keeping,  and  took  my  way  towards  the  arbor  where  last  I 
had  seen  her. 

I  had  not  walked  many  paces,  when  the  sound  of  a  guitar  struck 
on  my  ear.  I  listened.  It  was  the  Senhora's  voice.  She  was  sing-' 
ing  a  Venetian  canzonetta,  in  a  low,  soft,  warbling  tone,  as  one  lost 
in  a  reverie — as  though  the  music  was  a  mere  accompaniment  to 
some  pleasant  thought.  I  peeped  through  the  dense  leaves,  and 
there  she  sat  upon  a  low  garden  seat,  an  open  book  on  the  rustic 
table  before  her ;  beside  her,  embroidery,  which  seemed  only  lately 
abandoned.  As  I  looked,  she  placed  her  guitar  upon  the  ground, 
and  began  to  play  with  a  small  spaniel,  that  seemed  to  have  waited 
with  impatience  for  some  testimony  of  favor.  A  moment  more,  and 
she  grew  weary  of  this ;  then,  heaving  a  long  but  gentle  sigh,  leaned 
back  upon  her  chair,  and  seemed  lost  in  thought.  I  now  had  ample 
time  to  regard  her,  and  certainly  never  beheld  anything  more 
lovely.  There  was  a  character  of  classic  beauty,  and  her  brow, 
though  fair  and  ample,  was  still  strongly  marked  upon  the  temples ; 
the  eyes,  being  deep  and  squarely  set,  imparted  a  look  of  intensity 
to  her  features  which  their  own  softness  alone  subdued,  while  the 
short  upper  lip,  which  trembled  with  every  passing  thought,  spoke 
of  a  nature  tender  and  impressionable,  and  yet  impassioned.  Her 
foot  and  ankle  peeped  from  beneath  her  dark  robe,  and  certainly 
nothing  could  be  more  faultless ;  while  her  hand,  fair  as  marble, 
blue-veined  and  dimpled,  played  amid  the  long  tresses  of  her  hair, 
that,  as  if  in  the  wantonness  of  beauty,  fell  carelessly  upon  her 
shoulders. 

It  was  some  time  before  I  could  tear  myself  away  from  the  fasci- 
nation of  so  much  beauty,  and  it  needed  no  common  effort  to  leave 
the  spot.  As  I  made  a  short  dttour  in  the  garden  before  approach- 
ing the  arbor,  she  saw  me  as  I  came  forward)  and  kissing  her  hand 
gayly,  made  room  for  me  beside  her. 

"  I  have  been  fortunate  in  finding  you  alone,  Senhora,"  said  I,  as 
I  seated  myself  by  her  side,  "  for  I  am  the  bearer  of  a  letter  to  you.. 
How  far  it  may  interest  you  I  know  not,  but  to  the  writer's  feelings 
I  am  bound  to  testify." 

"  A  letter  to  me  ?    You  jest,  surely  ?" 

"That  I  am  in  earnest,  this  will  show,"  said  I,  producing  the 
packet. 

She  took  it  from  my  hands,  turned  it  about  and  about,  examined 
the  seal,  while,  half-doubtingly,  she  said, — 

"  The  name  is  mine  ;  but  still " 


THE  VILLA.  265 

"  You  fear  to  open  it ;  is  it  not  so  ?  But,  after  all,  you  need  not 
be  surprised  if  it's  from  Howard ;  that's  his  name,  I  think." 

"  Howard !  from  little  Howard  !"  exclaimed  she,  enthusiastically, 
and  tearing  open  the  letter,  she  pressed  it  to  her  lips,  her  eyes  spark- 
ling with  pleasure,  and  her  cheek  glowing  as  she  read.  I  watched 
her  as  she  ran  rapidly  over  the  lines ;  and  I  confess  that  more  than 
once  a  pang  of  discontent  shot  through  my  heart  that  the  midship- 
man's letter  could  have  called  up  such  interest;  not  that  I  was  in 
love  with  her  myself,  but  yet,  I  know  not  how  it  was,  I  had  fancied 
her  affections  unengaged,  and,  without  asking  myself  wherefor,  I 
wished  as  much. 

"Poor,  dear  boy !"  said  she,  as  she  came  to  the  end. 

How  these  few  and  simple  words  sank  into  my  heart  as  I  remem- 
bered how  they  had  once  been  uttered  to  myself,  and  in  perhaps  no 
very  dissimilar  circumstances. 

"  But  where  is  the  souvenir  he  speaks  of?"  said  she. 

"  The  souvenir !     I'm  not  aware "    ■ 

"  Oh,  I  hope  you  have  not  lost  the  lock  of  hair  he  sent  me !" 

I  was  quite  dumbfounded  at  this,  and  could  not  remember 
whether  I  had  received  it  from  Power  or  not ;  so  I  answered  at  ran- 
dom,— 

"  Yes ;  I  must  have  left  it  on  my  table." 

"  Promise  me,  then,  to  bring  it  to-morrow  with  you  ?" 

"  Certainly,"  said  I,  with  something  of  pique  in  my  manner. 
"  If  I  find  such  a  means  of  making  my  visit  an  agreeable  one,  I 
shall  certainly  not  omit  it." 

"  You  are  quite  right,"  said  she,  either  not  noticing  or  not  caring 
for  the  tone  of  my  reply  ;  "  you  will,  indeed,  be  a  welcome  messen- 
ger.    Do  you  know  he  was  one  of  my  lovers  ?" 

"  One  of  them  !  Indeed  !  Then  pray  how  many  do  you  number 
at  this  moment  ?" 

"  What  a  question  !  as  if  I  could  possibly  count  them.  Besides, 
there  are  so  many  absent;  some  on  leave,  some  deserters,  perhaps, 
that  I  might  be  reckoning  among  my  troops,  but  who  possibly 
form  part  of  the  forces  of  the  enemy.  Do  you  know  little  How- 
ard?" 

"  I  cannot  say  that  we  are  personally  acquainted,  but  I  am  ena- 
bled, through  the  medium  of  a  friend,  to  sa^  that  his  sentiments  are 
not  strange  to  me.  Besides,  I  have  really  pledged  myself  to  support 
the  prayer  of  his  petition." 

"  How  very  good  of  you  !  For  which  reason  you've  forgotten,  if 
not  lost,  the  lock  of  hair." 

"  That  you  shall  have  to-morrow,"  said  I,  pressing  my  hand  sol- 
emnly to  my  heart. 


266  CHARLES  0>M ALLEY. 

"Well,  then,  don't  forget  it.  But  hush!  here  comes  Captain 
Trevyllian.  So  you  say  Lisbon  really  pleases  you  ?"  said  she,  in  a 
tone  of  voice  totally  changed,  as  the  dragoon  of  the  preceding  even- 
ing approached. 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,  Captain  Trevyllian." 

We  bowed  stiffly  and  haughtily  to  each  other,  as  two  men  salute 
who  are  unavoidably  obliged  to  bow,  with  every  wish  on  either  side 
to  avoid  acquaintance.  So,  at  least,  I  construed  his  bow ;  so  I  cer- 
tainly intended  my  own. 

It  requires  no  common  tact  to  give  conversation  the  appearance 
of  unconstraint  and  ease  when  it  is  evident  that  each  person  oppo- 
site is  laboring  under  excited  feelings ;  so  that,  notwithstanding  the 
Senhora's  efforts  to  engage  our  attention  by  the  commonplaces  of 
the  day,  we  remained  almost  silent,  and  after  a  few  observations  of 
no  interest,  took  our  several  leaves.  Here  again  a  new  source  of 
awkwardness  arose ;  for  as  we  walked  together  towards  the  house, 
where  our  horses  stood,  neither  party  seemed  disposed  to  speak. 

"  You  are  probably  returning  to  Lisbon  ?"  said  he,  coldly. 

I  assented  by  a  bow ;  upon  which,  drawing  his  bridle  within  his 
arm,  he  bowed  once  more,  and  turned  away  in  an  opposite  direction ; 
while  I,  glad  to  be  relieved  of  an  unsought-for  companionship,  re- 
turned alone  to  the  town. 


CHAPTER     XL. 

THE  DINNER. 

IT  was  with  no  peculiar  pleasure  that  I  dressed  for  our  dinner 
party.  Major  O'Shaughnessy,  our  host,  was  one  of  that  class  of 
my  countrymen  I  cared  least  for,  —  a  riotous,  good-natured, 
noisy,  loud-swearing,  punch-drinking  western  ;  full  of  stories  of 
impossible  fox-hunts,  and  unimaginable  duels,  which  all  were  acted 
either  by  himself  or  some  member  of  his  family.  The  company 
consisted  of  the  Adjutant,  Monsoon,  Ferguson,  Trevyllian,  and  some 
eight  or  ten  officers  with  whom  I  was  unacquainted.  As  is  usual  on 
such  occasions,  the  wine  circulated  freely,  and,  amid  the  din  and 
clamor  of  excited  conversation,  the  fumes  of  Burgundy,  and  the 
'vapor  of  cigar  smoke,  we  most  of  us  became  speedily  mystified.  As 
for  me,  my  evil  destiny  would  have  it  that  I  was  placed  exactly  op- 
posite Trevyllian,  with  whom,  upon  more  than  one  occasion,  I  hap- 
pened to  differ  in  opinion ;  the  question  was  in  itself  some  trivial 
and  unimportant  one,  yet  the  tone  which  he  assumed,  and  of  which 


THE  DINNER.  267 

I,  too,  could  not  divest  myself  in  reply,  boded  anything  rather  than 
an  amicable  feeling  between  us.  The  noise  and  turmoil  about  pre- 
vented the  others  remarking  the  circumstance ;  but  I  could  perceive 
in  his  manner  what  I  deemed  a  studied  determination  to  provoke  a 
quarrel,  while  I  felt  within  myself  a  most  unchristian-like  desire  to 
indulge  his  fancy. 

"  Worse  fellows  at  passing  the  bottle  than  Trevyllian  and  O'Mal- 
ley,  there,  1  have  rarely  sojourned  with,"  cried  the  Major ;  "  look, 
if  they  haven't  got  eight  decanters  between  them,  and  here  we  are 
in  a  state  of  African  thirst." 

"How  can  you  expect  him  to  think  of  thirst  when  such  per- 
fumed billets  as  that  come  showering  upon  him  ?"  said  the  Adjutant, 
alluding  to  a  rose-colored  epistle  a  servant  had  placed  within  my 
hands. 

"  Eight  miles  of  a  stone-wall  country  in  fifteen  minutes ! — devil  a 
lie  in  it !"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  striking  the  table  with  his  clenched 
fist ;  "  show  me  the  man  would  deny  it !" 

"Why,  my  dear  fellow " 

"  Don't  be  dearing  me.     Is  it  no  you'll  be  saying  to  me  ?" 

"  Listen,  now  :  there's  O'Eeilly,  there " 

"Where  is  he?" 

"  He's  under  the  table  !" 

"  Well,  it's  the  same  thing.  His  mother  had  a  fox — bad  luck  to 
you,  don't  scald  me  with  the  jug  ! — his  mother  had  a  fox-cover  in 
Shinrohan." 

When  O'Shaughnessy  had  got  thus  far  in  his  narrative,  I  had  the 
opportunity  of  opening  my  note,  which  merely  contained  the  fol- 
lowing words :  "  Come  to  the  ball  at  the  Casino,  and  bring  the 
cadeau  you  promised." 

I  had  scarcely  read  this  over  once,  when  a  roar  of  laughter  at 
something  said  attracted  my  attention.  I  looked  up,  and  perceived 
Trevyllian's  eyes  bent  upon  me  with  the  fierceness  of  a  tiger ;  the 
veins  in  his  forehead  were  swollen  and  distorted,  and  the  whole  ex- 
pression of  his  face  betokened  rage  and  passion.  Resolved  no  longer 
to  submit  to  such  evident  determination  to  insult,  I  was  rising  from 
my  place  at  table,  when,  as  if  anticipating  my  intention,  he  pushed 
back  his  chair,  and  left  the  room.  Fearful  of  attracting  attention 
by  immediately  following  him,  I  affected  to  join  in  the  conversation 
around  me,  while  my  temples  throbbed,  and  my  hands  tingled  with 
impatience  to  get  away. 

"  Poor  M'Manus  !"  said  O'Shaughnessy — "  rest  his  soul ! — he'd 
have  puzzled  the  bench  of  bishops  for  hard  words.  Upon  my  con- 
science, I  believe  he  spent  his  mornings  looking  for  them  in  the  Old 
Testament.     Sure  ye  might  have  heard  what  happened  to  him  at 


2G8  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Banagher,  when  he  commanded  the  Kilkennys, — ye  never  heard  the 
story  ?  well,  then,  ye  shall.  Push  the  sherry  along  first,  though — 
old  Monsoon,  there,  always  keeps  it  lingering  beside  his  left  arm  ! 

"  Well,  when  Peter  was  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Kilkennys, — 
who,  I  may  remark,  en  passant,  as  the  French  say,  were  the  seediest- 
looking  devils  in  the  whole  service, — he  never  let  them  alone  from 
morning  till  night,  drilling  and  pipeclaying,  and  polishing  them  up. 
1  Nothing  will  make  soldiers  of  you/  said  Peter ;  '  but  by  the  rock  of 
Cashel,  I'll  keep  you  as  clean  as  a  new  musket !'  Now,  poor  Peter 
himself  was  not  a  very  warlike  figure ;  he  measured  five  feet  one  in 
his  tallest  boots ;  but  certainly,  if  Nature  denied  him  length  of 
stature,  she  compensated  for  it  in  another  way,  by  giving  him  a 
taste  for  the  longest  words  in  the  language.  An  extra  syllable  or  so 
in  a  word  was  always  a  strong  recommendation ;  and  whenever  he 
could  not  find  one  to  his  mind,  he'd  take  some  quaint  outlandish 
one,  that  more  than  once  led  to  very  awkward  results.  Well,  the 
regiment  was  one  day  drawn  up  for  parade  in  the  town  of  Banagher, 
and  as  M'Manus  came  down  the  lines,  he  stopped  opposite  one  of 
the  men,  whose  face,  hands,  and  accoutrements  exhibited  a  most 
woeful  contempt  of  his  orders.  The  fellow  looked  more  like  a  turf- 
stack  than  a  light-company  man  ! 

"  'Stand  out,  sir  !'  cried  M'Manus,  in  a  boiling  passion.  'Sergeant 
O'Toolc,  inspect  this  individual.'  Now,  the  sergeant  was  rather  a 
favorite  with  Mac ;  for  he  always  pretended  to  understand  his  phrase- 
ology, and,  in  consequence,  was  pronounced  by  the  colonel  a  very 
superior  man  for  his  station  in  life.  '  Sergeant,'  said  he,  ■  we  shall 
make  an  exemplary  illustration  of  our  system  here.' 

" '  Yes,  sir,'  said  the  sergeant,  sorely  puzzled  at  the  meaning  of 
what  he  spoke. 

" '  Bear  him  to  the  Shannon,  and  lave  him  there !'  This  he  said  in 
a  kind  of  Coriolanus  tone,  with  a  toss  up  of  his  head,  and  a  wave  of 
his  right  arm,  signs,  whenever  he  made  them,  incontestably  showing 
that  further  parley  was  out  of  the  question,  and  that  he  had  summed 
up,  and  charged  the  jury  for  good  and  all. 

"  'Lave  him  in  the  river?'  said  O'Toole,  his  eyes  starting  from  the 
sockets,  and  his  whole  face  working  in  strong  anxiety ;  *  is  it  lave 
him  in  the  river,  yer  honor  means?' 

"  '  I  have  spoken  !'  said  the  little  man,  bending  an  ominous  frown 
upon  the  sergeant,  which,  whatever  construction  he  might  have  put 
upon  his  words,  there  was  no  mistaking. 

"  '  Well,  well,  av  it's  God's  will  he's  drowned,  it  will  not  be  on  my 
head,'  says  O'Toole,  as  he  marched  the  fellow  away,  between  two 
rank  and  file. 

"  The  parade  was  nearly  over,  when  Mac  happened  to  sec  the 


THE  DINNER.  269 

sergeant  coming  up,  all  splashed  with  water,  and  looking  quite 
tired. 

"  '  Have  you  obeyed  my  orders  ?'  said  he. 

" '  Yes,  yer  honor ;  and  tough  work  we  had  of  it,  for  he  struggled 
hard!" 

" '  And  where  is  he  now  ?' 

"  i  Oh,  troth,  he's  there  safe  !     Divil  a  fear  he'll  get  out !' 

"  '  Where  ?'  said  Mac. 

"  '  In  the  river,  yer  honor.' 

" '  What  have  you  done,  you  scoundrel  V 

" '  Didn't  I  do  as  you  bid  me  ?'  says  he ; '  didn't  I  throw  him  in,  and 
lave  [leave]  him  there  V 

"And  faith  so  they  did ;  and  if  he  wasn't  a  good  swimmer,  and 
get  over  to  Moystown,  there's  little  doubt  but  he'd  have  been 
drowned,  and  all  because  Peter  M'Manus  could  not  express  himself 
like  a  Christian." 

In  the  laughter  which  followed  O'Shaughnessy's  story,  I  took  the 
opportunity  of  making  my  escape  from  the  party,  and  succeeded  in 
gaining  the  street  unobserved.  Though  the  note  I  had  just  read  was 
not  signed,  I  had  no  doubt  from  whom  it  came ;  so  I  hastened  at 
once  to  my  quarters,  to  make  search  for  the  lock  of  Ned  Howard's 
hair,  to  which  the  Senhora  alluded.  What  was  my  mortification, 
however,  to  discover  that  no  such  thing  could  be  found  anywhere ! 
I  searched  all  my  drawers  ;  I  tossed  about  my  papers  and  letters ;  I 
hunted  every  likely,  every  unlikely  spot  I  could  think  of,  but  in 
vain  ;  now  cursing  my  carelessness  for  having  lost  it ;  now  swearing 
most  solemnly  to  myself  that  I  never  could  have  received  it.  What 
was  to  be  done  ?  It  was  already  late ;  my  only  thought  was  how  to 
replace  it.  If  I  only  knew  the  color,  any  other  lock  of  hair  would 
doubtless  do  just  as  well.  The  chances  were,  as  Howard  was  young, 
and  an  Englishman,  that  his  hair  was  light — light-brown,  probably; 
something  like  my  own.  Of  course  it  was  I  why  didn't  that  thought 
occur  to  me  before?  how  stupid  I  was.  So  saying,  I  seized  a  pair  of 
scissors,  and  cut  a  long  lock  beside  my  temple;  this  in  a  calm  mo- 
ment I  might  have  hesitated  about.  "Yes,"  thought  I,  "she'll 
never  discover  the  cheat ;  and,  besides,  I  do  feel — I  know  not  exactly 
why — rather  gratified  to  think  that  I  shall  have  left  this  souvenir 
behind  me,  even  though  it  call  up  other  recollections  than  of  me." 
So  thinking,  I  wrapped  my  cloak  about  me,  and  hastened  towards 
the  Casino. 


270  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER    XLI. 

THE   ROUTE. 

I  HAD  scarcely  gone  a  hundred  yards  from  my  quarters,  when  a 
great  tramp  of  horses'  feet  attracted  my  attention.  I  stopped  to 
listen,  and  soon  heard  the  jingle  of  dragoon  accoutrements,  as 
the  noise  came  nearer.  The  night  was  dark,  but  perfectly  still ;  and 
before  I  stood  many  minutes  I  heard  the  tones  of  a  voice  which  I 
well  knew  could  belong  to  but  one,  and  that  Fred  Power. 

"  Fred  Power  !"  said  I,  shouting  at  the  same  time  at  the  top  of  my 
voice — "  Power  I" 

"Ah,  Charley,  is  that  you?  come  along  to  the  Adjutant-General's 
quarters.  I'm  charged  with  some  important  despatches,  and  can't 
stop  till  I've  delivered  them.  Come  along,  I've  glorious  news  for 
you !"  So  saying,  he  dashed  spurs  to  his  horse,  and,  followed  by 
two  mounted  dragoons,  galloped  past.  Power's  few  and  hurried 
words  had  so  excited  my  curiosity,  that  I  turned  at  once  to  follow 
him,  questioning  myself,  as  I  walked  along,  to  what  he  could  possi- 
bly allude.  He  knew  of  my  attachment  to  Lucy  Dashwood — could 
he  mean  anything  of  her?  But  what  could  I  expect  there?  by  what 
flattery  could  I  picture  to  myself  any  chance  of  success  in  that  quar- 
ter? and  yet,  what  other  news  could  I  care  for  or  value  than  what 
bore  upon  her  fate  upon  whom  my  own  depended?  Thus  ruminat- 
ing, I  reached  the  door  of  the  spacious  building  in  which  the  Adju- 
tant-General had  taken  up  his  abode,  and  soon  found  myself  among 
a  crowd  of  persons  whom  the  rumor  of  some  important  event  had 
assembled  there,  though  no  one  could  tell  what  had  occurred.  Be- 
fore many  minutes  the  door  opened,  and  Power  came  out ;  bowing 
hurriedly  to  a  few,  and  whispering  a  word  or  two  as  he  passed  down 
the  steps,  he  seized  me  by  the  arm  and  led  me  across  the  street. 
"Charley,"  said  he,  "the  curtain's  rising;  the  piece  is  about  to 
begin ;  a  new  commander-in-chief  is  sent  out ;  Sir  Arthur  Welles- 
ley,  my  boy,  the  finest  fellow  in  England,  is  to  lead  us  on,  and  we 
march  to-morrow.  There's  news  for  you  !"  A  raw  boy,  unread,  un- 
informed as  I  was,  I  knew  but  little  of  his  career  whose  name  hud 
even  then  shed  such  lustre  upon  our  army ;  but  the  buoyant  tone  of 
Power  as  he  spoke,  the  kindling  energy  of  his  voice,  roused  me,  and 
I  felt  every  inch  a  soldier.  As  I  grasped  his  hand,  in  delightful 
enthusiasm,  I  lost  all  memory  of  my  disappointment,  and,  in  the 
beating  throb  that  shook  my  head,  I  felt  how  deeply  slept  the  ardor  of 
military  glory  that  first  led  me  from  my  home  to  see  a  battle-field. 

"There  goes  the  news  !"  said  Frederick,  pointing,  as  he  spoke,  to 
a  rocket  that  shot  up  into  the  sky,  and,  as  it  broke  into  ten  thousand 


THE  ROUTE.  271 

stars,  illuminated  the  broad  stream  where  the  ships  of  war  lay  darkly 
resting.  In  another  moment  the  whole  air  shone  with  similar  fires, 
while  the  deep  roll  of  the  drum  sounded  along  the  silent  streets,  and 
the  city,  so  lately  sunk  in  sleep,  became,  as  if  by  magic,  thronged 
with  crowds  of  people ;  the  sharp  clang  of  the  cavalry  trumpet 
blended  with  the  gay  carol  of  the  light-infantry  bugle,  and  the  heavy 
tramp  of  the  march  was  heard  in  the  distance.  All  was  excitement, 
all  bustle ;  but  in  the  joyous  tone  of  every  voice  was  spoken  the 
longing  anxiety  to  meet  the  enemy.  The  gay,  reckless  tone  of  an 
Irish  song  would  occasionally  reach  us,  as  some  Connaught  Ranger, 
or  some  78th  man,  passed,  his  knapsack  on  his  back ;  or  the  low 
monotonous  pibroch  of  the  Highlander,  swelling  into  a  war-cry,  as 
some  kilted  corps  drew  up  their  ranks  together.  We  turned  to  re- 
gain our  quarters,  when,  at  the  corner  of  a  street,  we  came  suddenly 
upon  a  merry  party,  seated  around  a  table  before  a  little  inn ;  a  large 
street  lamp,  unhung  for  the  occasion,  had  been  placed  in  the  midst 
of  them,  and  showed  us  the  figures  of  several  soldiers  in  undress;  at 
the  end,  and  raised  a  little  above  his  compeers,  sat  one  whom,  by 
the  unfair  proportion  he  assumed  of  the  conversation,  not  less  than 
by  the  musical  intonation  of  his  voice,  I  soon  recognized  as  my  man 
Mickey  Free. 

"  I'll  be  hanged  if  that's  not  your  fellow  there,  Charley,"  said 
Power,  as  he  came  to  a  dead  stop  a  few  yards  off.  ??  What  an  imper- 
tinent varlet  he  is :  only  to  think  of  him  there,  presiding  among  a 
set  of  fellows  that  have  fought  all  the  battles  in  the  Peninsular  war. 
At  this  moment,  I'll  be  hanged  if  he  is  not  going  to  sing." 

Here  a  tremendous  thumping  upon  the  table  announced  the  fact, 
and  after  a  few  preliminary  observations  from  Mike,  illustrative  of 
his  respect  for  the  service  in  which  he  had  so  often  distinguished 
himself,  he  began,  to  the  air  of  the  "  Young  May  Moon,"  a  ditty  of 
which  I  only  recollect  the  following  verses : 

"  The  pickets  are  fast  retreating,  boys, 
The  last  tattoo  is  beating,  boys; 

So  let  every  man 

Finish  his  can, 
And  drink  to  our  next  merry  meeting,  boys ! 

"  The  colonel  so  gayly  prancing,  boys, 
Has  a  wonderful  trick  of  advancing,  boys ; 

When  he  sings  out  so  large, 

'  Fix  bayonets  and  charge,' 
He  sets  all  the  Frenchmen  a-dancing,  boys ! 

"  Let  Mounseer  look  ever  so  big,  my  boys, 
Who  cares  for  fighting  a  fig,  my  boys  ? 
When  we  play  Garryowen, 
He'd  rather  go  home ; 
For  somehow,  he's  no  taste  for  a  jig,  my  boys!" 


272  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

This  admirable  lyric  seemed  to  be  a  perfect  success,  if  one  were 
only  to  judge  from  the  thundering  of  voices,  hands,  and  drinking 
vessels  which  followed  ;  while  a  venerable  gray-haired  sergeant  rose 
to  propose  Mr.  Free's  health,  and  speedy  promotion  to  him. 

We  stood  for  several  minutes  in  admiration  of  the  party,  when 
the  loud  roll  of  the  drums  beating  to  arms  awakened  us  to  the 
thought  that  our  moments  were  numbered. 

"  Good-night,  Charley !"  said  Power,  as  he  shook  my  hand  warmly; 
'good-night!  It  will  be  your  last  night  under  a  curtain  for  some 
months  to  come ;  make  the  most  of  it !     Adieu !" 

So  saying,  we  parted :  he  to  his  quarters,  and  I  to  all  the  confu- 
sion of  my  baggage,  which  lay  in  most  admired  disorder  about  my 
room. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

THE  FAREWELL. 

THE  preparations  for  the  march  occupied  me  till  near  morning ; 
and,  indeed,  had  I  been  disposed  to  sleep,  the  din  and  clamor 
of  the  world  without  would  have  totally  prevented  it.  Before 
daybreak  the  advanced  guard  was  already  in  motion,  and  some 
squadrons  of  heavy  cavalry  had  begun  their  march. 

I  looked  around  my  now  dismantled  room,  as  one  does  usually  for 
the  last  time  ere  leaving,  and  bethought  me  if  I  had  not  forgotten 
anything.  Apparently  all  was  remembered  ;  but  stay — what  is  this  ? 
To  be  sure,  how  forgetful  I  had  become !  It  was  the  packet  I  des- 
tined for  Donna  Inez,  and  which,  in  the  confusion  of  the  night 
before,  I  had  omitted  to  take  to  the  Casino. 

I  immediately  despatched  Mike  to  the  Commissary  with  my  lug- 
gage, and  orders  to  ascertain  when  we  were  expected  to  march.  He 
soon  returned,  with  the  intelligence  that  our  corps  was  not  to  move 
before  noon  ;  so  that  I  had  yet  some  hours  to  spare,  and  make  my 
adieux  to  the  Senhora. 

I  cannot  exactly  explain  the  reason,  but  I  certainly  did  bestow  a 
more  than  common  attention  upon  my  toilette  that  morning.  The 
Senhora  was  nothing  to  me.  It  is  true  she  had,  as  she  lately  most 
candidly  informed  me,  a  score  of  admirers,  among  whom  I  was  not 
even  reckoned.  She  was  evidently  a  coquette,  whose  greatest  plea- 
sure was  to  sport  and  amuse  herself  with  the  passions  she  excited 
in  others.  And  even  if  she  were  not — if  her  heart  were  to  be  won 
to-morrow — what  claims,  what  right,  had  I  to  seek  it?    My  affec- 


THE  FAREWELL.  273 

tions  wore  already  pledged  ;  promised,  it  is  true,  to  one  who  gave 
nothing  in  return,  and  who,  perhaps,  even  loved  another.  Ah ! 
there  was  the  rub  :  that  one  confounded  suspicion,  lurking  in  the 
rear,  chilled  my  courage  and  wounded  my  spirit. 

If  there  be  anything  more  disheartening  to  an  Irishman,  in  his 
little  affaires  de  cceur,  than  another,  it  is  the  sense  of  rivalry.  The 
obstinacy  of  fathers,  the  ill  will  of  mothers,  the  coldness,  the  indif- 
ference of  the  lovely  object  herself, — obstacles  though  they  be, — he 
has  tact,  spirit,  and  perseverance  to  overcome  them ;  but  when  a 
more  successful  candidate  for  the  fair  presents  himself;  when  the 
eye  that  remains  downcast  at  his  suit  lights  up  with  animation  at 
another's  coming ;  when  the  features  whose  cold  and  chilling  apathy 
to  him  have  blended  in  one  smile  of  welcome  to  another, — it  is  all 
up  with  him :  he  sees  the  game  lost,  and  throws  his  cards  upon  the 
table.  And  yet,  why  is  this?  why  is  it  that  he,  whose  birthright  it 
would  seem  to  be  sanguine  when  others  despond, — to  be  confident 
when  all  else  are  hopeless, — should  find  his  courage  fail  him  here  ? 
The  reason  is,  simply But,  in  good  sooth,  I  am  ashamed  to  con- 
fess it ! 

Having  jogged  on  so  far  with  my  reader,  in  all  the  sober  serious- 
ness which  the  matter-of-fact  material  of  these  memoirs  demands,  I 
fear  lest  a  seeming  paradox  may  cause  me  to  lose  my  good  name  for 
veracity,  and  that,  while  merely  maintaining  a  national  trait  of  my 
country,  I  may  appear  to  be  asserting  some  unheard-of  and  absurd 
proposition;  so  far  have  mere  vulgar  prejudices  gone  to  sap  our 
character  as  a  people. 

The  reason,  then,  is  this, — for  I  have  gone  too  far  to  retreat, — the 
Irishman  is  essentially  bashful.  Well,  laugh  if  you  wish,  for  I  con- 
clude that  by  this  time  you  have  given  way  to  a  most  immoderate 
excess  of  risibility;  but  still,  when  you  have  perfectly  recovered 
your  composure,  I  beg  to  repeat,  the  Irishman  is  essentially  a  bash- 
ful man ! 

Do  not  for  a  moment  fancy  that  I  would  by  this  imply  that  in  any 
new  or  unexpected  situation — that  from  any  unforeseen  conjuncture 
of  events — the  Irishman  would  feel  confused  or  abashed,  more  than 
any  other ;  far  from  it.  The  cold  and  habitual  reserve  of  the 
Englishman;  the  studied  caution  of  the  North  Tweeder  himself,! 
would  exhibit  far  stronger  evidences  of  awkwardness  in  such  circum- 
stances as  these.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  when  measuring  his 
capacity,  his  means  of  success,  his  probabilities  of  being  preferred, 
with  those  of  the  natives  of  any  other  country,  I  back  the  Irishman 
against  the  world  for  distrust  of  his  own  powers,  for  an  under-esti- 
mate  of  his  real  merits ;  in  one  word,  for  his  bashfulness.  But  let 
us  return  to  Donna  Inez. 
18 


274  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

As  I  rode  up  to  the  villa,  I  found  the  family  assembled  at  break- 
fast. Several  officers  were  also  present,  among  whom  I  was  not 
sorry  to  recognize  my  friend  Monsoon. 

"  Ah,  Charley  !"  cried  he,  as  I  seated  myself  beside  him,  "  what  a 
pity  all  our  fun  is  so  soon  to  have  an  end !  Here's  this  confounded 
Soult  won't  be  quiet  and  peaceable ;  but  he  must  march  upon  Oporto, 
and  Heaven  knows  where  besides,  just  as  we  were  really  beginning 
to  enjoy  life.  I  had  got  such  a  contract  for  blankets!  and  now 
they've  ordered  me  to  join  Beresford's  corps  in  the  mountains;  and 
you," — here  he  dropped  his  voice, — "  and  you  were  getting  on  so 
devilish  well  in  this  quarter ;  upon  my  life,  I  think  you'd  have 
carried  the  day;  old  Don  Emanuel — you  know  he's  a  friend  of 
mines — likes  you  very  much.    And  then,  there's  Sparks " 

"  Ay,  Major,  what  of  him  ?    I  have  not  seen  him  for  some  days." 

"  Why,  they've  been  frightening  the  poor  devil  out  of  his  life, 
O'Shaughnessy  and  a  set  of  them.  They  tried  him  by  court-martial 
yesterday,  and  sentenced  him  to  mount  guard  with  a  wooden  sword 
and  a  shooting  jacket,  which  he  did.  Old  Colbourne,  it  seems,  saw 
him ;  and  faith,  there  would  be  the  devil  to  pay  if  the  route  had  not 
come.  Some  of  them  would  certainly  have  got  a  long  leave  to  see 
their  friends." 

"  Why  is  not  the  Senhora  here,  Major?     I  don't  see  her  at  table." 

"A  cold;  a  sore  throat;  a  wet-feet  affair  of  last  night,  I  believe. 
Pass  that  cold  pie  down  here.  Sherry,  if  you  please.  You  didn't 
see  Power  to-day  ?" 

"  No :  we  parted  late  last  night ;  I  have  not  been  to  bed." 

"  Very  bad  preparation  for  a  march.  Take  some  burnt  brandy  in 
your  coffee." 

"  Then  you  don't  thmk  the  Senhora  will  appear?" 

"  Very  unlikely.  But  stay,  you  know  her  room — the  small  draw- 
ing-room that  looks  out  upon  the  flower-garden ;  she  usually  passes 
the  morning  there.  Leap  the  little  wooden  paling  round  the  corner, 
and  the  chances  are  ten  to  one  you  find  Her." 

I  saw  from  the  occupied  air  of  Don  Emanuel  that  there  was  little 
fear  of  interruption  on  his  part;  so,  taking  an  early  moment  to 
escape  unobserved,  I  rose  and  left  the  room.  When  I  sprang  over 
the  oak  fence,  I  found  myself  in  a  delicious  little  garden,  where 
roses,  grown  to  a  height  never  seen  in  our  colder  climate,  formed  a 
deep  bower  of  rich  blossom. 

The  Major  was  right.  The  Senhora  was  in  the  room,  and  in  one 
moment  I  was  beside  her. 

"  Nothing  but  my  fears  of  not  bidding  you  farewell  could  palliate 
my  thus  intruding,  Donna  Inez ;  but  as  we  are  ordered  away " 

"  When  ?  not  so  soon,  surely  ?" 


THE  FAREWELL.  275 

"  Even  so ;  to-day,  this  very  hour.  But  you  see  that,  even  in  the 
hurry  of  departure,  I  have  not  forgotten  my  trust ;  this  is  the  packet 
I  promised  you." 

So  saying,  I  placed  the  paper  with  the  lock  of  hair  within  her 
hand,  and  bending  downwards,  pressed  my  lips  upon  her  taper 
fingers.  She  hurriedly  snatched  her  hand  away,  and  tearing 
open  the  enclosure,  took  out  the  lock.  She  looked  steadily  for  a 
moment  at  it,  then  at  me,  and  again  at  it,  and,  at  length,  bursting 
into  a  fit  of  laughter,  threw  herself  upon  a  chair  in  a  very  ecstasy  of 
mirth. 

"  Why  you  don't  mean  to  impose  this  auburn  ringlet  upon  me  for 
one  of  poor  Howard's  jetty  curls?  What  downright  folly  to  think 
of  it !  and  then,  with  how  little  taste  the  deception  was  practised — 
upon  your  very  temples,  too!  One  comfort  is,  you  are  utterly 
spoiled  by  it." 

Here  she  again  relapsed  into  a  fit  of  laughter,  leaving  me  per- 
fectly puzzled  what  to  think  of  her,  as  she  resumed  : 

"  Well,  tell  me  now,  am  I  to  reckon  this  as  a  pledge  of  your  own 
allegiance,  or  am  I  still  to  believe  it  to  be  Edward  Howard's? 
Speak,  and  truly." 

"  Of  my  own,  most  certainly,"  said  I,  "  if  it  will  be  accepted." 

"  Why,  after  such  treachery,  perhaps  it  ought  not ;  but,  still,  as 
you  have  already  done  yourself  such  injury,  and  look  so  very  silly 
withal " 

"  That  you  are  even  resolved  to  give  me  cause  to  look  more  so," 
added  I. 

"  Exactly,"  said  she ;  "  for  here,  now,  I  reinstate  you  among  my 
true  and  faithful  admirers.  Kneel  down,  sir  knight !  in  token  of 
which  you  will  wear  this  scarf " 

A  sudden  start  which  the  Donna  gave  at  these  words  brought  me 
to  my  feet.    She  was  pale  as  death  and  trembling. 

"  What  means  this  ?"  said  I.     "  What  has  happened  ?" 

She  pointed  with  her  finger  towards  the  garden ;  but  though  her 
lips  moved,  no  voice  came  forth.  I  sprang  through  the  open  win- 
dow. I  rushed  into  the  copse,  the  only  one  which  might  afford 
concealment  for  a  figure,  but  no  one  was  there.  After  a  few  minutes' 
vain  endeavor  to  discover  any  trace  of  an  intruder,  I  returned  to 
the  chamber.  The  Donna  was  there  still;  but  how  changed! 
Her  gayety  and  animation  were  gone ;  her  pale  cheek  and  trem- 
bling lip  bespoke  fear  and  suffering,  and  her  cold  hand  lay  heavily 
beside  her. 

"  I  thought — perhaps  it  was  merely  fancy,  but  I  thought  I  saw 
Trevyllian  beside  the  window." 

"  Impossible !"  said  I.     "  I  have  searched  every  walk  and  alley. 


276  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

It  was  nothing  but  imagination — believe  me,  no  more.  There,  be 
assured  ;  think  no  more  of  it." 

While  I  endeavored  thus  to  reassure  her,  I  was  very  far  from 
feeling  perfectly  at  ease  myself;  the  whole  bearing  and  conduct  of 
this  man  had  inspired  me  with  a  growing  dislike  of  him,  and  I  felt 
already  half-convinced  that  he  had  established  himself  as  a  spy  upon 
my  actions. 

"Then  you  really  believe  I  was  mistaken?"  said  the  Donna,  as 
she  placed  her  hand  within  mine. 

"  Of  course  I  do  ;  but  speak  no  more  of  it.  You  must  not  forget 
how  few  my  moments  are  here.  Already  I  have  heard  the  tramp 
of  horses  without.     Ah !  there  they  are.     In  a  moment  more  I  shall 

be  missed  ;  so,  once  more,  fairest  Inez Nay,  I  beg  pardon  if  I 

have  dared  to  call  you  thus ;  but  think,  if  it  be  the  first,  it  may  also 
be  the  last  time  I  shall  ever  speak  it." 

Her  head  gently  drooped  as  I  said  these  words,  till  it  sunk  upon 
my  shoulder,  her  long  and  heavy  hair  falling  upon  my  neck  and 
across  my  bosom.  I  felt  her  heart  almost  beat  against  my  side.  I 
muttered  some  words,  I  know  not  what ;  I  felt  them  like  a  prayer. 
I  pressed  her  cold  forehead  to  my  lips',  rushed  from  the  room, 
cleared  the  fence  at  a  spring,  and  was  far  upon  the  road  to  Lisbon 
ere  I  could  sufficiently  collect  my  senses  to  know  whither  I  was 
going.  Of  little  else  was  I  conscious  ;  my  heart  was  full  to  bursting, 
and,  in  the  confusion  of  my  excited  brain,  fiction  and  reality  were 
so  inextricably  mingled  as  to  defy  every  endeavor  at  discrimination. 
But  little  time  had  I  for  reflection  ;  as  I  reached  the  city,  the  brig- 
ade to  which  I  was  attached  was  already  under  arms,  and  Mike  im- 
patiently waiting  my  arrival  with  the  horses. 


CHAPTEE  XLIII. 

THE    MARCH. 

WHAT  a  strange  spectacle  did  the  road  to  Oliveira  present 
upon  the  morning  of  the  7th  of  Mav  !  A  hurried  or  incau- 
tious observer  might  at  first  sight  have  pronounced  the 
long  line  of  troops  which  wended  their  way  through  the  valley  as 
the  remains  of  a  broken  and  routed  army,  had  not  the  ardent  ex- 
pression and  bright  eye  that  beamed  on  every  side  assured  him  that 
men  who  looked  thus  could  not  be  beaten  ones.  Horse,  foot,  bag- 
gage, artillery,  dismounted  dragoons,  even  the  pale  and  scarcoly-re- 


THE  MARCH.  277 

covered  inhabitants  of  the  hospital,  might  have  been  seen  hurrying 
on  ;  for  the  order,  "  Forward I"  had  been  given  at  Lisbon,  and  those 
whose  wounds  did  not  permit  their  joining  were  more  pitied  for 
their  loss  than  its  cause.  More  than  one  officer  was  seen  at  the  head 
of  his  troop  with  an  arm  in  a  sling,  or  a  bandaged  forehead;  while 
among  the  men  similar  evidences  of  devotion  were  not  unfrequent. 
As  for  me,  long  years  and  many  reverses  have  not  obliterated— 
scarcely  blunted — the  impression  that  sight  made  on  me.  The 
splendid  spectacle  of  a  review  had  often  excited  and  delighted  me  ; 
but  here  there  was  the  glorious  reality  of  war,— the  bronzed  faces, 
the  worn  uniforms,  the  well-tattered  flags,  the  roll  of  the  heavy 
guns  mingling  with  the  wild  pibroch  of  the  Highlander,  or  scarcely 
less  wild  recklessness  of  the  Irish  quickstep;  while  the 'long  line  of 
cavalry,  their  helmets  and  accoutrements  shining  in  the  morning 
sun,  brought  back  one's  boyish  dreams  of  joust  and  tournament, 
and  made  the  heart  beat  high 'with  chivalrous  enthusiasm. 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  half  aloud,  "  this  is  indeed  a  realization  of  what 
I  longed  and  thirsted  for,"  the  clang  of  the  music  and  the  tramp 
of  the  cavalry  responding  to  my  throbbing  pulses  as  we  moved 
along. 

"  Close  up  there, — trot !"  cried  out  a  deep  and  manly  voice, 
and  immediately  a  general  officer  rode  by,  followed  by  an  aide- 
de-camp. 

"There  goes  Cotton,"  said  Power;  "you  may  feel  easy  in  your 
mind  now,  Charley ;  there's  some  work  before  us." 

"You  have  not  heard  our  destination  ?"  said  I. 

"  Nothing  is  yet  known  for  certain.  The  report  goes  that  Soult 
is  advancing  upon  Oporto,  and  the  chances  are  that  Sir  Arthur  in- 
tends to  hasten  on  to  its  relief.  Our  fellows  are  at  Ovar,  with 
General  Murray." 

"  I  say,  Charley,  old  Monsoon  is  in  a  devil  of  a  flurry.  He  ex- 
pected to  have  been  peaceably  settled  down  in  Lisbon  for  the  next 
six  months,  and  he  has  received  orders  to  set  out  for  Beresford's 
head-quarters  immediately;  and  from  what  I  hear,  they  have  no 
idle  time." 

,     "Well,  Sparks,  how  goes  it,   man?     Better  fun  this  than  the 
cook's  galley,  eh  ?" 

"  Why,  do  you  know,  these  hurried  movements  put  me  out  con- 
foundedly.  I  found  Lisbon  very  interesting,  the  little  I  could  see 
of  it  last  night." 

"Ah!  my  dear  fellow,  think  of  the  lovely  Andalusian  lasses, 
with  their  brown  transparent  skins  and  liquid  eyes ;  why,  you'd 
have  been  over  head  and  ears  in  love  in  twenty-four  hours  more, 
had  we  staved." 


278  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Are  they  really  so  pretty?" 

"  Pretty ! — downright  lovely,  man.  Why,  they  have  a  way  of 
looking  at  you,  over  their  fans — -just  one  glance,  short  and  fleeting, 

but  so  melting,  by  Jove .    Then  their  walk — if  it  be  not  profane 

to  call  that  springing,  elastic  gesture  by  such  a  name — why,  it's 
regular  witchcraft.  Sparks,  my  man,  I  tremble  for  you.  Do  you 
know,  by  the  bye  that  same  pace  of  theirs  is  a  devilish  hard  thing 
to  learn  ?  I  never  could  come  it;  and  yet,  somehow,  I  was  formerly 
rather  a  crack  fellow  at  a  ballet.  Old  Alberto  used  to  select  me  for 
a  pas  de  zephyr  among  a  host ;  but  there's  a  kind  of  a  hop,  and  a 
slide,  and  a  spring — in  fact,  you  must  have  been  wearing  petticoats 
for  eighteen  years,  and  have  an  Andalusian  instep,  and  an  india- 
rubber  sole  to  your  foot,  or  it's  no  use  trying  it.  How  I  used  to 
make  them  laugh  at  the  old  San  Josef  convent,  formerly,  by  my 
efforts  in  the  cause !" 

"  Why,  how  did  it  ever  occur  to  you  to  practise  it?" 

"  Many  a  man's  legs  have  saved  his  head,  Charley,  and  I  put  it  to 
mine  to  do  a  similar  office  for  me." 

"  True ;  but  I  never  heard  of  a  man  that  performed  a  pas  seul 
before  the  enemy." 

"  Not  exactly ;  but  still  you're  not  very  wide  of  the  mark.  If 
you'll  only  wait  till  we  reach  Portalegre,  I'll  tell  you  the  story;  not 
that  it  is  worth  the  delay,  but  talking  at  this  brisk  pace  I  don't  ad- 
mire." 

"  You  leave  a  detachment  here,  Captain  Power,"  said  an  aide-de- 
camp, riding  hastily  up ;  "  and  General  Cotton  requests  you  will 
send  a  subaltern  and  two  sergeants  forward  towards  Berar,  to  recon- 
noitre the  pass.  Franchesca's  cavalry  are  reported  in  that  quarter." 
So  speaking,  he  dashed  spurs  to  his  horse,  and  was  out  of  sight  in 
an  instant. 

Power  at  the  same  moment  wheeled  to  the  rear,  from  which  he 
returned  in  an  instant,  accompanied  by  three  well-mounted  light 
dragoons.  "  Sparks,"  said  he,  "  now  for  an  occasion  of  distinguish- 
ing yourself.  You  heard  the  order — lose  no  time;  and  as  your 
horse  is  an  able  one,  and  fresh,  lose  not  a  second,  but  forward." 

No  sooner  was  Sparks  despatched  on  what  it  was  evident  he  felt 
to  be  anything  but  a  pleasant  duty,  than  I  turned  towards  Power, 
and  said,  with  some  tinge  of  disappointment  in  the  tone,  "Well,  if 
you  really  felt  there  was  anything  worth  doing  there — I  flattered 
myself — that " 

"  Speak  out,  man.  That  I  should  have  sent  you,  eh — is  it  not 
so?" 

"  Yes,  you've  hit  it." 

"  Well,  Charley,  my  peace  is  easily  made  on  this  head.     Why,  I 


THE  MARCH.  279 

selected  Sparks  simply  to  spare  you  one  of  the  most  unpleasant 
duties  that  can  be  imposed  upon  a  man — a  duty  which,  let  him  dis- 
charge it  to  the  uttermost,  will  never  be  acknowledged,  and  the 
slightest  failure  in  which  will  be  remembered  for  many  days  against 
him,  besides  the  pleasant  and  very  probable  prospect  of  being  se- 
lected as  a  bull's  eye  for  a  French  rifle,  or  carried  off  a  prisoner ;  eh, 
Charley  ?  there's  no  glory  in  that,  devil  a  ray  of  it !  Come,  come, 
old  fellow,  Fred  Power's  not  the  man  to  keep  his  friend  out  of  the 
mdee  if  only  anything  can  be  made  by  being  in  it.  Poor  Sparks,  I'd 
swear,  is  as  little  satisfied  with  the  arrangement  as  yourself,  if  one 
knew  but  all." 

"  I  say,  Power,"  said  a  tall,  dashing-looking  man  of  about  five- 
and  forty,  with  a  Portuguese  order  on  his  breast — "  I  say,  Power, 
dine  with  us  at  the  halt." 

"  With  pleasure,  if  I  may  bring  my  young  friend  here." 

"  Of  course ;  pray  introduce  us." 

"  Major  Hixley,  Mr.  O'Malley,—  a  14th  man,  Hixley." 

"  Delighted  to  make  your  acquaintance,  Mr.  O'Malley.  Knew  a 
famous  fellow  in  Ireland  of  your  name,  a  certain  Godfrey  O'Malley, 
member  for  some  county  or  other." 

"  My  uncle,"  said  I,  blushing  deeply,  with  a  pleasurable  feeling 
at  even  this  slight  praise  of  my  oldest  friend. 

"  Your  uncle  !  give  me  your  hand !  By  Jove,  his  nephew  has  a 
right  to  good  treatment  at  my  hands ;  he  saved  my  life  in  the  year 
'98.     And  how  is  old  Godfrey  ?" 

"  Quite  well,  when  I  left  him  some  months  ago ;  a  little  gout  now 
and  then." 

"  To  be  sure  he  has ;  no  man  deserves  it  better ;  but  it's  a  gentle- 
manlike gout,  that  merely  jogs  his  memory  in  the  morning  of  the 
good  wine  he  has  drunk  over  night.  By  the  bye,  what  became  of  a 
friend  of  his,  a  devilish  eccentric  fellow,  who  held  a  command  in 
the  Austrian  service  ?" 

"  Oh,  Considine— the  Count  ?" 

"  The  same." 

"As  eccentric  as  ever ;  I  left  him  on  a  visit  with  my  uncle.  And 
Boyle — did  you  know  Sir  Harry  Boyle  ?" 

"  To  be  sure  I  did  ;  shall  I  ever  forget  him,  and  his  capital  blun- 
ders, that  kept  me  laughing  the  whole  time  I  spent  in  Ireland.  I 
was  in  the  house  when  he  concluded  a  panegyric  upon  a  friend, 
by  calling  him  '  the  father  to  the  poor,  and  uncle  to  Lord  Don- 
oughmore.' n 

"  He  was  the  only  man  who  could  render  by  a  bull  what  it  was 
impossible  to  convey  more  correctly,"  said  Power.  "  You've  heard 
of  his  duel  with  Dick  Toler?" 


280  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Never ;  let's  hear  it." 

"It  was  a  bull  from  beginning  to  end.  Boyle  took  it  into  his 
head  that  Dick  was  a  person  with  whom  he  had  a  serious  row  in 
Cork.  Dick,  on  the  other  hand,  mistook  Boyle  for  Old  Caples, 
whom  he  had  been  pursuing  with  horse-whipping  intentions  for 
some  months  ;  they  met  in  Kildare  street  Club,  and  very  little  col- 
loquy satisfied  them  that  they  were  right  in  their  conjectures,  each 
party  being  so  eagerly  ready  to  meet  the  views  of  the  other.  It 
never  was  a  difficult  matter  to  find  a  friend  in  Dublin ;  and  to  do 
them  justice,  Irish  seconds,  generally  speaking,  are  perfectly  free 
from  any  imputation  upon  the  score  of  mere  delay.  No  men  have 
less  impertinent  curiosity  as  to  the  cause  of  the  quarrel ;  wisely  sup- 
posing that  the  principals  know  their  own  affairs  best,  they  cau- 
tiously abstain  from  indulging  any  prying  spirit,  but  proceed  to 
discharge  their  functions  as  best  they  may.  Accordingly,  Sir  Harry 
and  Dick  were  '  set  up/  as  the  phrase  is,  at  twelve  paces,  and,  to  use 
Boyle's  own  words,  for  I  have  heard  him  relate  the  story, — 

" '  We  blazed  away,  sir,  for  three  rounds.  I  put  two  in  his  hat, 
and  one  in  his  neckcloth  ;  his  shots  went  all  through  the  skirt  of  my 
coat.' 

" '  We'll  spend  the  day  here/  says  Considine,  '  at  this  rate. 
Couldn't  you  put  them  closer?' 

"  'And  give  us  a  little  more  time  in  the  word/  says  I. 

"  '  Exactly/  said  Dick. 

"  Well,  they  moved  us  forward  two  paces,  and  set  to  loading  the 
pistols  again. 

"  By  this  time  we  were  so  near,  that  we  had  full  opportunity  to 
scan  each  other's  faces ;  well,  sir,  I  stared  at  him,  and  he  at  me. 

" '  What !'  said  I. 

"'Eh!' said  he. 

"  '  How's  this  V  said  I. 

"  '  You're  not  Billy  Caples?'  said  he. 

"  '  Devil  a  bit/  said  I,  '  nor  I  don't  think  you're  Archy  Devine  / 
and,  faith,  sir,  so  it  appeared  we  were  fighting  away  all  the  morning 
for  nothing ;  for,  somehow,  it  turned  out  it  was  neither  of  us  /" 

What  amused  me  most  in  this  anecdote  was  the  hearing  it  at  such 
a  time  and  place.  That  poor  Sir  Harry's  eccentricities  should  turn 
up  for  discussion  on  a  march  in  Portugal  was  singular  enough  ;  but, 
after  all,  life  is  full  of  such  incongruous  incidents.  I  remember 
once  supping  with  King  Calzoo  on  the  Blue  Mountains,  in  Jamaica. 
By  way  of  entertaining  his  guests,  some  English  officers,  he  ordered 
one  of  his  suite  to  sing.  We  were  of  course  pleased  at  the  oppor- 
tunity of  hearing  an  Indian  war-chant,  with  a  skull  and  thigh-bone 
accompaniment;  but  what  was  our  astonishment  to  hear  the  Indian — 


THE  MARCH.  281 

a  ferocious-looking  dog,  with  an  awful  scalp-lock,  and  two  streaks 
of  red  paint  across  his  chest — clear  his  voice  well  for  a  few  seconds, 
and  then  begin,  without  discomposing  a  muscle  of  his  gravity,  "The 
Laird  of  Cockpen  !"  I  need  not  say  that  the  "  Great  Racoon"  was 
a  Dumfries  man,  who  had  quitted  Scotland  forty  years  before,  and, 
with  characteristic  prosperity,  had  attained  his  present  rank  in  a 
foreign  service. 

"Halt,  halt!"  cried  a  deep-toned,  manly  voice  in  the  leading 
column,  and  the  word  was  repeated  from  mouth  to  mouth  to  the 
rear. 

We  dismounted,  and  picketing  our  horses  beneath  the  broad-leaved 
foliage  of  the  cork-trees,  stretched  ourselves  out  at  full  length  upon 
the  grass,  while  our  messmen  prepared  the  dinner.  Our  party  at 
first  consisted  of  Hixley,  Power,  the  Adjutant,  and  myself;  but  our 
number  was  soon  increased  by  three  officers  of  the  6th  Foot,  about 
to  join  their  regiment. 

"  Barring  the  ladies, — God  bless  them  !" — said  Power,  "  there's  no 
such  picnics  as  campaigning  presents ;  the  charms  of  the  scenery 
are  greatly  enhanced  by  their  coming  unexpectedly  on  you.  Your 
chance  good  fortune  in  the  prog  has  an  interest  that  no  ham-and- 
cold-chicken  affair,  prepared  by  your  servants  beforehand,  and  got 
ready  with  a  degree  of  fuss  and  worry  that  converts  the  whole  party 
into  an  assembly  of  cooks,  can  ever  afford ;  and,  lastly,  the  excite- 
ment that  this  same  life  of  ours  is  never  without,  gives  a  zest " 

"  There  you've  hit  it,"  cried  Hixley ;  "  it's  that  same  feeling  of  un- 
certainty that  those  who  meet  now  may  never  do  so  again,  full  as  it 
is  of  sorrowful  reflection,  that  still  teaches  us,  as  we  become  inured 
to  war,  to  economize  our  pleasures,  and  to  be  happy  when  we  may. 
Your  health,  O'Malley,  and  your  uncle  Godfrey's,  too." 

"A  little  more  of  the  pastry?" 

"  What  a  capital  guinea  fowl  this  is  J" 

u  That's  some  of  old  Monsoon's  old  particular  port." 

"Pass  it  round  here;  really  this  is  pleasant." 

"  My  blessing  on  the  man  who  left  that  vista  yonder ;  see  what  a 
glorious  valley  stretches  out  there,  undulating  in  its  richness ;  and 
look  at  those  dark  trees,  where  just  one  streak  of  soft  sunlight  is 
kissing  their  tops,  giving  them  one  chaste  good  night " 

"  Well  done,  Power  !" 

"Confound  you,  you've  pulled  me  short,  and  I  was  about  becom- 
ing downright  pastoral.  A  propos  of  kissing,  I  understand  Sir 
Arthur  won't  allow  the  convents  to  be  occupied  by  troops." 

"  And  ct  propos  of  convents,"  said  I,  "  let's  hear  your  story ;  you 
promised  it  a  while  ago." 

"  My  dear  Charley,  it's  far  too  early  in  the  evening  for  a  story  ;  I 


282  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

should  rather  indulge  my  poetic  fancies  here,  under  the  shade  of 
melancholy  boughs.    And,  besides,  I  am  not  half  screwed  up  yet !" 

"  Come,  Adjutant,  let's  have  a  song." 

"  I'll  sing  you  a  Portuguese  serenade  when  the  next  bottle  comes 
in.     What  capital  port !     Have  you  much  of  it  ?" 

"  Only  three  dozen.  We  got  it  late  last  night ;  forged  an  order 
from  the  commanding  officer,  and  sent  it  up  to  old  Monsoon — '  for 
hospital  use.'  He  gave  it  with  a  tear  in  his  eye,  saying,  as  the  ser- 
geant marched  away,  '  Only  think  of  such  wine  for  fellows  that  may 
be  in  the  next  world  before  morning.     It's  a  downright  sin  !'  " 

"  I  say,  Power,  there's  something  going  on  there." 

At  this  instant  the  trumpet  sounded  "  boot  and  saddle,"  and,  like 
one  man,  the  whole  mass  rose  up,  when  the  scene,  late  so  tranquil, 
became  one  of  excited  bustle  and  confusion.  An  aide-de-camp 
galloped  past  towards  the  river,  followed  by  two  orderly  sergeants, 
and  the  next  moment  Sparks  rode  up,  his  whole  equipment  giving 
evidence  of  a  hurried  ride,  while  his  cheek  was  deadly  pale  and 
haggard. 

Power  presented  to  him  a  goblet  of  sherry,  which  having  emptied 
at  a  draught,  he  drew  a  long  breath  and  said, — 

"They  are  coming — coming  in  force." 

"  Who  are  coming  V  said  Power.  "  Take  time,  man,  and  collect 
yourself." 

"  The  French  !  I  saw  them  a  devilish  deal  closer  than  I  liked  ; 
they  wounded  one  of  the  orderlies  and  took  the  other  prisoner." 

"Forward!"  cried  out  a  hoarse  voice  in  the  front.  "March — 
trot!" 

.  Before  we  could  obtain  any  further  information  from  Sparks, 
whose  faculties  seemed  to  have  received  a  terrific  shock,  we  were 
once  more  in  the  saddle,  and  moving  onward  at  a  brisk  pace. 

Sparks  had  barely  time  to  tell  us  that  a  large  body  of  French 
cavalry  occupied  the  pass  of  Berar,  when  he  was  sent  for  by  General 
Cotton  to  finish  his  report. 

"How  frightened  the  fellow  is!"  said  Hixley. 

"  I  don't  think  the  worse  of  poor  Sparks  for  all  that,"  said  Power; 
"  he  saw  these  fellows  for  the  first  time,  and  no  bird's-eye  view  of 
them  either." 

"  Then  we  are  in  for  a  skirmish,  at  least,"  said  I. 

"  It  would  appear  not  from  that,"  said  Hixley,  pointing  to  the 
head  of  the  column,  which,  leaving  the  high  road  upon  the  left, 
entered  the  forest  by  a  deep  cleft  that  opened  upon  a  valley  tra- 
versed by  a  broad  river. 

"That  looks  very  like  taking  up  a  position,  though,"  said 
Power. 


THE  BIVOUAC.  283 

"  Look — look  down  yonder !"  cried  Hixley,  pointing  to  a  dip  in 
the  plain  beside  the  river ;  H is  there  not  a  cavalry  picket  there?" 

"  Eight,  by  Jove !  I  say,  Fitzroy,"  said  Power  to  an  aide-de-camp 
as  he  passed ;  "  what's  going  on  ?" 

"  Soult  has  carried  Oporto,"  cried  he,  "  and  Franchesca's  cavalry 
have  escaped." 

"  And  who  are  these  fellows  in  the  valley  ?" 

"  Our  own  people  coming  up." 

In  less  than  half  an  hour's  brisk  trotting  we  reached  the  stream, 
the  banks  of  which  were  occupied  by  two  cavalry  regiments,  ad- 
vancing to  the  main  army ;  and  what  was  my  delight  to  find  that 
one  of  them  was  our  own  corps,  the  14th  Light  Dragoons. 

"  Hurrah !"  cried  Power,  waving  his  cap  as  he  came  up.  "  How 
are  you,  Sedgwick?  Baker,  my  hearty,  how  goes  it?  How  are 
Hampton  and  the  Colonel  ?" 

In  an  instant  we  were  surrounded  by  our  brother  officers,  who  all 
shook  me  cordially  by  the  hand,  and  welcomed  me  to  the  regiment 
with  most  gratifying  warmth. 

"  One  of  us,"  said  Power,  with  a  knowing  look,  as  he  introduced 
me,  and  the  freemasonry  of  these  few  words  secured  me  a  hearty 
greeting. 

"  Halt !  halt !  Dismount !"  sounded  again  from  front '  to  rear  ; 
and  in  a  few  minutes  we  were  once  more  stretched  upon  the  grass, 
beneath  the  deep  and  mellow  moonlight,  while  the  bright  stream 
ran  placidly  beside  us,  reflecting  on  its  calm  surface  the  varied 
groups  as  they  lounged  or  sat  around  the  blazing  fires  of  the 
bivouac. 


CHAPTER   XLIV. 

THE  BIVOUAC. 

WHEN  I  contrasted  the  gay  and  lively  tone  of  the  conversa- 
tion which  ran  on  around  our  bivouac  fire  with  the  dry 
monotony  and  prosaic  tediousness  of  my  first  military  dinner 
at  Cork,  I  felt  how  much  the  spirit  and  adventure  of  a  soldier's  life 
can  impart  of  chivalrous*  enthusiasm  to  even  the  dullest  and  least 
susceptible.  I  saw  even  many  who  under  common  circumstances 
would  have  possessed  no  interest,  nor  excited  any  curiosity,  but  now, 
connected  as  they  were  with  the  great  events  occurring  around 
them,  absolutely  became  heroes ;  and  it  was  with  a  strange,  wild 
throbbing  of  excitement  that  I  listened  to  the  details  of  movements 


284  CHARLES  0' MALLET. 

and  marches,  whose  objects  I  knew  not,  but  in  which  the  magical 
words  Corunna,  Vimeira,  were  mixed  up,  and  gave  to  the  circum- 
stances an  interest  of  the  highest  character.  How  proud,  too,  I  felt 
to  be  the  companions  in  arms  of  such  fellows !  Here  they  sat,  the 
tried  and  proved  soldiers  of  a  hundred  fights,  treating  me  as  their 
brother  and  their  equal.  Who  need  wonder  if  I  felt  a  sense  of  ex- 
cited pleasure?  Had  1  needed  such  a  stimulant,  that  night  beneath 
the  cork-trees  had  been  enough  to  arouse  a  passion  for  the  army  in 
my  heart,  and  an  irrepressible  determination  to  seek  for  a  soldier's 
glory. 

"  Fourteenth !"  called  out  a  voice  from  the  wood  behind,  and  in  a 
moment  after  the  aide-de-camp  appeared  with  a  mounted  orderly. 

"Colonel  Merivale?"  said  he,  touching  his  cap  to  the  stalwart, 
soldier-like  figure  before  him. 

The  Colonel  bowed. 

"Sir  Stapleton  Cotton  desires  me  to  request  that  at  an  early  hour 
to-morrow  you  will  occupy  the  pass,  and  cover  the  march  of  the 
troops.  It  is  his  wish  that  all  the  reinforcements  should  arrive  at 
Oporto  by  noon.  I  need  scarcely  add  that  we  expect  to  be  engaged 
with  the  enemy." 

These  few  words  were  spoken  hurriedly,  and,  again  saluting  our 
party,  he  turned  his  horse's  head  and  continued  his  way  towards 
the  rear. 

*'  There's  news  for  you,  Charley,"  said  Power,  slapping  me  on  the 
shoulder.     "  Lucy  Dashwood  or  Westminster  Abbey  !" 

"  The  regiment  never  was  in  finer  condition,  that's  certain,"  said 
the  Colonel,  "  and  most  eager  for  a  brush  with  the  enemy." 

"  How  your  old  friend  the  Count  would  have  liked  this  work  " 
said  Hixley  ;  "  gallant  fellow  he  was." 

"  Come,"  cried  Power,  "  here's  a  fresh  bowl  coming.  Let's  drink 
to  the  ladies,  wherever  they  be ;  we  most  of  us  have  some  soft  spot 
on  that  score." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Adjutant,  singing : 

"  '  Here's  to  the  maiden  of  blushing  fifteen, 
Here's  to  the  damsel  that's  merry, 
Here's  to  the  flaunting,  extravagant  quean n 

"  And,"  said  Power,  interrupting, — 

"  Here's  to  the  '  Widow  of  Deny.' " 

"  Come,  come,  Fred,  no  more  quizzing  on  that  score.  It's  the 
only  thing  ever  gives  me  a  distaste  to  the  service,  the  souvenir  of 
that  adventure.  When  I  reflect  what  I  might  have  been,  and 
think  what  I  am, — when  I  contrast  a  Brussels  carpet  with  wet 


THE  BIVOUAC.  285 

grass,  silk  hangings  with  a  canvas  tent,  Sneyd's  claret  with  ration 
brandy,  and  Sir  Arthur  for  a  Commander-in-Chief  vice  Boggs,  a 
widow " 

"  Stop  there,"  cried  Hixley  ;  "without  disparaging  the  fair  widow, 
there's  nothing  beats  campaigning,  after  all :  eh,  Fred  ?" 

"And  to  prove  it,"  said  the  Colonel,  "  Power  will  sing  us  a  song." 

Power  took  his  pencil  from  his  pocket,  and,  placing  the  back  of  a 
letter  across  his  shako,  commenced  inditing  his  lyric ;  saying,  as  he 
did  so, — 

"I'm  your  man  in  five  minutes:  just  fill  my  glass  in  the  mean- 
time." 

"That  fellow  beats  Dibdin  hollow,"  whispered  the  Adjutant. 
"  I'll  be  hanged  if  he'll  not  knock  you  off  a  song  like  lightning." 

"  I  understand,"  said  Hixley,  "  th^y  have  some  intention  at  the 
Horse  Guards  of  having  all  the  general  orders  set  to  popular  tunes, 
and  sung  at  every  mess  in  the  service.  You've  heard  that,  I  suppose, 
Sparks  ?" 

"  I  confess  I  had  not  before."  * 

"  It  will  certainly  come  very  hard  upon  the  subalterns,"  continued 
Hixley,  with  much  gravity ;  "  they'll  have  to  brush  up  their  sol,  mi, 
fas/  all  the  solos  are  to  be  their  part." 

"  What  rhymes  with  slaughter?"  said  Power. 

"  Brandy-and-water,"  said  the  Adjutant. 

"  Now,  then,"  said  Power,  "  are  you  all  ready  ?" 

"  Ready !" 

"  You  must  chorus,  mind ;  and,  mark  me,  take  care  you  give  the 
hip,  hip,  hurrah !  well,  as  that's  the  whole  force  of  the  chant.  Take 
the  time  from  me.  Now  for  it.  Air,  '  Garryowen,'  with  spirit,  but 
not  too  quick : — 

"  Now  that  we've  pledged  each  eye  of  blue, 
And  every  maiden  fair  and  true, 
And  our  green  island  home — to  you 

The  ocean's  waves  adorning, 
Let's  give  one  hip,  hip,  hip,  hurrah  ! 
And  drink  e'en  to  the  coming  day, 
When,  squadron  square, 
We'll  all  he  there, 
To  meet  the  French  in  the  morning. 

"  May  his  bright  laurels  never  fade, 
Who  leads  our  fighting  fifth  brigade, 
Those  lads  so  true  in  heart  and  blade, 

And  famed  for  danger  scorning: 
So  join  me  in  one  hip,  hurrah  ! 
And  drink  e'en  to  the  coming  day, 
When,  squadron  square, 
We'll  all  be  there, 
To  meet  the  French  in  the  morning. 


286  CHARLES  0' MALLET. 

"  And,  when  with  years  and  honors  crowned, 
You  sit  some  homeward  hearth  around, 
And  hear  no  more  the  stirring  sound 

That  spoke  the  trumpet's  warning, — 
You'll  till,  and  drink,  one  hip,  hurrah  ! 
And  pledge  the  memory  of  the  day, 
When,  squadron  square, 
They  all  were  there, 
To  meet  the  French  in  the  morning." 

"  Gloriously  done,  Fred  I"  cried  Hixley.  "  If  I  ever  get  my 
deserts  in  this  world,  I'll  make  you  Laureate  to  the  Forces,  with 
a  hogshead  of  your  own  native  whisky  for  every  victory  of  the 
army." 

"A  devilish  good  chant,"  said  Merivale ;  "  but  the  air  surpasses 
anything  I  ever  heard :  thoroughly  Irish,  I  take  it." 

"  Irish !  upon  my  conscience,  I  believe  you !"  shouted  O'Shaugh- 
nessy,  with  an  energy  of  voice  and  manner  that  created  a  hearty 
laugh  on  all  sides.  "  It's  few  people  ever  mistook  it  for  a  Venetian 
nrelody.  Hand  over  the  punch — the  sherry  I  mean.  When  I  was 
in  the  Clare  militia,  we  always  went  in  to  dinner  to  '  Tatter  Jack 
Walsh,'  a  sweet  air,  and  had  '  Garryowen'  for  a  quickstep.  Ould 
M'Manus,  when  he  got  the  regiment,  wanted  to  change ;  he  said 
they  were  d — vulgar  tunes,  and  wanted  to  have  'Kule  Britannia,' 
or  the  '  Hundredth  Psalm  ;'  but  we  would  not  stand  it ;  there  would 
have  been  a  mutiny  in  the  corps." 

"  The  same  fellow,  wasn't  he,  that  you  told  the  story  of,  the  other 
evening,  in  Lisbon?"  said  I. 

"The  same.  Well,  what  a  character  he  was  !  As  pompous  and 
conceited  a  little  fellow  as  ever  you  met  with ;  and  then,  he  was  so 
bullied  by  his  wife,  he  always  came  down  to  revenge  it  on  the  regi- 
ment. She  was  a  fine,  showy,  vulgar  woman,  with  a  most  cherishing 
affection  for  all  the  good  things  in  this  life,  except  her  husband, 
whom  she  certainly  held  in  due  contempt.  'Ye  little  crayture,' 
she'd  say  to  him  with  a  sneer,  '  it  ill  becomes  you  to  drink  and  sing, 
and  be  making  a  man  of  yourself.     If  you  were  like  O'Shaughnessy 

there,  six  foot  three  in  his  stockings '     Well,  well,  it  looks  like 

boasting ;  but  no  matter :  here's  her  health,  anyway  " 

"  I  knew  you  were  tender  in  that  quarter,"  said  Power,  "  I  heard 
it  when  quartered  in  Limerick." 

"  Maybe  you  heard,  too,  how  I  paid  off  Mac,  when  he  came  down 
on  a  visit  to  that  county." 

"  Never ;  let's  hear  it  now." 

"Ay,  O'Shaughnessy,  now's  your  time ;  the  fire's  a  good  one,  the 
night  fine,  the  liquor  plenty." 

"  I'm  convenient"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  as,  depositing  his  enormous 


THE  BIVOUAC.  287 

legs  on  each  side  of  the  burning  fagots,  and  placing  a  bottle  between 
his  knees,  he  began  his  story : — 

"  It  was  a  cold  rainy  night  in  January,  in  the  year  '98,  I  took  my 
place  in  the  Limerick  mail,  to  go  down  for  a  few  days  to  the  west 
country.  As  the  waiter  of  the  Hibernian  came  to  the  door  with  a 
lantern,  I  just  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  other  insides,  none  of  whom 
were  known  to  me,  except  Colonel  M'Manus,  that  I  met  once  in  a 
boarding-house  in  Molesworth  street.  I  did  not  at  the  time  think 
him  a  very  agreeable  companion ;  but,  when  morning  broke,  and  we 
began  to  pay  our  respects  to  each  other  in  the  coach,  I  leaned  over, 
and  said,  '  I  hope  you're  well,  Colonel  M'Manus,'  just  by  way  of 
civility  like.  He  didn't  hear  me  at  first ;  so  that  I  said  it  again,  a 
little  louder. 

"  I  wish  you  saw  the  look  he  gave  me ;  he  drew  himself  up  to  the 
height  of  his  cotton  umbrella,  put  his  chin  inside  his  cravat,  pursed 
up  his  dry,  shrivelled  lips,  and,  with  a  voice  he  meant  to  be  awful, 
replied, — 

"  '  You  appear  to  have  the  advantage  of  me.' 

" '  Upon  my  conscience,  you're  right,'  said  I,  looking  down  at 
myself,  and  then  over  at  him,  at  which  the  other  travellers  burst  out 
a-laughing — '  I  think  there's  few  will  dispute  that  point.'  When  the 
laugh  was  over,  I  resumed — for  I  was  determined  not  to  let  him  off 
so  easily.  I  Sure  I  met  you  at  -Mrs.  Cayle's,'  said  I ;  '  and  by  the 
same  token — it  was  a  Friday,  I  remember  it  well, — maybe  you  didn't 
pitch  into  the  salt  cod?     I  hope  it  didn't  disagree  with  you  ?' 

" '  I  beg  to  repeat,  sir,  that  you  are  under  a  mistake,'  said  he. 

"  '  Maybe  so,  indeed,'  said  I  '  Maybe  you're  not  Colonel  M'Manus 
at  all ;  maybe  you  wasn't  in  a  passion  for  losing  seven-and-six-pence 
at  loo  with  Mrs.  Moriarty ;  maybe  you  didn't  break  the  lamp  in  the 
hall  with  your  umbrella,  pretending  you  touched  it  with  your  head, 
and  wasn't  within  three  foot  of  it ;  maybe  Counsellor  Brady  wasn't 
going  to  put  you  in  the  box  of  the  Foundling  Hospital,  if  you 
wouldn't  behave  quietly  in  the  streets ' 

"  Well,  with  this  the  others  laughed  so  heartily  that  I  could  not 
go  on ;  and  the  next  stage  the  bold  Colonel  got  outside  with  the 
guard,  and  never  came  in  till  we  reached  Limerick.  I'll  never  forget 
his  face,  as  he  got  down  at  Swinburne's  Hotel.  -  Good-bye,  Colonel,' 
said  I ;  but  he  wouldn't  take  the  least  notice  of  my  politeness,  but, 
with  a  frown  of  utter  defiance,  he  turned  on  his  heel  and  walked 
away. 

" '  I  haven't  done  with  you  yet/  says  I ;  and,  faith,  I  kept  my 
word. 

"I  hadn't  gone  ten  yards  down  the  street,  when  I  met  my  old 
friend  Darby  O'Grady. 


288  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

" '  Shaugh,  my  boy/  says  he, — he  called  me  that  way  for  short- 
ness,— '  dine  with  me  to-day  at  Mosey's  :  a  green  goose  and  goose- 
berries ;  six  to  a  minute.' 

"  '  Who  have  you  ?'  says  I. 

"'Tom  Keane  and  the  Wallers,  a  counsellor  or  two,  and  one 
\TManus,  from  Dublin.' 

"'The  Colonel?' 

"  -  The  same,'  said  he. 

"  '  I'm  there,  Darby !'  said  I ;  'but  mind,  you  never  saw  me  before.' 

"'What!' said  he. 

"  '  You  never  set  eyes  on  me  before ;  mind  that.' 

"  '  I  understand,'  said  Darby,  with  a  wink ;  and  we  parted. 

"  I  certainly  was  never  very  particular  about  dressing  for  dinner, 
but  on  this  day  I  spent  a  considerable  time  at  my  toilette,  and  when 
I  looked  in  my  glass  at  its  completion,  was  well  satisfied  that  I  had 
done  myself  justice.  A  waistcoat  of  brown  rabbit-skin  with  flaps, 
a  red  worsted  comforter  round  my  neck,  an  old  gray  shooting-jacket, 
with  a  brown  patch  on  the  arm,  corduroys  and  leather  gaiters,  with 
a  tremendous  oak  cudgel  in  my  hand,  made  me  a  most  presentable 
figure  for  a  dinner-party. 

'"Will  I  do,  Darby?'  says  I,  as  he  came  into  my  room  before 
dinner. 

" '  If  it's  for  robbing  the  mail  you  are,'  says  he,  '  nothing  could 
be  better.     Your  father  wouldn't  know  you  !' 

" '  Would  I  be  the  better  of  a  wig?' 

"'Leave  your  hair  alone,'  said  he.  'It's  painting  the  lily  to 
alter  it.' 

"  '  Well,  God's  will  be  done,'  said  I,  '  so  come  now.' 

"  Well,  just  as  the  clock  struck  six  I  saw  the  Colonel  come  out  of 
his  room,  in  a  suit  of  most  accurate  sable,  stockings,  and  pumps. 
Down  stairs  he  went,  and  I  heard  the  waiter  announce  him. 

" '  Now's  my  time,'  thought  I,  as  I  followed  slowly  after. 

"  When  I  reached  the  door,  I  heard  several  voices  within,  among 
which  I  recognized  some  ladies.  Darby  had  not  told  me  about 
them  ;  '  but  no  matter,'  said  I ;  '  it's  all  as  well ;'  so  I  gave  a  gentle 
tap  at  the  door  with  my  knuckles. 

"  '  Come  in,'  said  Darby. 

"  I  opened  the  door  slowly,  and  putting  in  only  my  head  and 
shoulders,  took  a  cautious  look  round  the  room. 

" '  I  beg  pardon,  gentlemen,'  said  I,  '  but  I  was  only  looking  for 
one  Colonel  M'Manus,  and  as  he  is  not  here ' 

" '  Pray  walk  in,  sir,'  said  O'Grady,  with  a  polite  bow.  '  Colonel 
M'Manus  is  here.  There's  no  intrusion  whatever.  I  say,  Colonel,' 
said  he,  turning  round,  '  a  gentleman  here  desires  to ' 


THE  BIVOUAC.  289 

'''Never  mind  it  now,'  said  I,  as  I  stepped  cautiously  into  the 
room  ;  '  he's  going  to  dinner ;  another  time  will  do  just  as  well.' 

"  '  Pray  come  in.' 

"  '  I  could  not  think  of  intruding ' 

"'I  must  protest,'  said  M'Manus,  coloring  up,  'that  I  cannot 
understand  this  gentleman's  visit.' 

"  I  It's  a  little  affair  I  have  to  settle  with  him/  said  I,  with  a  fierce 
look,  that  I  saw  produced  its  effect. 

"  '  Then  perhaps  you  would  do  me  the  very  great  favor  to  join  him 
at  dinner,'  said  O'Grady.     'Any  friend  of  Colonel  M'Manus ' 

"  '  You  are  really  too  good,'  said  I ;  '  but  as  an  utter  stranger ' 

"  '  Never  think  of  that  for  a  moment.  My  friend's  friend,  as  the 
adage  says.' 

" '  Upon  my  conscience,  a  good  saying,'  said  I,  '  but'  you  see 
there's  another  difficulty.  I've  ordered  a  chop  and  potatoes  up  in 
No.  5.' 

" '  Let  that  be  no  obstacle/  said  O'Grady.  '  The  waiter  shall  put 
it  in  my  bill,  if  you  will  only  do  me  the  pleasure.' 

"  '  You're  a  trump/  said  I.     '  What's  your  name  ?' 

"  '  O'Grady,  at  your  service.' 

"'Any  relation  of  the  counsellor?'  said  I.  'They're  all  one 
family,  the  O'Gradys.  I'm  Mr.  O'Shaughnessy,  from  Ennis  ;  won't 
you  introduce  me  to  the  ladies  ?' 

"  While  the  ceremony  of  presentation  was  going  on,  I  caught  one 
glance  at  M'Manus,  and  had  hard  work  not  to  roar  out  laughing. 
Such  an  expression  of  surprise,  amazement,  indignation,  rage,  and 
misery,  never  was  mixed  up  in  one  face  before.  Speak  he  could 
not ;  and  I  saw  that,  except  for  myself,  he  had  neither  eyes,  ears, 
nor  senses  for  anything  around  him.  Just  at  this  moment  dinner 
was  announced,  and  in  we  went.  I  never  was  in  such  spirits  in  my 
life ;  the  trick  upon  M'Manus  had  succeeded  perfectly ;  he  believed 
in  his  heart  that  I  had  never  met  O'Grady  in  my  life  before,  and 
that,  uponjbhe  faith  of  our  friendship,  I  had  received  my  invitation. 
As  for  me,  I  spared  him  but  little.  I  kept  up  a  running  fire  of  droll 
stories ;  had  the  ladies  in  fits  of  laughing,  made  everlasting  allu- 
sions to  the  Colonel ;  in  a  word,  ere  the  soup  had  disappeared, 
except  himself,  the  company  were  entirely  with  me. 

"  '  O'Grady/  said  I,  '  forgive  the  freedom,  but  I  feel  as  if  we  were 
old  acquaintances.' 

"  'As  Colonel  M'Manus's  friend/  said  he,  '  you  can  take  no  liberty 
here  to  which  you  are  not  perfectly  welcome.' 

" '  Just  what  I  expected/  said  I.     '  Mac  and  I/— I  wish  you  saw 
his  face  when  I  called  him  Mac — '  Mac  and  I  were  schoolfellows  five- 
and-thirty  years  ago  ;  though  he  forgets  me,  I  don't  forget  him  ;  to 
19 


290  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

be  sure  it  would  be  hard  for  me.  I'm  just  thinking  of  the  day  Bishop 
Oulahan  came  over  to  visit  the  college.  Mac  was  coming  in  at  the 
door  of  the  refectory  as  the  Bishop  was  going  out.  '  Take  off  your 
caubeen,  you  young  scoundrel,  and  kneel  down  for  his  reverence  to 
bless  you,"  said  one  of  the  masters,  giving  his  hat  a  blow  at  the 
same  moment  that  sent  it  flying  to  the  other  end  of  the  room,  and 
with  it  about  twenty  ripe  pears  that  Mac  had  just  stolen  in  the 
orchard,  and  had  in  his  hat.  I  wish  you  only  saw  the  Bishop ;  and 
Mac  himself  he  was  a  picture.  Well,  well,  you  forget  it  all  now, 
but  I  remember  it  as  if  it  was  only  yesterday.  Any  champagne, 
Mr.  O'Grady  ?     I'm  mighty  dry.' 

"  '  Of  course,'  said  Darby.     l  Waiter,  some  champagne  here.' 

"  'Ah-,  it's  himself  was  the  boy  for  every  kind  of  fun  and  devil- 
ment, quiet  and  demure  as  he  looks  over  there.  Mac,  your  health. 
It's  not  every  day  of  the  week  we  get  champagne.' 

"  He  laid  down  his  knife  and  fork  as  I  said  this :  his  face  and 
temples  grew  deep  purple,  his  eyes  started  as  if  they  would  spring 
from  his  head,  and  he  put  both  his  hands  to  his  forehead,  as  if  try- 
ing to  assure  himself  that  it  was  not  some  horrid  dream. 

"  'A  little  slice  more  of  the  turkey/  said  I,  '  and  then,  O'Grady, 
I'll  try  your  hock.  It's  a  wine  I'm  mighty  fond  of,  and  so  is  Mac 
there.  Oh  I  it's  seldom,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  it  troubles  us.  There, 
fill  up  the  glass ;  that's  it.  Here  now,  Darby — that's  your  name,  I 
think — you'll  not  think  I'm  taking  a  liberty  in  giving  a  toast. 
Here,  then,  I'll  give  M'Manus's  health,  with  all  the  honors ;  though 
it's  early  yet,  to  be  sure,  but  we'll  do  it  again,  by-and-by,  when  the 
whisky  comes.  Here's  M'Manus's  good  health!  and,  though  his 
wife,  they  say,  does  not  treat  him  well,  and  keeps  him  down ' 

"  The  roar  of  laughing  that  interrupted  me  here  was  produced  by 
the  expression  of  poor  Mac's  face.  He  had  started  up  from  the 
table,  and,  leaning  with  both  his  hands  upon  it,  stared  round  upon 
the  company  like  a  maniac — his  mouth  and  eyes  wide  open,  and  his 
hair  actually  bristling  with  amazement.  Thus  he  remained  for  a 
full  minute,  gasping  like  a  fish  in  a  landing-net.  It  seemed  a  hard 
struggle  for  him  to  believe  he  was  not  deranged.  At  last  his  eyes 
fell  upon  me ;  he  uttered  a  deep  groan,  and  with  a  voice  tremulous 
with  rage,  thundered  out : 

"  '  The  scoundrel !  I  never  saw  him  before.' 

"He  rushed  from  the  room  and  gained  the  street.  Before  our  roar 
of  laughter  was  over  he  had  secured  post-horses,  and  was  galloping 
towards  Ennis  at  the  top  speed  of  his  cattle. 

"  He  exchanged  at  once  into  the  line  ;  but  they  say  that  he  caught 
a  glimpse  of  my  name  in  the  army  list,  and  sold  out  the  next  morn- 
ing ;  be  that  as  it  may,  we  never  met  since." 


THE  DOURO.  291 

I  have  related  O'Shaughnessy's  story  here,  rather  from  the  mem- 
ory I  have  of  how  we  all  laughed  at  it  at  the  time,  than  from  any 
feeling  as  to  its  real  desert ;  but  when  I  think  of  the  voice,  look, 
accent,  and  gesture  of  the  narrator,  I  can  scarcely  keep  myself  from 
again  giving  way  to  laughter. 


CHAPTEE   XLV. 

THE  DOTJRO. 

NEVER  did  the  morning  break  more  beautifully  than  on  the 
12th  of  May,  1809.  Huge  masses  of  fog-like  vapor  had  suc- 
ceeded to  the  starry,  cloudless  night,  but  one  by  one  they 
moved  onwards  towards  the  sea,  disclosing,  as  they  passed,  long 
tracts  of  lovely  country,  bathed  in  a  rich  golden  glow.  The  broad 
Douro,  with  its  transparent  current,  shone  out  like  a  bright-colored 
ribbon,  meandering  through  the  deep  garment  of  fairest  green  ;  the 
darkly-shadowed  mountains,  which  closed  the  background,  loomed 
even  larger  than  they  were,  while  the  summits  were  tipped  with 
the  yellow  glory  of  the  morning.  The  air  was  calm  and  still,  and 
the  very  smoke  that  arose  from  the  peasant's  cot  labored  as  it 
ascended  through  the  perfumed  air,  and,  save  the  ripple  of  the 
stream,  all  was  silent  as  the  grave. 

The  squadron  of  the  14th  with  which  I  was  had  diverged  from  the 
road  beside  the  river,  and,  in  order  to  obtain  a  shorter  path,  had 
entered  the  skirts  of  a  dark  pine  wood.  Our  pace  was  a  sharp  one ; 
an  orderly  had  been  already  despatched  to  hasten  our  arrival,  and 
we  pressed  on  at  a  brisk  trot.  In  less  than  an  hour  we  reached  the 
verge  of  the  wood,  and  as  we  rode  out  upon  the  plain,  what  a  spec- 
tacle met  our  eyes !  Before  us,  in  a  narrow  valley,  separated  from 
the  river  by  a  low  ridge,  were  picketed  three  cavalry  regiments, 
their  noiseless  gestures  and  perfect  stillness  bespeaking  at  once  that 
they  were  intended  for  a  surprise  party.  Farther  down  the  stream, 
and  upon  the  opposite  side,  rose  the  massive  towers  and  tall  spires 
of  Oporto,  displaying  from  their  summits  the  broad  ensign  of 
France  ;  while,  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  the  broad  dark  masses  of 
troops  might  be  seen,  the  intervals  between  the  columns  glittering 
with  the  bright  equipments  of  their  cavalry,  whose  steel  caps  and 
lances  were  sparkling  in  the  sunbeams.  The  bivouac  fires  were  still 
smouldering,  marking  where  some  part  of  the  army  had  passed  the 
night ;  for,  early  as  it  was,  it  was  evident  that  their  position  had 
been  changed  ;  and  even  now  the  dark  masses  of  infantry  might  be 


292  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

seen  moving  from  place  to  place,  while  the  long  line  of  the  road  to 
Vallonga  was  marked  with  a  vast  cloud  of  dust.  The  French  drum 
and  the  light  infantry  bugle  told  from  time  to  time  that  orders  were 
passing  among  the  troops,  while  the  glittering  uniform  of  a  staff 
officer,  as  he  galloped  from  the  town,  bespoke  the  note  of  prepa- 
ration. 

"  Dismount !  Steady — quietly,  my  lads,"  said  the  Colonel,  as  he 
alighted  upon  the  grass.     "  Let  the  men  have  their  breakfast." 

The  little  amphitheatre  we  occupied  hid  us  entirely  from  all 
observation  on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  but  equally  so  excluded  us 
from  perceiving  their  movements.  It  may  readily  be  supposed,  then, 
with  what  impatience  we  waited  here,  while  the  din  and  clangor  of 
the  French  force,-  as  they  marched  and  countermarched  so  near  us, 
were  clearly  audible.  The  orders  were,  however,  strict  that  none 
should  approach  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  we  lay  anxiously  await- 
ing the  moment  when  this  inactivity  should  cease.  More  than  one 
orderly  had  arrived  among  us,  bearing  despatches  from  head-quar- 
ters ;  but  where  our  main  body  was,  or  what  the  nature  of  the 
orders,  no  one  could  guess.  As  for  me,  my  excitement  was  at  its 
height,  and  I  could  not  speak  for  the  very  tension  of  my  nerves. 
The  officers  stood  in  little  groups  of  two  and  three,  whispering 
anxiously  together;  but  all  I  could  collect  was,  that  Soult  had 
already  begun  his  retreat  upon  Amarante,  and  that,  with  the  broad 
stream  of  the  Douro  between  us,  he  defied  our  pursuit. 

"  Well,  Charley,"  said  Power,  laying  his  arm  upon  my  shoulder, 
"  the  French  have  given  us  the  slip  this  time.  They  are  already  on 
the  march,  and  even  if  we  dared  force  a  passage  in  the  face  of  such 
an  enemy,  it  seems  there  is  not  a  boat  to  be  found.  I  have  just  seen 
Hammersley." 

"  Indeed !     Where  is  he  ?"  said  I. 

"He's  gone  back  to  Villa  de  Conde;  he  asked  after  you  most 
particularly.  Don't  blush,  man ;  I'd  rather  have  your  chance  than 
his,  notwithstanding  the  long  letter  that  Lucy  sends  him.  Poor 
fellow!  he  has  been  badly  wounded,  but  it  seems  declines  going 
back  to  England." 

"  Captain  Power,"  said  an  orderly,  touching  his  cap,  "  General 
Murray  desires  to  see  you." 

Power  hastened  away,  but  returned  in  a  few  moments. 

"  I  say,  Charley,  there's  something  in  the  wind  here.  I  have  just 
been  ordered  to  try  where  the  stream  is  fordable.  I've  mentioned 
your  name  to  the  General,  and  I  think  you'll  be  sent  for  soon. 
Good-bye." 

I  buckled  on  my  sword,  and,  looking  to  my  girths,  stood  watching 
the  groups  around  me,  when  suddenly  a  dragoon  pulled  his  horse 


THE  DOURO.  293 

short  up,  and  asked  a  man  standing  near  me  if  Mr.  O'Malley  was 
there. 

"  Yes  ;  I  am  he." 

"  Orders  from  General  Murray,  sir,"  said  the  man,  and  rode  off  at 
a  canter. 

I  opened  and  saw  that  the  despatch  was  addressed  to  Sir  Arthur 
t  Wellesley,  with  the  mere  words  "  With  haste!"  on  the  envelope. 

Now,  which  way  to  turn  I  knew  not.  Springing  into  the  saddle, 
I  galloped  to  where  Colonel  Merivale  was  standing  talking  to  the 
colonel  of  a  heavy  dragoon  regiment. 

"  May  I  ask,  sir,  by  which  road  I  am  to  proceed  with  this  des- 
patch?" 

"Along  the  river,  sir,"  said  a  heavy,  large,  dark-browed  man, 
with  a  most  forbidding  look.  "  You'll  soon  see  the  troops.  You'd 
better  stir  yourself,  sir,  or  Sir  Arthur  is  not  very  likely  to  be  pleased 
with  you." 

Without  venturing  a  reply  to  what  I  felt  a  somewhat  unnecessary 
taunt,  I  dashed  spurs  into  my  horse,  and  turned  towards  the  river. 
I  had  not  gained  the  bank  above  a  minute,  when  the  loud  ringing 
of  a  rifle  struck  upon  my  ear.  Bang  went  another  and  another. 
I  hurried  on,  however,  at  the  top  of  my  speed,  thinking  only  of  my 
mission,  and  its  pressing  haste.  As  I  turned  an  angle  of  the  stream, 
the  vast  column  of  the  British  came  in  sight,  and  scarcely  had  my 
eye  rested  upon  them  when  my  horse  staggered  forward,  plunged 
twice  with  his  head  nearly  to  the  earth,  and  then,  rearing  madly  up, 
fell  backward  upon  the  ground.  Crushed  and  bruised  as  I  felt  by 
my  fall,  I  was  soon  aroused  to  the  necessity  of  exertion  ;  for  as  I 
disengaged  myself  from  the  poor  beast,  I  discovered  that  he  had 
been  killed  by  a  bullet  in  the  counter ;  and  scarcely  had  I  recovered 
my  legs,  when  a  shot  struck  my  shako  and  grazed  my  temples.  I 
quickly  threw  myself  to  the  ground,  and  creeping  on  for  some  yards, 
reached  at  last  some  rising  ground,  from  which  I  rolled  gently 
downward  into  a  little  declivity,  sheltered  by  the  bank  from  the 
French  fire. 

When  I  arrived  at  head-quarters,  I  was  dreadfully  fatigued  and 
heated  ;  but,  resolving  not  to  rest  till  I  had  delivered  my  despatches, 
I  hastened  towards  the  convent  of  La  Sierra,  where  I  was  told  the 
Commander-in-Chief  was. 

As  I  came  into  the  court  of  the  convent,  filled  with  general  offi- 
cers and  people  of  the  staff,  I  was  turning  to  ask  how  I  should  pro- 
ceed, when  Hixley  caught  my  eye. 

"  Well,  O'Malley,  what  brings  you  here?" 

"  Despatches  from  General  Murray." 

"  Indeed ;  oh !  follow  me." 


294  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

He  hurried  me  rapidly  through  the  buzzing  crowd,  and  ascending 
a  large  gloomy  stair,  introduced  me  into  a  room,  where  about  a 
dozen  persons  in  uniform  were  writing  at  a  long  deal  table. 

"Captain  Gordon,"  said  he,  addressing  one  of  them,  "des- 
patches requiring -immediate  attention  have  just  been  brought  by 
this  officer." 

Before  the  sentence  was- finished,  the  door  opened,  and  a  short, 
slight  man,  in  a  gray  undress  coat,  with  a  white  cravat  and  a 
cocked  hat,  entered.  The  dead  silence  that  ensued  was  not  neces- 
sary to  assure  me  that  he  was  one  in  authority.  The  look  of  com- 
mand his  bold  and  stern  features  presented,  the  sharp,  piercing  eye, 
the  compressed  lip,  the  impressive  expression  of  the  whole  face, 
told  plainly  that  he  was  one  who  held  equally  himself  and  others  in 
mastery. 

"  Send  General  Sherbrooke  here,"  said  he  to  an  aide-de-camp. 
"Let  the  light  brigade  march  into  position;"  and  then,  turning 
suddenly  to  me,  "  Whose  despatches  are  these?" 

"  General  Murray's,  sir." 

I  needed  no  more  than  that  look  to  assure  me  that  this  was  he  of 
whom  I  had  heard  so  much,  and  of  whom  the  world  was  still  to 
hear  so  much  more. 

He  opened  them  quickly,  and  glancing  his  eye  across  the  contents, 
crushed  the  paper  in  his  hand.  Just  as  he  did  so,  a  spot  of  blood 
upon  the  envelope  attracted  his  attention. 

"  How's  this — are  you  wounded?" 

"  No,  sir  ;  my  horse  was  killed " 

"  Very  well,  sir ;  join  your  brigade.  But  stay,  I  shall  have  orders 
for  you.     Well,  Waters,  what  news?" 

This  question  was  addressed  to  an  officer  in  a  staff  uniform,  who 
entered  at  the  moment,  followed  by  the  short  and  bulky  figure  of  a 
monk,  his  shaven  crown  and  large  cassock  strongly  contrasting  with 
the  gorgeous  glitter  of  the  costumes  around  him. 

"  I  say,  who  have  we  here  ?" 

"  The  Prior  of  Amarante,  sir,"  replied  Waters,  "  who  has  just 
come  over.  We  have  already,  by  his  aid,  secured  three  large 
barges " 

"  Let  the  artillery  take  up  position  in  the  convent  at  once,"  said 
Sir  Arthur,  interrupting.  "  The  boats  will  be  brought  round  to  the 
small  creek  beneath  the  orchard.  You,  sir,"  turning  to  me,  "  will 
convey  to  General  Murray — but  you  appear  weak You,  Gor- 
don, will  desire  Murray  to  effect  a  crossing  at  Avintas  with  the  Ger- 
mans and  the  14th.  Sherbrooke's  division  will  occupy  the  Villa 
Nuova.     What  number  of  men  can  that  seminary  take  ?" 

"From  three  to  four  hundred,  sir.     The  padre  mentions  that 


THE  DOURO.  295 

all  the  vigilance  of  the  enemy  is  limited  to  the  river  below  the 
town." 

"  I  perceive  it,"  was  the  short  reply  of  Sir  Arthur,  as,  placing  his 
hands  carelessly  behind  his  back,  he  walked  towards  the  window, 
and  looked  out  upon  the  river. 

All  was  still  as  death  in  the  chamber ;  not  a  lip  murmured.  The 
feeling  of  respect  for  him  in  whose  presence  we  were  standing 
checked  every  thought  of  utterance,  while  the  stupendous  gravity  of 
the  events  before  us  engrossed  every  mind  and  occupied  every  heart. 
I  was  standing  near  the  window ;  the  effect  of  my  fall  had  stunned 
me  for  a  time,  but  I  was  gradually  recovering,  and  watched  with  a 
thrilling  heart  the  scene  before  me.  Great  and  absorbing  as  was  my 
interest  in  what  was  passing  without,  it  was  nothing  compared 
with  what  I  felt  as  I  looked  at  him  upon  whom  our  destiny  was 
then  hanging.  I  had  ample  time  to  scan  his  features  and  canvass 
their  every  lineament.  Never  before  did  I  look  upon  such  perfect 
impassibility ;  the  cold,  determined  expression  was  crossed  by  no 
show  of  passion  or  impatience.  All  was  rigid  and  motionless,  and 
whatever  might  have  been  the  workings  of  the  spirit  within,  cer- 
tainly no  external  sign  betrayed  them  ;  and  yet  what  a  moment  for 
him  must  that  have  been !  Before  him,  separated  by  a  deep  and 
rapid  river,  lay  the  conquering  legions  of  France,  led  on  by  one 
second  alone  to  him  whose  very  name  had  been  the  prestige  of 
victory.  Unprovided  with  every  regular  means  of  transport,  in  the 
broad  glare  of  day,  in  open  defiance  of  their  serried  ranks  and  thun- 
dering artillery,  he  dared  the  deed.  What  must  have  been  his  con- 
fidence in  the  soldiers  he  commanded  !  What  must  have  been  his 
reliance  upon  his  own  genius  !  As  such  thoughts  rushed  through 
my  mind,  the  door  opened,  and  an  officer  entered  hastily.  After 
whispering  a  few  words  to  Colonel  Waters,  he  left  the  room. 

"  One  boat  is  already  brought  up  to  the  crossing-place,  and  en- 
tirely concealed  by  the  wall  of  the  orchard." 

"  Let  the  men  cross,"  was  the  brief  reply. 

No  other  word  was  spoken  as,  turning  from  the  window,  he  closed 
his  telescope,  and,  followed  by  all  the  others,  descended  to  the 
court-yard. 

This  simple  order  was  enough  ;  an  officer,  with  a  company  of  the 
Buffs,  embarked,  and  thus  began  the  passage  of  the  Douro. 

So  engrossed  was  I  in  my  vigilant  observation  of  our  leader,  that 
I  would  gladly  have  remained  at  the  convent,  when  I  received  an 
order  to  join  my  brigade,  to  which  a  detachment  of  artillery  was 
already  proceeding. 

As  I  reached  Avintas,  all  was  in  motion.  The  cavalry  was  in 
readiness  beside  the  river ;  but  as  yet  no  boats  had  been  discovered, 


296  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

and  such  was  the  impatience  of  the  men  to  cross,  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty they  were  prevented  trying  the  passage  by  swimming,  when 
suddenly  Power  appeared,  followed  by  several  fishermen.  Three  or 
four  small  skiffs  had  been  found,  half  sunk  in  mud,  among  the 
rushes,  and  with  such  frail  assistance  we  commenced  to  cross. 

"There  will  be  something  to  write  home  to  Galway  soon, 
'Charley,  or  I'm  terribly  mistaken,"  said  Fred,  as  he  sprang  into 
ihe  boat  beside  me.  "  Was  I  not  a  true  prophet  when  I  told  you 
*  We'd  meet  the  French  in  the  morning  ?'  " 

"  They're  at  it  already,"  said  Hixley,  as  a  wreath  of  blue  smoke 
floated  across  the  stream  below  us,  and  the  loud  boom  of  a  large  gun 
resounded  through  the  air. 

Then  came  a  deafening  shout,  followed  by  a  rattling  volley  of 
small  arms,  gradually  swelling  into  a  hot,  sustained  fire,  through 
which  the  cannon  pealed  at  intervals.  Several  large  meadows  lay 
along  the  river-side,  where  our  brigade  was  drawn  up  as  the  detach- 
ments landed  from  the  boats ;  and  here,  although  nearly  a  league 
distant  from  the  town,  we  now  heard  the  din  and  crash  of  battle, 
which  increased  every  moment.  The  cannonade  from  the  Sierra 
convent,  which  at  first  was  merely  the  fire  of  single  guns,  now  thun- 
dered away  in  one  long  roll,  amid  which  the  sounds  of  falling  walls 
and  crashing  roofs  were  mingled.  It  was  evident  to  us,  from  the 
continual  fire  kept  up,  that  the  landing  had  been  effected,  while  the 
swelling  tide  of  musketry  told  that  fresh  troops  were  momentarily 
coming  up. 

In  less  than  twenty  minutes  our  brigade  was  formed,  and  we  now 
only  waited  for  two  light  four-pounders  to  be  landed,  when  an  officer 
galloped  up  in  haste,  and  called  out, — 

"  The  French  are  in  retreat!"  and,  pointing  at  the  same  moment 
to  the  Vallonga  road,  we  saw  a  long  line  of  smoke  and  dust  leading 
from  the  town,  through  which,  as  we  gazed,  the  colors  of  the  enemy 
might  be  seen  as  they  defiled,  while  the  unbroken  lines  of  the  wagons 
and  heavy  baggage  proved  that  it  was  no  partial  movement,  but  the 
army  itself  retreating. 

tl  Fourteenth,  threes  about,  close  up,  trot !"  called  out  the  loud 
and  manly  voice  of  our  leader,  and  the  heavy  tramp  of  our  squad- 
rons shook  the  very  ground,  as  we  advanced  towards  the  road  to  Val- 
longa. 

As  we  came  on,  the  scene  became  one  of  overwhelming  excite- 
ment; the  masses  of  the  enemy  that  poured  unceasingly  from  the 
town  could  now  be  distinguished  more  clearly ;  and,  amid  all  the 
crash  of  gun-carriages  and  caissons,  the  voices  of  the  staff  officers 
rose  high  as  they  hurried  along  the  retreating  battalions.  A  troop 
of  flying  artillery  galloped  forth  at  top  speed,  and,  wheeling  their 


THE  DOURO.  297 

guns  into  position  with  the  speed  of  lightning,  prepared  by  a  flank- 
ing fire  to  cover  the  retiring  column.  The  gunners  sprang  from 
their  seats,  the  guns  were  already  unlimbered,  when  Sir  George  Mur- 
ray, riding  up  at  our  left,  called  out, — 

"  Forward — close  up — charge  !" 

The  word  was  scarcely  spoken,  when  the  loud  cheer  answered  the 
welcome  sound,  and  the  same  instant  the  long  line  of  shining  hel- 
mets passed  with  the  speed  of  a  whirlwind ;  the  pace  increased  at 
every  stride,  the  ranks  grew  closer,  and,  like  the  dread  force  of  some 
mighty  engine,  we  fell  upon  the  foe.  I  have  felt  all  the  glorious  en- 
thusiasm of  a  fox-hunt,  when  the  loud  cry  of  the  hounds,  answered 
by  the  cheers  of  the  joyous  huntsman,  stirred  the  very  heart  within, 
but  never  till  now  did  I  know  how  far  higher  the  excitement  reaches 
when,  man  to  man,  sabre  to  sabre,  arm  to  arm,  we  ride  forward  to 
the  battle-field.  On  we  went,  the  loud  shout  of  "  Forward !"  still 
ringing  in  our  ears.  One  broken,  irregular  discharge  from  the  French 
guns  shook  the  head  of  our  advancing  column,  but  stayed  us  not  as 
we  galloped  madly  on. 

I  remember  no  more.  The  din,  the  smoke,  the  crash — the  cry  for 
quarter,  mingled  with  the  shout  of  victory — the  flying  enemy — the 
agonizing  shrieks  of  the  wounded — all  are  commingled  in  my  mind, 
but  leave  no  trace  of  clearness  or  connection  between  them  ;  and  it 
was  only  when  the  column  wheeled  to  re-form,  behind  the  advancing 
squadrons,  that  I  awoke  from  my  trance  of  maddening  excitement, 
and  perceived  that  we-  had  carried  the  position,  and  cut  off  the  guns 
of  the  enemy. 

"  Well  done,  14th I"  said  an  old  gray-headed  colonel,  as  he  rode 
along  our  line — "  gallantly  done,  lads  !"  The  blood  trickled  from  a 
sabre-cut  on  his  temple,  along  his  cheek,  as  he  spoke;  but  he  either 
knew  it  not  or  heeded  it  not. 

"There  go  the  Germans !"  said  Power,  pointing  to  the  remainder 
of  our  brigade,  as  they  charged  furiously  upon  the  French  infantry, 
and  rode  them  down  in  masses. 

Our  guns  came  up  at  this  time,  and  a  plunging  fire  was  opened 
upon  the  thick  and  retreating  ranks  of  the  enemy.  The  carnage 
must  have  been  terrific,  for  the  long  breaches  in  their  lines  showed 
where  the  squadrons  of  the  cavalry  had  passed,  or  the  most  destruc- 
tive tide  of  the  artillery  had  swept  through  them.  The  speed  of  the 
flying  columns  momentarily  increased  ;  the  road  became  blocked  up, 
too,  by  broken  carriages  and  wounded ;  and,  to  add  to  their  discom- 
fiture, a  damaging  fire  now  opened  from  the  town  upon  the  retreat- 
ing columns,  while  the  brigade  of  Guards  and  the  29th  pressed  hotly 
on  their  rear. 

The  scene  was  now  beyond  anything  maddening  in  its  interest. 


298  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

From  the  walls  of  Oporto  the  English  infantry  poured  forth  in  pur- 
suit, while  the  whole  river  was  covered  with  boats,  as  they  still  con- 
tinued to  cross  over.  The  artillery  thundered  from  the  Sierra,  to 
protect  the  landing,  for  it  was  even  still  contested,  in  places ;  and 
the  cavalry,  charging  in  flank,  swept  the  broken  ranks,  and  bore 
down  upon  the  squares. 

It  was  now,  when  the  full  tide  of  victory  ran  highest  in  our  favor, 
that  we  were  ordered  to  retire  from  the  road.  Column  after  column 
passed  before  us,  unmolested  and  unassailed,  and  not  even  a  can- 
non-shot arrested  their  steps. 

Some  unaccountable  timidity  of  our  leader  directed  this  move- 
ment; and  while  before  our  very  eyes  the  gallant  infantry  were 
charging  the  retiring  columns,  we  remained  still  and  inactive. 

How  little  did  the  sense  of  praise  we  had  already  won  repay  us 
for  the  shame  and  indignation  we  experienced  at  this  moment,  as, 
with  burning  cheek  and  compressed  lip,  we  watched  the  retreating 
files.  "  What  can  he  mean  ?"  "  Is  there  not  some  mistake?"  "Are 
we  never  to  charge?"  were  the  muttered  questions  around,  as  a  staff 
officer  galloped  up  with  the  order  to  take  ground  still  further  back, 
and  nearer  to  the  river. 

The  word  was  scarcely  spoken,  when  a  young  officer,  in  the  uni- 
form of  a  general,  dashed  impetuously  up ;  he  held  his  plumed  cap 
high  above  his  head,  as  he  called  out,  "  14th,  follow  me !  Left  face — 
wheel — charge !" 

So,  with  the  word,  we  were  upon  them.  The  French  rear-guard 
was  at  this  moment  at  the  narrowest  part  of  the  road  which  opened 
by  a  bridge  upon  a  large  open  space  ;  so  that,  forming  with  a  narrow 
front,  and  favored  by  a  declivity  in  the  ground,  we  actually  rode 
them  down.  Twice  the  French  formed,  and  twice  were  they  broken. 
Meanwhile  the  carnage  was  dreadful  on  both  sides;  our  fellows 
dashing  madly  forward  where  the  ranks  were  thickest, — the  enemy 
resisting  with  the  stubborn  courage  of  men  fighting  for  their  last 
spot  of  ground.  So  impetuous  was  the  charge  of  our  squadrons, 
that  we  stopped  not  till,  piercing  the  dense  column  of  the  retreating 
mass,  we  reached  the  open  ground  beyond.  Here  we  wheeled,  and 
prepared  once  more  to  meet  them;  when  suddenly  some  squadrons  of 
Cuirassiers  debouched  from  the  road,  and,  supported  by  a  field-piece, 
showed  front  against  us.  This  was  the  moment  that  the  remainder 
of  our  brigade  should  have  come  to  our  aid ;  but  not  a  man  appeared. 
However,  there  was  not  an  instant  to  be  lost ;  already  the  plunging 
fire  of  the  four-pounder  had  swept  through  our  files,  and  every  mo- 
ment increased  our  danger. 

"  Now,  my  lads,  forward !"  cried  our  gallant  leader,  Sir  Charles 
Stewart,  as,  waving  his  sabre,  he  dashed  into  the  thickest  of  the  fray. 


THE  DOURO.  299 

So  sudden  was  our  charge,  that  we  were  upon  them  before  they 
were  prepared.  And  here  ensued  a  terrific  struggle;  for,  as  the 
cavalry  of  the  enemy  gave  way  before  us,  we  came  upon  the  close 
ranks  of  the  infantry,  at  half-pistol  distance,  who  poured  a  withering 
volley  into  us  as  we  approached.  But  what  could  arrest  the  sweep- 
ing torrent  of  our  brave  fellows,  though  every  moment  falling  in 
numbers  ? 

Harvey,  our  major,  lost  his  arm  near  the  shoulder.  Scarcely  an 
officer  was  not  wounded.  Power  received  a  deep  sabre-cut  in  the 
cheek,  from  an  aide-de-camp  of  General  Foy,  in  return  for  a  wound 
he  gave  the  General;  while  I,  in  my  endeavor  to  save  General 
Laborde,  when  unhorsed,  was  cut  down  through  the  helmet,  and  so 
stunned  that  I  remembered  no  more  around  me.  I  kept  my  saddle, 
it  is  true,  but  I  lost  every  sense  of  consciousness ;  my  first  glimmer- 
ing of  reason  coming  to  my  aid  as  I  lay  upon  the  river  bank,  and 
felt  my  faithful  follower  Mike  bathing  my  temples  with  water,  as 
he  kept  up  a  running  fire  of  lamentations  for  my  being  murthered  so 
young. 

"Are  you  better,  Mister  Charles  ?  Spake  to  me,  alanah  ;  say  that 
you're  not  kilt,  darlin' ;  do  now.  Oh,  wirra !  what'll  I  ever  say  to 
the  master  ?  and  you  doing  so  beautiful !  Wouldn't  he  give  the  best 
baste  in  his  stable  to  be  looking  at  you  to-day?  There,  take  a  sup ; 
it's  only  water.  Bad  luck  to  them,  but  it's  hard  work  beatin'  them. 
They're  only  gone  now.     That's  right :  now  you're  coming  to." 

"Where  am  I,  Mike?" 

"  It's  here  you  are,  darlin',  restin'  yourself." 

"  Well,  Charley,  my  poor  fellow,  you've  got  sore  bones,  too,"  cried 
Power,  as,  his  face  swathed  in  bandages  and  covered  with  blood,  he 
lay  down  on  the  grass  beside  me.  "  It  was  a  gallant  thing  while  it 
lasted,  but  has  cost  us  dearly.     Poor  Hixley " 

"  What  of  him  ?"  said  I,  anxiously. 

"  Poor  fellow !  he  has  seen  his  last  battle-field.  He  fell  across  me 
as  we  came  out  upon  the  road.  I  lifted  him  up  in  my  arms,  and 
bore  him  along  above  fifty  yards ;  but  he  was  stone  dead.  Not  a 
sigh,  not  a  word  escaped  him ;  shot  through  the  forehead."  As 
Power  spoke,  his  lips  trembled,  and  his  voice  sank  to  a  mere  whisper 
at  the  last  words, — "  You  remember  what  he  said  last  night.  Poor 
fellow  !  he  was  every  inch  a  soldier." 

Such  was  the  epitaph. 

I  turned  my  head  towards  the  scene  of  our  late  encounter.  Some 
dismounted  guns  and  broken  wagons  alone  marked  the  spot ;  while, 
far  in  the  distance,  the  dust  of  the  retreating  columns  showed  the 
beaten  enemy,  as  they  hurried  towards  the  frontiers  of  Spain. 


300  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER     XLVI. 

_•  THE  MORNING. 

THERE  are  few  sadder  things  in  life  than  the  day  after  a  battle. 
The  high-beating  hopes,  the  bounding  spirits,  have  passed 
away,  and  in  their  stead  comes  the  depressing  reaction  by 
which  every  overwrought  excitement  is  followed.  With  far  differ- 
ent eyes  do  we  look  upon  the  compact  ranks  and  glistening  files, — 

"  With  helm  arrayed, 
And  lance  and  blade, 
And  plume  in  the  gay  wind  dancing !" 

and  upon  the  cold  and  barren  heath,  whose  only  memory  of  the  past 
is  the  blood-stained  turf,  the  mangled  corpse,  the  broken  gun,  the 
shattered  wall,  the  well-trodden  earth  where  columns  stood,  the  cut 
up  ground  where  cavalry  had  charged, — these  are  the  sad  relics  of 
all  the  chivalry  of  yesterday. 

The  morning  which  followed  the  battle  of  the  Douro  was  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  I  ever  remember.  There  was  that  kind  of  fresh- 
ness and  elasticity  in  the  air  which  certain  days  possess,  and  com- 
municate by  some  magic  their  properties  to  ourselves.  The  thrush 
was  singing  gayly  out  from  every  grove  and  wooded  dell ;  the  very 
river  had  a  sound  of  gladness,  as  it  rippled  on  against  its  sedgy 
banks  ;  the  foliage,  too,  sparkled  in  the  fresh  dew,  as  in  its  robes  of 
holiday,  and  all  looked  bright  and  happy. 

We  were  picketed  near  the  river,  upon  a  gently  rising  ground, 
from  which  the  view  extended  for  miles  in  every  direction.  Above 
us,  the  stream  came  winding  down  amid  broad  and  fertile  fields  of 
tall  grass  and  waving  corn,  backed  by  deep  and  mellow  woods,  which 
were  lost  to  the  view  upon  the  distant  hills ;  below,  the  river,  widen- 
ing as  it  went,  pursued  a  straighter  course  or  turned  with  bolder 
curves,  till,  passing  beneath  the  town,  it  spread  into  a  large  sheet  of 
glassy  water,  as  it  opened  to  the  sea.  The  sun  was  just  rising  as  I 
looked  upon  this  glorious  scene,  and  already  the  tall  spires  of 
Oporto  were  tipped  with  a  bright  rosy  hue,  while  the  massive 
towers  and  dark  walls  threw  their  lengthened  shadows  far  across  the 
plain. 

The  fires  of  the  bivouac  still  burned,  but  all  slept  around  them. 
Not  a  sound  was  heard  save  the  tramp  of  a  patrol,  or  the  short, 
quick  cry  of  the  sentry.  I  sat  lost  in  meditation,  or  rather  in  that 
state  of  dreamy  thoughtfulness  in  which  the  past  and  present  are 
combined,  and  the  absent  are  alike  before  us  as  are  the  things  we 
look  upon. 


THE  MORNING.  301 

One  moment  I  felt  as  though  I  were  describing  to  my  uncle  the 
battle  of  the  day  before,  pointing  out  where  we  stood  and  how  we 
charged.  Then,  again,  I  was  at  home,  beside  the  broad,  bleak 
Shannon,  and  the  brown  hills  of  Scariff.  I  watched  with  beating 
heart  the  tall  Sierra,  where'  our  path  lay  for  the  future,  and  then 
turned  my  thoughts  to  him  whose  name  was  so  soon  to  be  received 
in  England  with  a  nation's  pride  and  gratitude,  and  panted  for  a 
soldier's  glory. 

As  thus  I  followed  every  rising  fancy,  I  heard  a  step  approach. 
It  was  a  figure  muffled  in  a  cavalry  cloak,  which  I  soon  perceived 
to  be  Power. 

"  Charley !"  said  he,  in  a  half  whisper,  "  get  up  and  come  with 
me.  You  are  aware  of  the  general  order,  that  while  in  pursuit  of 
an  enemy  all  military  honors  to  the  dead  are  forbidden ;  but  we 
wish  to  place  our  poor  comrade  in  the  earth  before  we  leave." 

I  followed  down  a  little  path,  through  a  grove  of  tall  beech-trees, 
that  opened  upon  a  little  grassy  terrace  beside  the  river.  A  stunted 
olive-tree  stood  by  itself  in  the  midst,  and  there  I  found  five  of  our 
brother  officers  standing,  wrapped  in  their  wide  cloaks.  As  we 
pressed  each  other's  hand,  not  a  word  was  spoken.  Each  heart  was 
full,  and  hard  features,  that  never  quailed  before  the  foe,  were  now 
shaken  with  the  convulsive  spasm  of  agony,  or  compressed  with  a 
stern  determination  to  seem  calm. 

A  cavalry  helmet  and  a  large  blue  cloak  lay  upon  the  ground. 
The  narrow  grave  was  already  dug  beside  it,  and  in  the  deathlike 
stillness  around  the  service  for  the  dead  was  read.  The  last  words 
were  over.  We  stooped  and  placed  the  corpse,  wrapped  up  in  the 
broad  mantle,  in  the  earth ;  we  replaced  the  mould,  and  stood 
silently  around  the  spot.  The  trumpet  of  our  regiment  at  this  mo- 
ment sounded  the  call ;  its  clear  notes  rang  sharply  through  the  thin 
air ;  it  was  the  soldier's  requiem  I  We  turned  away  without  speak- 
ing, and  returned  to  our  quarters. 

I  had  never  known  poor  Hixley  till  a  day  or  two  before ;  but, 
somehow,  my  grief  for  him  was  deep  and  heartfelt.  It  was  not  that 
his  frank  and  manly  bearing,  his  bold  and  military  air,  had  gained 
upon  me.  No ;  these  were  indeed  qualities  to  attract  and  delight 
me,  but  he  had  obtained  a  stronger  and  faster  hold  upon  my  affec- 
tions— he  spoke  to  me  of  home. 

Of  all  the  ties  that  bind  us  to  the  chance  acquaintances  we  meet 
with  in  life,  what  can  equal  this  one  ?  What  a  claim  upon  your  love 
has  he  who  can,  by  some  passing  word,  some  fast-flitting  thought, 
bring  back  the  days  of  your  youth  !  What  interest  can  he  not  ex- 
cite by  some  anecdote  of  your  boyish  days,  some  well-remembered 
trait  of  youthful  daring  or  early  enterprise !     Many  a  year  of  sun- 


302  CHARLES  0>M  ALLEY. 

shine  and  of  storm  has  passed  over  my  head.  I  have  not  been 
without  my  moments  of  gratified  pride  and  rewarded  ambition ;  but 
my  heart  has  never  responded  so  fully,  so  thankfully,  so  proudly,  to 
these,  such  as  they  were,  as  to  the  simple,  touching  words  of  one 
who  knew  my  early  home,  and  loved  its  inmates. 

"  Well,  Fitzroy,  what  news  ?"  cried  I,  roused  from  my  musing,  as 
an  aide-de-camp  galloped  up  at  full  speed. 

"Tell  Merivale  to  get  the  regiment  under  arms  at  once.  Sir 
Arthur  Wellesley  will  be  here  in  less  than  half  an  hour.  You 
may  look  for  the  route  immediately.  Where  are  the  Germans 
quartered  ?" 

"  Lower  down,  beside  that  grove  of  beech-trees,  next  the  river." 

Scarcely  was  my  reply  spoken,  when  he  dashed  spurs  into  his 
horse,  and  was  soon  out  of  sight.  Meanwhile,  the  plain  beneath 
me  presented  an  animated  and  splendid  spectacle.  The  different 
corps  were  falling  into  position  to  the  enlivening  sounds  of  their 
quickstep,  the  trumpets  of  the  cavalry  rang  loudly  through  the 
valley,  and  the  clatter  of  sabres  and  sabretasches,  joined  with  the 
hollow  tramp  of  the  horses,  as  the  squadron  came  up. 

I  had  not  a  moment  to  lose,  so,  hastening  back  to  my  quarters,  I 
found  Mike  waiting  with  my  horse. 

"  Captain  Power's  before  you,  sir,"  said  he,  "  and  you'll  have  to 
make  haste.     The  regiments  are  under  arms  already." 

From  the  little  mound  where  I  stood,  I  could  see  the  long  line  of 
cavalry  as  they  deployed  into  the  plain,  followed  by  the  horse  artil- 
lery, which  brought  up  the  rear. 

"  This  looks  like  a  march,"  thought  I,  as  I  pressed  forward  to  join 
my  companions. 

I  had  not  advanced  above  a  hundred  yards,  through  a  narrow 
ravine,  when  the  measured  tread  of  infantry  fell  upon  my  ears.  I 
pulled  up  to  slacken  my  pace,  just  as  the  head  of  a  column  turned 
round  the  angle  of  the  road,  and  came  in  view.  The  tall  caps  of  a 
grenadier  company  were  the  first  things  I  beheld,  as  /they  came  on 
without  roll  of  drum  or  sound  of  fife.  I  watched  with  a  soldier's 
pride  the  manly  bearing  and  gallant  step  of  the  dense  mass  as  they 
denied  before  me.  I  was  struck  no  less  by  them  than  by  a  certain 
look  of  a  steady  but  sombre  cast  which  each  man  wore. 

"  What  can  this  mean  ?"  thought  I. 

My  first  impression  was  that  a  military  execution  was  about  to 
take  place ;  the  next  moment  solved  my  doubt,  for  as  the  last  files 
of  the  grenadiers  wheeled  round,  a  dense  mass  behind  came  in  sight, 
whose  unarmed  hands  and  downcast  air  at  once  bespoke  them  pri- 
soners of  war. 

What  a  sad  sight  it  was  !    There  was  the  old  and  weather-beaten 


THE  REVIEW.  303 

grenadier,  erect  in  frame  and  firm  in  step,  his  gray  moustache 
scarcely  concealing  the  scowl  that  curled  his  lip,  side  by  side  with 
the  young  and  daring  conscript,  even  yet  a  mere  boy.  Their  march 
was  regular,  their  gaze  steadfast ;  no  look  of  flinching  courage 
there.  On  they  came,  a  long  unbroken  line.  They  looked  not  less 
proudly  than  their  captors  around  them.  As  I  looked  with  heavy 
heart  upon  them,  my  attention  was  attracted  to  one  who  marched 
alone  behind  the  rest.  He  was  a  middle-sized  but  handsome  youth 
of  some  eighteen  years  at  most ;  his  light  helmet  and  waving  plume 
bespoke  him  a  chasseur  a  cheval,  and  I  could  plainly  perceive,  in  his 
careless,  half-saucy  air,  how  indignantly  he  felt  the  position  to 
which  the  fate  of  war  had  reduced  him.  He  caught  my  eyes  fixed 
upon  him,  and  for  an  instant  turned  upon  me  a  gaze  of  open  and 
palpable  defiance,  drawing  himself  up  to  his  full  height,  and  cross- 
ing his  arms  upon  his  breast ;  but  probably  perceiving  in  my  look 
more  of  interest  than  of  triumph,  his  countenance  suddenly  changed, 
a  deep  blush  suffused  his  cheek,  his  eye  beamed  with  a  softened  and 
kindly  expression,  and,  carrying  his  hand  to  his  helmet,  he  saluted 
me,  saying,  in  a  voice  of  singular  sweetness, — 

"  Je  vous  souhaite  un  meilleur  sort,  camarade." 

I  bowed,  and,  muttering  something  in  return,  was  about  to  make 
some  inquiry  concerning  him,  when  the  loud  call  of  the  trumpet 
rang  through  the  valley,  and  apprised  me  that  in  my  interest  for 
the  prisoners  I  had  forgotten  all  else,  and  was  probably  incurring 
censure  for  my  absence. 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

THE   REVIEW. 

WHEN  I  joined  the  group  of  my  brother  officers,  who  stood 
gayly  chatting  and  laughing  together  before  our  lines,  I 
was  much  surprised — nay,  almost  shocked — to  find  how 
little  seeming  impression  had  been  made  upon  them  by  the  sad  duty 
we  had  performed  that  morning. 

When  last  we  met,  each  eye  was  downcast,  each  heart  was  full. 
Sorrow  for  him  we  had  lost  from  amongst  us  forever,  mingling  with 
the  awful  sense  of  our  own  uncertain  tenure  here,  had  laid  its 
impress  on  each  brow ;  but  now,  scarcely  an  hour  elapsed,  and  all 
were  cheerful  and  elated.  The  last  shovelful  of  earth  upon  the 
grave  seemed  to  have  buried  both  the  dead  and  the  mourning.  And 
such  is  war !  and  such  the  temperament  it  forms !     Events  so  strik- 


304  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

ingly  opposite  in  their  character  and  influences  succeed  so  rapidly 
one  upon  another,  that  the  mind  is  kept  in  one  whirl  of  excitement, 
and  at  length  accustoms  itself  to  change  with  every  phase  of  circum- 
stances ;  and  between  joy  and  grief,  hope  and  despondency,  enthu- 
siasm and  depression,  there  is  neither  breadth  nor  interval ;  they 
follow  each  other  as  naturally  as  morning  succeeds  to  night. 

I  had  not  much  time  for  such  reflections.  Scarcely  had  I  saluted 
the  officers  about  me,  when  the  loud  prolonged  roll  of  the  drums 
along  the  line  of  infantry  in  the  valley,  followed  by  the  sharp  clatter 
of  muskets  as  they  were  raised  to  the  shoulder,  announced  that  the 
troops  were  under  arms,  and  the  review  begun. 

"  Have  you  seen  the  general  order  this  morning,  Power?"  inquired 
an  old  officer  beside  me. 

"  No  ;  they  say,  however,  that  ours  are  mentioned." 

"  Harvey  is  going  on  favorably,"  cried  a  young  cornet,  as  he  gal- 
loped up  to  our  party. 

"  Take  ground  to  the  left !"  sung  out  the  clear  voice  of  the  Colonel, 
as  he  rode  along  in  front.  "  Fourteenth  I  1  am  happy  to  inform  you 
that  your  conduct  has  met  approval  in  the  highest  quarter.  I  have 
just  received  the  general  orders,  in  which  this  occurs: — 

"  *  The  timely  passage  of  the  Douro,  and  subsequent  movements 
upon  the  enemy's  flank,  by  Lieutenant-General  Sherbroke  with  the 
Guards  and  29th  Eegiment,  and  the  bravery  of  the  two  squadrons 
of  the  14th  Light  Dragoons  under  the  command  of  Major  Harvey, 
and  led  by  the  Honorable  Brigadier-General  Charles  Stewart,  ob- 
tained the  victory' — Mark  that,  my  lads  ! — obtained  the  victory — 
'  which  has  contributed  so  much  to  the  honor  of  the  troops  on  this 
day.' " 

The  words  were  hardly  spoken,  when  a  tremendous  cheer  burst 
from  the  whole  line  at  once. 

"  Steady,  Fourteenth !  steady,  lads !"  said  the  gallant  old  Colonel, 
as  he  raised  his  hand  gently ;  "  the  staff  is  approaching." 

At  the  same  moment,  the  white  plumes  appeared  rising  above  the 
brow  of  the  hill.  On  they  came,  glittering,  in  all  the  splendor  of 
aiguillettes  and  orders ;  all,  save  one.  He  rode  foremost,  upon  a 
small  compact  black  horse  ;  his  dress,  a  plain  gray  frock,  fastened  at 
the  waist  by  a  red  sash.  His  cocked-hat  alone  bespoke,  in  its  plume, 
the  general  officer.  He  galloped  rapidly  on  till  he  came  to  the  centre 
of  the  line :  then,  turning  short  round,  he  scanned  the  ranks  from 
end  to  end  with  an  eagle  glance. 

"  Colonel  Merivale,  you  have  made  known  to  your  regiment  my 
opinion  of  them,  as  expressed  in  general  orders?" 

The  Colonel  bowed  low  in  acquiescence. 

"  Fitzroy,  you  have  got  the  memorandum,  I  hope  ?" 


THE  REVIEW.  305 

The  aide-de-camp  here  presented  to  Sir  Arthur  a  slip  of  paper, 
which  he  continued  to  regard  attentively  for  some  minutes. 

"  Captain  Powel — Power,  I  mean.     Captain  Power !" 

Power  rode  out  from  the  line. 

"  Your  very  distinguished  conduct  yesterday  has  been  reported  to 
me.  I  shall  have  sincere  pleasure  in  forwarding  your  name  for  the 
vacant  majority." 

"  You  have  forgotten,  Colonel  Merivale,  to  send  in  the  name  of 
the  officer  who  saved  General  Laborde's  life." 

"  I  believe  I  have  mentioned  it,  Sir  Arthur.     Mr.  O'Malley." 

"  True,  I  beg  pardon ;  so  you  have— Mr.  O'Malley ;  a  very  young 
officer  indeed— ha,  an  Irishman  !  the  south  of  Ireland,  eh  ?" 

"  No,  sir,  the  west." 

"  Oh  !  yes.  Well,  Mr.  O'Malley,  you  are  promoted.  You  have 
the  lieutenancy  in  your  own  regiment.  By  the  bye,  Merivale," — 
here  his  voice  changed  into  a  half-laughing  tone, — "  ere  I  forget  it, 
pray  let  me  beg  of  you  to  look  into  this  honest  fellow's  claim  ;  he 
has  given  me  no  peace  the  entire  morning." 

As  he  spoke,  I  turned  my  eyes  in  the  direction  he  pointed,  and,  to 
my  utter  consternation,  beheld  my  man  Mickey  Free  standing 
among  the  staff;  the  position  he  occupied,  and  the  presence  he  stood 
in,  having  no  more  perceptible  effect  upon  his  nerves  than  if  he  were 
assisting  at  an  Irish  wake ;  but  so  completely  was  I  overwhelmed 
with  shame  at  the  moment,  that  the  staff  were  already  far  down  the 
lines  ere  I  recovered  my  .self-possession,  to  which,  certainly,  I  was 
in  some  degree  recalled  by  Master  Mike's  addressing  me  in  a  some- 
what imploring  voice : 

"Arrah,  spake  for  me,  Master  Charles,  alanah ;  sure  they  might 
do  something  for  me  now,  av  it  was  only  to  make  me  a  gauger." 

Mickey's  ideas  of  promotion,  thus  insinuatingly  put  forward,  threw 
the  whole  party  around  into  one  burst  of  laughter. 

"  I  have  him  down  there,"  said  he,  pointing  as  he  spoke  to  a  thick 
grove  of  cork-trees  at  a  little  distance. 

"  Who  have  you  got  there,  Mike  ?"  inquired  Power. 

"  Divil  a  one  o'  me  knows  his  name,"  replied  he ;  "  maybe  it's 
Bony  himself." 

"And  how  do  you  know  he's  there  still  ?" 

"  How  do  I  know,  is  it?     Didn't  I  tie  him  last  night?" 

Curiosity  to  find  out  what  Mickey  could  possibly  allud*  to,  induced 
Power  and  myself  to  follow  him  down  the  slope  to  the  clump  of  trees 
I  have  mentioned.  As  we  came  near,  the  very  distinct  denunciations 
that  issued  from  the  thicket  proved  pretty  clearly  the  nature  of  the 
affair.  It  was  nothing  less  than  a  French  officer  of  cavalry,  that 
Mike  had  unhorsed  in  the  m$l6e}  and  wishing,  probably,  to  preserve 
20 


306  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

some  testimony  of  his  prowess,  had  made  prisoner,  and  tied  fast  to 
a  cork-tree,  the  preceding  evening. 

"Sacrebleu  !"  said  the  poor  Frenchman,  as  we  approached,  "  ce 
sont  des  sauvages  I" 

"  Av  it's  making  your  sowl  ye  are,"  said  Mike,  "  you're  right ;  for 
maybe  they  won't  let  me  keep  you  alive." 

Mike's  idea  of  a  tame  prisoner  threw  me  into  a  fit  of  laughing, 
while  Power  asked, — 

"And  what  do  you  want  to  do  with  him,  Mickey?" 

"  The  sorra  one  o'  me  knows,  for  he  spakes  no  dacent  tongue. 
Thighum  thu,"  said  he,  addressing  the  prisoner,  with  a  poke  in  the 
ribs  at  the  same  moment;  "but  sure,  Master  Charles,  he  might 
tache  me  French." 

There  was  something  so  irresistibly  ludicrous  in  his  tone  and  look 
as  he  said  these  words,  that  both  Power  and  myself  absolutely  roared 
with  laughter.  We  began,  however,  to  feel  not  a  little  ashamed  of 
our  position  in  the  business,  and  explained  to  the  Frenchman  that 
our  worthy  countryman  had  but  little  experience  in  the  usages  of 
war,  while  we  proceeded  to  unbind  him,  and  liberate  him  from  his 
miserable  bondage. 

"  It's  letting  him  loose  you  are,  Captain  I  Master  Charles,  take 
care ;  be-gorra,  av  you  had  as  much  trouble  in  catching  him  as  I  had, 
you'd  think  twice  about  letting  him  out.  Listen  to  me  now," — here 
he  placed  his  closed  fist  within  an  inch  of  the  poor  prisoner's  nose, — 
"  listen  to  me ;  av  you  say  peas,  by  the  morteal,  I'll  not  lave  a  whole 
bone  in  your  skin." 

With  some  difficulty  we  persuaded  Mike  that  his  conduct,  so  far 
from  leading  to  his  promotion,  might,  if  known  in  another  quarter, 
procure  him  an  acquaintance  with  the  Provost-Marshal, — a  fact 
which,  it  was  plain  to  perceive,  gave  him  but  a  very  poor  impression 
of  military  gratitude. 

"  Oh,  then,  if  they  were  in  swarms  forninst  me,  divil  resave  the 
prisoner  I'll  take  again." 

So  saying,  he  slowly  returned  to  the  regiment,  while  Power  and  I, 
having  conducted  the  Frenchman  to  the  rear,  cantered  towards  the 
town  to  learn  the  news  of  the  day. 

The  city  on  that  day  presented  a  most  singular  aspect.  The  streets 
filled  with  the  town's-people  and  the  soldiery,  were  decorated  with 
flags  and  garlands ;  the  cafes  were  crowded  with  merry  groups,  and 
the  sounds  of  music  and  laughter  resounded  on  all  sides.  The 
houses  seemed  to  be  quite  inadequate  to  afford  accommodation  to 
the  numerous  guests,  and,  in  consequence,  bullock  cars  and  forage 
wagons  were  converted  into  temporary  hotels,  and  many  a  jovial 
party  was  collected  in  both.   Military  music,  church  bells,  drinking 


THE  REVIEW.  307 

choruses,  were  all  commingled  in  the  din  and  turmoil ;  processions 
in  honor  of  "  Our  Lady  of  Succor"  were  jammed  up  among  bacchan- 
alian orgies,  and  their  very  chant  half-drowned  in  the  cries  of  the 
wounded,  as  they  passed  on  to  the  hospitals.  With  difficulty  we 
pushed  our  way  through  the  dense  mob,  as  we  turned  our  steps 
towards  the  seminary.  We  both  felt  naturally  curious  to  see  the 
place  where  our  first  detachment  landed,  and  to  examine  the  oppor- 
tunities of  defence  it  presented.  The  building  itself  was  a  large  and 
#  irregular  one,  of  an  oblong  form,  surrounded  by  a  high  wall  of  solid 
masonry,  the  only  entrance  being  by  a  heavy  iron  gate. 

At  this  spot  the  battle  appeared  to  have  raged  with  violence; 
one  side  of  the  massive  gate  was  torn  from  its  hinges,  and  lay  flat 
upon  the  ground  ;  the  walls  were  breached  in  many  places ;  and 
pieces  of  torn  uniforms,  broken  bayonets,  and  bruised  shakos,  attested 
that  the  conflict  was  a  close  one.  The  seminary  itself  was  in  a  fall- 
ing state;  the  roof,  from  which  Paget  had  given  his  orders,  and 
where  he  was  wounded,  had  fallen  in.  The  French  cannon  had  fis- 
sured the  building  from  top  to  bottom,  and  it  seemed  only  awaiting 
the  slightest  impulse  to  crumble  into  ruin.  When  we  regarded  the 
spot,  and  examined  the  narrow  doorway  which,  opening  upon  a 
flight  of  a  few  steps  to  the  river,  admitted  our  first  party,  we  could 
not  help  feeling  struck  anew  with  the  gallantry  of  that  mere  hand- 
ful of  brave  fellows  who  thus  threw  themselves  amid  the  overwhelm- 
ing legions  of  the  enemy,  and  at  once,  without  waiting  for  a  single  re- 
inforcement, opened  a  fire  upon  their  ranks.  Bold  as  the  enterprise 
unquestionably  was,  we  still  felt  with  what  consummate  judgment  it 
had  been  planned ; — a  bend  of  the  river  concealed  entirely  the  pas- 
sage of  the  troops,  the  guns  of  the  Sierra  covered  their  landing,  and 
completely  swept  one  approach  to  the  seminary.  The  French,  being 
thus  obliged  to  attack  by  the  gate,  were  compelled  to  make  a  con- 
siderable detour  before  they  reached  it,  all  of  which  gave  time  for 
our  divisions  to  cross ;  while  the  brigade  of  Guards,  under  General 
Sherbroke,  profiting  by  the  confusion,  passed  the  river  below  the 
town,  and  took  the  enemy  unexpectedly  in  the  rear. 

Brief  as  was  the  struggle  within  the  town,  it  must  have  been  a 
terrific  one.  The  artillery  were  firing  at  musket-range ;  cavalry  and 
infantry  were  fighting  hand  to  hand  in  the  narrow  streets,  a  destruc- 
tive musketry  pouring  all  the  while  from  window  and  house-tops. 

At  the  Amarante  gate,  where  the  French  defiled,  the  carnage  was 
also  great ;  their  light  artillery  unlimbered  some  guns  here  to  cover 
the  columns  as  they  deployed ;  but  Murray's  cavalry  having  carried 
these,  the  flank  of  the  infantry  became  entirely  exposed  to  the  gall- 
ing fire  of  small-arms  from  the  seminary,  and  the  far  more  destruc- 
tive shower  of  grape  that  poured  unceasingly  from  the  Sierra. 


308  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Our  brigade  did  the  rest ;  and  in  less  than  one  hour  from  the 
landing  of  the  first  man,  the  French  were  in  full  retreat  upon  Val- 
longa. 

"  A  glorious  thing,  Charley/'  said  Power,  after  a  pause,  "  and  a 
proud  souvenir  for  hereafter." 

A  truth  I  felt  deeply  at  the  time,  and  one  my  heart  responds 
to  not  less  fully  as  I  am  writing. 


CHAPTER     XLVIII. 

'         THE   QUARREL. 

ON"  the  evening  of  the  12th,  orders  were  received  for  the  Ger- 
man brigade  and  three  squadrons  of  our  regiment  to  pursue 
the  French  upon  the  Terracinthe  road  by  daybreak  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning. 

I  was  busily  occupied  in  my  preparations  for  a  hurried  march, 
when  Mike  came  up  to  say  that  an  officer  desired  to  speak  with  me; 
and  the  moment  after  Captain  Hammersley  appeared.  A  sudden 
flush  colored  his  pale  and  sickly  features,  as  he  held  out  his  hand, 
and  said, — 

"  I've  come  to  wish  you  joy,  O'Malley.  I  just  this  instant  heard  of 
your  promotion.  I  am  sincerely  glad  of  it;  pray  tell  me  the  whole 
affair." 

"  That  is  the  very  thing  I  am  unable  to  do.  I  have  some  very 
vague,  indistinct  remembrance  of  warding  off  a  sabre-cut  from  the 
head  of  a  wounded  and  unhorsed  officer  in  the  meUe  of  yesterday ; 
but  more  I  know  not.  In  fact,  it  was  my  first  day  under  fire  ;  I've 
a  tolerably  clear  recollection  of  all  the  events  of  the  morning,  but 
the  word  '  Charge  !'  once  given,  I  remember  very  little  more.  But 
you,  where  have  you  been  ?     How  have  we  not  met  before  ?" 

"  I've  exchanged  into  a  heavy  dragoon  regiment,  and  am  now  em- 
ployed upon  the  staff." 

"  You  are  aware  that  I  have  letters  for  you  ?" 

"  Power  hinted,  I  think,  something  of  the  kind.  I  saw  him  very 
hurriedly." 

These  words  were  spoken  with  an  effort  at  nonchalance  that  evi- 
dently cost  him  much. 

As  for  me,  my  agitation  was  scarcely  less,  as,  fumbling  for  some 
seconds  in  my  portmanteau,  I  drew  forth  the  long  destined  packet. 
As  I  placed  it  in  his  hands  he  grew  deadly  pale,  and  a  slight  spas- 
modic twitch  in  his  upper  lip  bespoke  some  unnatural  struggle.   He 


THE  QUARREL.  309 

broke  the  seal  suddenly,  and  as  he  did  so,  the  morocco  case  of  a 
miniature  fell  upon  the  ground ;  his  eyes  fell  rapidly  across  the 
letter ;  the  livid  color  of  his  lips,  as  the  blood  forced  itself  to  them, 
added  to  the  corpse-like  hue  of  his  countenance. 

"You  probably  are  aware  of  the  contents  of  this  letter,  Mr. 
O'Malley  ?"  said  he,  in  an  altered  voice,  whose  tones,  half  in  anger, 
half  in  suppressed  irony,  cut  to  my  very  heart. 

"  I  am  in  complete  ignorance  of  them,"  said  I,  calmly. 

"  Indeed,  sir !"  replied  he,  with  a  sarcastic  curl  of  his  mouth  as  he 
spoke.  "  Then,  perhaps,  you  will  tell  me,  too,  that  your  very  suc- 
cess is  a  secret  to  you  ?" 

"  I'm  really  not  aware " 

"  You  probably  think,  sir,  that  the  pastime  is  an  amusing  one,  to 
interfere  where  the  affections  of  others  are  concerned.  I've  heard 
of  you,  sir.  Your  conduct  at  Lisbon  is  known  to  me;  and  though 
Captain  Trevyllian  may  bear " 

"  Stop,  Captain  Hammersley !"  said  I,  with  a  tremendous  effort  to 
becalm;  "stop;  you  have  said  enough,  quite  enough,  to  convince 
me  of  what  your  object  was  in  seeking  me  here  to-day.  You  shall 
not  be  disappointed.  I  trust  that  assurance  will  save  you  from  any 
further  display  of  temper." 

"  I  thank  you ;  most  humbly  I  thank  you  for  the  quickness  of 
your  apprehension ;  and  I  shall  now  take  my  leave.  Good  evening, 
Mr.  O'Malley.  I  wish  you  much  joy ;  you  have  my  very  fullest  con- 
gratulations upon  all  your  good  fortune." 

The  sneering  emphasis  the  last  words  were  spoken  with  remained 
fixed  in  my  mind  long  after  he  took  his  departure  ;  and,  indeed,  so 
completely  did  the  whole  seem  like  a  dream  to  me,  that  were  it  not 
for  the  fragments  of  the  miniature  that  lay  upon  the  ground,  where 
he  had  crushed  them  with  his  heel,  I  could  scarcely  credit  myself 
that  I  was  awake. 

My  first  impulse  was  to  seek  Power,  upon  whose  judgment  and 
discretion  I  could  with  confidence  rely. 

I  had  not  long  to  wait ;  for  scarcely  had  I  thrown  my  cloak  around 
me,  when  he  rode  up.  He  had  ju3t  seen  Hammersley,  and  learned 
something  of  our  interview. 

"  Why,  Charley,  my  dear  fellow,  what  is  this  ?  How  have  you 
treated  poor  Hammersley  ?" 

"  Treated  him  !  say,  rather,  how  has  he  treated  me." 

I  here  entered  into  a  short  but  accurate  account  of  our  meeting, 
during  which  Power  listened  with  great  composure,  while  I  could 
perceive,  from  the  questions  he  asked,  that  some  very  different  im- 
pression had  been  previously  made  upon  his  mind. 

"  And  this  was  all  that  passed?" 


310  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"All." 

"  But  what  of  the  business  at  Lisbon  ?" 

"  I  don't  understand." 

"  Why,  he  speaks — he  has  heard  some  foolish  account  of  your 
having  made  some  ridiculous  speech  there  about  your  successful 
rivalry  of  him  in  Ireland — Lucy  Dashwood,  I  suppose,  is  referred 
to.  Some  one  has  been  good-natured  enough  to  repeat  the  thing 
to  him." 

"  But  it  never  occurred.     I  never  did." 

"  Are  you  sure,  Charley  ?" 

"  I  am  sure ;  I  know  I  never  did." 

"  The  poor  fellow,  he  has  been  duped !  Come,  Charley,  you  must 
not  take  it  ill.  Poor  Hammersley  has  never  recovered  from  a  sabre- 
wound  he  received  some  months  since  upon  the  head ;  his  intellects 
are  really  affected  by  it.  Leave  it  all  to  me.  Promise  not  to 
leave  your  quarters  till  I  return,  and  I'll  put  everything  right 
again." 

I  gave  the  required  pledge,  while  Power,  springing  into  the 
saddle,  left  me  to  my  own  reflections. 

My  frame  of  mind  as  Power  left  me  was  by  no  means  an  enviable 
one.  A  quarrel  is  rarely  a  happy  incident  in  a  man's  life,  still  less 
is  it  so  when  the  difference  arises  with  one  we  are  disposed  to  like 
and  respect.  Such  was  Hammersley.  His  manly,  straightforward 
character  had  won  my  esteem  and  regard,  and  it  was  with  no  common 
scrutiny  I  taxed  my  memory  to  think  what  could  have  given  rise  to 
the  impression  he  labored  under  of  my  having  injured  him.  His 
chance  mention  of  Trevyllian  suggested  to  me  some  suspicion  that 
his  dislike  of  me,  wherefore  arising  I  knew  not,  might  have  its  share 
in  the  matter.  In  this  state  of  doubt  and  uncertainty  I  paced 
impatiently  up  and  down,  anxiously  watching  for  Power's  return, 
in  the  hope  of  at  length  getting  some  real  insight  into  the  diffi- 
culty. 

My  patience  was  fast  ebbing ;  Power  had  been  absent  above  an 
hour,  and  no  appearance  of  him  could  I  detect,  when  suddenly  the 
tramp  of  a  horse  came  rapidly  up  the  hill.  I  looked  out,  and  saw  a 
rider  coming  forward  at  a  very  fast  pace.  Before  I  had  time  for 
even  a  guess  as  to  who  it  was,  he  drew  up,  and  I  recognized  Captain 
Trevyllian.  There  was  a  certain  look  of  easy  impertinence  and  half- 
smiling  satisfaction  about  his  features  I  had  never  seen  before,  as  he 
touched  his  cap  in  salute,  and  said, — 

"  May  I  have  the  honor  of  a  few  moments'  conversation  with 
you?" 

I  bowed  silently,  while  he  dismounted,  and  passing  his  bridle 
beneath  his  arm,  walked  on  beside  me. 


THE  QUARREL.  311 

"  My  friend  Captain  Hammersley  has  commissioned  me  to  wait 
upon  you  about  this  unpleasant  affair " 

"  I  beg  pardon  for  the  interruption,  Captain  Trevyllian,  but  as  I 
have  yet  to  learn  to  what  you  and  your  friend  allude,  perhaps  it  may 
facilitate  matters  if  you  will  explicitly  state  your  meaning." 

He  grew  crimson  on  the  cheek  as  I  said  this,  while,  with  a  voice 
perfectly  unmoved,  he  continued  — 

"I  am  not  sufficiently  in  my  friend's  confidence  to  know  the 
whole  of  the  affair  in  question,  nor  have  I  his  permission  to  enter 
into  any  of  it,  he  probably  presuming,  as  I  certainly  did  myself, 
that  your  sense  of  honor  would  have  deemed  further  parley  and 
discussion  both  unnecessary  and  unseasonable." 

"  In  fact,  then,  if  I  understand,  it  is  expected  that  I  should  meet 
Captain  Hammersley  for  some  reason  unknown " 

"  He  certainly  desires  a  meeting  with  you,"  was  the  dry  reply. 

"  And  as  certainly  I  shall  not  give  it  before  understanding  upon 
what  grounds." 

"  And  such  I  am  to  report  as  your  answer  ?"  said  he,  looking  at 
me  at  the  moment  with  an  expression  of  ill-repressed  triumph  as  he 
spoke. 

There  was  something  in  these  few  words,  as  well  as  in  the  tone  in 
which  they  were  spoken,  that  sunk  deeply  in  my  heart.  Was  it  that 
by  some  trick  of  diplomacy  he  was  endeavoring  to  compromise  my 
honor  and  character?  Was  it  possible  that  my  refusal  might  be 
construed  into  any  other  than  the  real  cause  ?  I  was  too  young,  too 
inexperienced  in  the  world,  to  decide  the  question  for  myself,  and 
no  time  was  allowed  me  to  seek  another's  counsel.  What  a  trying 
moment  was  that  for  me!  My  temples  throbbed,  my  heart  beat 
almost  audibly,  and  I  stood  afraid  to  speak,  dreading,  on  the  one 
hand,  lest  my  compliance  might  involve  me  in  an  act  to  embitter 
my  life  forever,  and  fearful,  on  the  other,  that  my  refusal  might  be 
reported  as  a  trait  of  cowardice. 

He  saw,  he  read  my  difficulty  at  a  glance,  and,  with  a  smile  of 
most  supercilious  expression,  repeated  coolly  his  former  question.  In 
an  instant  all  thought  of  Hammersley  was  forgotten.  I  remembered 
no  more.  I  saw  him  before  me,  he  who  had,  since  my  first  meeting, 
continually  contrived  to  pass  some  inappreciable  slight  upon  me.  My 
eyes  flashed,  my  hands  tingled  with  ill-repressed  rage,  as  I  said,— 

"With  Captain  Hammersley  I  am  conscious  of  no  quarrel,  nor 
have  I  ever  shown  by  any  act  or  look  an  intention  to  provoke  one. 
Indeed,  such  demonstrations  are  not  always  successful.  There  are 
persons  most  rigidly  scrupulous  for  a  friend's  honor  little  disposed 
to  guard  their  own." 

"  You  mistake,"  said  he,  interrupting  me, — as  I  spoke  these  words 


312  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

with  a  look  as  insulting  as  I  could  make  it, — "  you  mistake.  I  have 
sworn  a  solemn  oath  never  to  send  a  challenge." 

The  emphasis  upon  the  word  "  send"  explained  fully  his  mean- 
ing, when  I  said, — 

"  But  you  will  not  decline " 

"Most  certainly  not,"  said  he,  again  interrupting,  while  with 
sparkling  eye  and  elated  look  he  drew  himself  up  to  his  full  height. 

"  Your  friend  is " 

"  Captain  Power  ;  and  yours " 

"  Sir  Harry  Beaufort.  I  may  observe  that,  as  the  troops  are  in 
marching  order,  the  matter  had  better  not  be  delayed." 

"  There  shall  be  none  on  my  part." 

"Nor  mine,"  said  he,  as,  with  a  low  bow,  and  a  look  of  most  in- 
effable triumph,  he  sprang  into  his  saddle ;  then,  "  Au  revoir,  Mr. 
O'Malley,"  said  he,  gathering  up  his  reins.  "Beaufort  is  on  the 
staff,  and  quartered  at  Oporto."  So  saying,  he  cantered  easily  down 
the  slope,  and  once  more  I  was  alone. 


CHAPTEE  XLIX. 

THE    ROUTE. 

I  WAS  leisurely  examining  my  pistols — poor  Oonsidine's  last 
present  to  me  on   leaving  home — when  an   orderly  sergeant 
rode  rapidly  up,  and  delivered  into  my  hands  the  following 
order : — 

"  Lieutenant  O'Malley  will  hold  himself  in  immediate  readiness 
to  proceed  on  a  particular  service.  By  order  of  his  Excellency  the 
Commander  of  the  Forces. 

"  S.  Gordon,  Military  Secretary." 

"  What  can  this  mean  ?"  thought  I.  "  It  is  not  possible  that  any 
rumor  of  my  intended  meeting  could  have  got  abroad,  and  that  my 
present  destination  could  be  intended  as  a  punishment?" 

I  walked  hurriedly  to  the  door  of  the  little  hut  which  formed  my 
quarters.  Below  me,  in  the  plain,  all  was  activity  and  preparation ; 
the  infantry  were  drawn  up  in  marching  order;  baggage  wagons, 
ordnance  stores  and  artillery  seemed  all  in  active  preparation  ;  and 
some  cavalry  squadrons  might  be  already  seen,  with  forage  allow- 
ances behind  the  saddle,  as  if  only  waiting  the  order  to  set  out.  I 
strained  my  eyes  to  see  if  Power  was  coming,  but  no  horseman  ap- 


THE  ROUTE.  313 

proached  in  the  direction.  I  stood,  and  I  hesitated  whether  I  should 
not  rather  seek  him  at  once,  than  continue  to  wait  on  in  ray  present 
uncertainty.  But  then,  what  if  I  should  miss  him  ?  and  I  had 
pledged  myself  to  remain  till  he  returned. 

While  I  deliberated  thus  with  myself,  weighing  the  various  chances 
for  and  against  each  plan,  I  saw  two  mounted  officers  coming  towards 
me  at  a  brisk  trot.  As  they  came  nearer,  I  recognized  one  as  my 
Colonel ;  the  other  was  an  officer  of  the  staff. 

Supposing  that  their  mission  had  some  relation  to  the  order  I  had 
so  lately  received,  and  which  until  now  I  had  forgotten,  I  hastily 
returned,  and  ordered  Mike  to  my  presence. 

"How  are  the  horses,  Mike?"  said  I. 

"  Never  better,  sir.  Badger  was  wounded  slightly  by  a  spent  shot 
in  the  counter,  but  he's  never  the  worse  this  morning,  and  the  black 
horse  is  capering  like  a  filly." 

"  Get  ready  my  pack,  feed  the  cattle,  and  be  prepared  to  set  out  at 
a  moment's  warning." 

"  Good  advice,  O'Malley,"  said  the  Colonel,  as  he  overheard  the 
last  direction  to  my  servant.     "  I  hope  the  nags  are  in  condition." 

"  Why,  yes,  sir,  I  believe  they  are." 

"All  the  better ;  you've  a  sharp  ride  before  you.  Meanwhile,  let 
me  introduce  my  friend  ;  Captain  Beaumont — Mr.  O'Malley.  I 
think  we  had  better  be  seated." 

"  These  are  your  instructions,  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  Captain  Beau- 
mont, unfolding  a  map  as  he  spoke.  "  You  will  proceed  from  this, 
with  half*  a  troop  of  your  regiment,  by  forced  marches,  towards  the 
frontier,  passing  through  the  town  of  Calenco,  and  Guarda,  and  the 
Estrella  pass.  On  arriving  at  the  head-quarters  of  the  Lusitanian 
Legion,  which  you  will  find  there,  you  are  to  put  yourself  under 
the  orders  of  Major  Monsoon,  commanding  that  force.  Any  Portu- 
guese cavalry  he  may  have  with  him  will  be  attached  to  yours,  and 
under  your  command ;  your  rank,  for  the  time,  being  that  of  captain. 
You  will,  as  far  as  possible,  acquaint  yourself  with  the  habits  and 
capabilities  of  the  native  cavalry,  and  make  such  report  as  you  judge 
necessary  thereupon  to  his  Excellency  the  Commander  of  the  Forces. 
I  think  it  only  fair  to  add  that  you  are  indebted  to  my  friend  Colonel 
Merivale  for  the  very  flattering  position  thus  opened  to  your  skill 
and  enterprise." 

"  My  dear  Colonel,  let  me  assure  you " 

"Not  a  word,  my  boy.  I  knew  the  thing  would  suit  you,  and  I 
am  sure  I  can  count  upon  your  not  disappointing  my  expectations 
of  you.  Sir  Arthur  perfectly  remembers  your  name.  He  only  asked 
two  questions — 

" '  Is  he  well  mounted  V 


314  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  'Admirably,'  was  my  answer. 
" '  Can  you  depend  upon  his  promptitude  V 
"  '  He'll  leave  in  half  an  hour.' 

"  So  you  see,  O'Malley,  I  have  already  pledged  myself  for  you. 
And  now  I  must  say  adieu ;  the  regiments  are  about  to  take  up  a 
more  advanced  position,  so  good-bye.  I  hope  you  will  have  a  pleas- 
ant time  of  it  till  we  meet  again." 

"  It  is  now  twelve  o'clock,  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  Beaumont ;  "  we 
may  rely  upon  your  immediate  departure.  Your  written  instruc- 
tions and  despatches  will  be  here  within  a  quarter  of  an  hour." 

I  muttered  something — what,  I  cannot  remember;  I  bowed  my 
thanks  to  my  worthy  Colonel,  shook  his  hand  warmly,  and  saw  him 
ride  down  the  hill,  and  disappear  in  the  crowd  of  soldiery  beneath, 
before  I  could  recall  my  faculties  and  think  over  my  situation. 

Then  all  at  once  did  the  full  difficulty  of  my  position  break  upon 
me.  If  I  accepted  my  present  employment,  I  must  certainly  fail  in 
my  engagement  to  Trevyllian.  But  I  had  already  pledged  myself 
to  its  acceptance.  What  was  to  be  done?  No  time  was  left  for 
deliberation.  The  very  minutes  I  should  have  spent  in  preparation 
were  fast  passing.  Would  that  Power  might  appear.  Alas !  he  came 
not.  My  state  of  doubt  and  uncertainty  increased  every  moment  ; 
I  saw  nothing  but  ruin  before  me,  even  at  a  moment  when  fortune 
promised  most  fairly  for  the  future,  and  opened  a  field  of  enterprise 
my  heart  had  so  often  and  so  ardently  desired.  Nothing  was  left 
me  but  to  hasten  to  Colonel  Merivale  and  decline  the  appointment ; 
to  do  so  was  to  prejudice  my  character  in  his  estimation  forever,  for 
I  dared  not  allege  my  reasons,  and  in  all  probability  my  conduct 
might  require  my  leaving  the  army. 

"Be  it  so,  then,"  said  I,  in  an  accent  of  despair;  "the  die  is 
cast." 

I  ordered  my  horse  round ;  I  wrote  a  few  words  to  Power,  to 
explain  my  absence,  should  he  come  while  I  was  away,  and  leaped 
into  the  saddle.  As  I  reached  the  plain,  my  pace  became  a  gallop, 
and  I  pressed  my  horse  with  all  the  impatience  my  heart  was  burn- 
ing with.  I  dashed  along  the  lines  towards  Oporto,  neither  hearing 
nor  seeing  aught  around  me,  when  suddenly  the  clank  of  cavalry 
accoutrements  behind  induced  me  to  turn  my  head,  and  I  perceived 
an  orderly  dragoon  at  full  gallop  in  pursuit.  I  pulled  up  till  he 
came  alongside. 

"Lieutenant  O'Malley,  sir,"  said  the  man,  saluting,  "these  des- 
patches are  for  you." 

I  took  them  hurriedly,  and  was  about  to  continue  my  route,  when 
the  attitude  of  the  dragoon  arrested  my  attention.  He  had  reined 
in  his  horse  to  the  side  of  the  narrow  causeway,  and,  holding  him 


THE  WATCH-FIRE.  315 

still  and  steadily,  sat  motionless  as  a  statue.  I  looked  behind,  and 
saw  the  whole  staff  approaching  at  a  brisk  trot.  Before  I  had  a 
moment  for  thought  they  were  beside  me. 

"Ah!  O'Malley,"  cried  Merivale,  "you  have  your  orders ;  don't 
wait ;  his  Excellency  is  coming  up." 

"  Get  along,  I  advise  you,"  said  another,  "  or  you'll  catch  it,  as 
some  of  us  have  done  this  morning." 

"All  is  right,  Charley ;  you  can  go  in  safety,"  said  a  whispering 
voice,  as  Power  passed  in  a  sharp  canter. 

That  one  sentence  was  enough ;  my  heart  bounded  like  a  deer,  my 
cheek  beamed  with  the  glow  of  delighted  pleasure,  I  closed  my  spurs 
upon  my  gallant  gray,  and  dashed  across  the  plain. 

When  I  arrived  at  my  quarters,  the  men  were  drawn  up  in  wait- 
ing, and  provided  with  rations  for  three  days'  march :  Mike  was 
also  prepared  for  the  road,  and  nothing  more  remained  to  delay 
me. 

"  Captain  Power  has  been  here,  sir,  and  left  a  note." 

I  took  it  and  thrust  it  hastily  into  my  sabretasche.  I  knew  from 
the  few  words  he  had  spoken  that  my  present  step  involved  me  in 
no  ill  consequences ;  so,  giving  the  word  to  wheel  into  column,  I 
rode  to  the  front,  and  set  out  upon  my  march  to  Alcantara. 


CHAPTER  L. 

THE  WATCH-FIRE.       • 

THERE  are  few  things  so  inspiriting  to  a  young  soldier  as  the 
being  employed  with  a  separate  command;  the  picket  and 
out-post  duty  have  a  charm  for  .him  no  other  portion  of  his 
career  possesses.  The  field  seems  open  for  individual  boldness  and 
heroism :  success,  if  obtained,  must  redound  to  his  own  credit ;  and 
what  can  equal,  in  its  spirit-stirring  enthusiasm,  that  first  moment 
when  we  become  in  any  way  the  arbiter  of  our  own  fortunes? 

Such  were  my  happy  thoughts  as,  with  a  proud  and  elated  heart, 
I  set  forth  upon  my  march.  The  notice  the  Commander-in-Chief 
had  bestowed  upon  me  had  already  done  much :  it  had  raised  me  in 
my  own  estimation,  and  implanted  within  me  a  longing  desire  for 
further  distinction.  I  thought,  too,  of  those  far,  far  away,  who  were 
yet  to  hear  of  my  successes. 

I  fancied  to  myself  how  they  would  severally  receive  the  news. 
My  poor  uncle,  with  tearful  eye  and  quivering  lip,  was  before  me,  as 


316  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

I  saw  him  read  the  despatch,  then  wipe  his  glasses,  and  read  on,  till 
at  last,  with  one  long-drawn  breath,  his  manly  voice,  tremulous  with 
emotion,  would  break  forth — "  My  boy  !  my  own  Charley  !"  Then 
I  pictured  Considine,  with  port  erect  and  stern  features,  listening 
silently ;  not  a  syllable,  not  a  motion  betraying  that  he  felt  inter- 
ested in  my  fate,  till,  as  if  impatient,  at  length  he  would  break  in — 
"  I  knew  it — I  said  so ;  and  yet  you  thought  to  make  him  a  lawyer !" 
And  then  old  Sir  Harry  :  his  warm  heart  glowing  with  pleasure,  and 
his  good-humored  face  beaming  with  happiness.  How  many  a 
blunder  he  would  make  in  retailing  the  news,  and  how  many  a 
hearty  laugh  his  version  of  it  would  give  rise  to ! 

I  passed  in  review  before  me  the  old  servants,  as  they  lingered  in 
the  room  to  hear  the  story.  Poor  old  Matthew,  the  butler,  fumbling 
with  his  corkscrew  to  gain  a  little  time ;  then  looking  in  my  uncle's 
face,  half  entreatingly,  as  he  asked, — "Any  news  of  Master  Charles, 
sir,  from  the  wars  ?" 

While  thus  my  mind  wandered  back  to  the  scenes  and  faces  of 
my  early  home,  I  feared  to  ask  myself  how  she  would  feel  to  whom 
my  heart  was  now  turning.  Too  deeply  did  I  know  how  poor  my 
chances  were  in  that  quarter  to  nourish  hope,  and  yet  I  could  not 
bring  myself  to  abandon  it  altogether.  Hammersley's  strange  con- 
duct suggested  to  me  that  he,  at  least,  could  not  be  my  rival,  while 
I  plainly  perceived  that  he  regarded  me  as  his.  There  was  a  mystery 
in  all  this  I  could  not  fathom,  and  I  ardently  longed  for  my  next 
meeting  with  Power,  to  learn  the  nature  of  his  interview,  and  also 
in  what  manner  the  affair  had  been  arranged. 

Such  were  my  passing  thoughts  as  I  pressed  forward.  My  men, 
picked  no  less  for  themselves  than  their  horses,  came  rapidly  along, 
and  ere  evening  we  had  accomplished  twelve  leagues  of  our  journey. 

The  country  through  which  we  journeyed,  though  wild  and  roman- 
tic in  its  character,  was  singularly  rich  and  fertile, — cultivation 
reaching  to  the  very  summits  .of  the  rugged  mountains,  and  patches 
of  wheat  and  Indian  corn  peeping  amid  masses  of  granite  rock 
and  tangled  brushwood.  The  vine  and  the  olive  grew  wild  on 
every  side ;  while  the  orange  and  the  arbutus,  loading  the  air  with 
perfume,  were  mingled  with  prickly  pear-trees  and  variegated 
hollies.  We  followed  no  regular  track,  but  cantered  along  over  hill 
and  valley,  through  forest  and  prairie;  now  in  long  file  through 
some  tall  field  of  waving  corn,  now  in  open  order  upon  some  level 
plain,  our  Portuguese  guide  riding  a  little  in  advance  of  us,  upon 
a  jet-black  mule,  carolling  merrily  some  wild  Galician  melody  as 
he  went. 

As  the  sun  was  setting,  we  arrived  beside  a  little  stream,  that, 
flowing  along  a  rocky  bod,  skirted  a  vast  forest  of  tall  cork  trees. 


THE  WATCH-FIRE.  317 

Here  we  called  a  halt;  and,  picketing  our  horses,  proceeded  to  make 
our  arrangements  for  a  bivouac. 

Never  do  I  remember  a  more  lovely  night.  The  watch-fires  sent 
up  a  delicious  odor  from  the  perfumed  shrubs ;  while  the  glassy 
water  reflected  on  its  still  surface  the  starry  sky  that,  unshadowed 
and  unclouded,  stretched  above  us.  I  wrapped  myself  in  my  troop- 
er's mantle,  and  lay  down  beneath  a  tree, — but  not  to  sleep.  There 
was  a  something  so  exciting,  and  withal  so  tranquillizing,  that  I  had 
no  thought  of  slumber,  but  fell  into  a  musing  reverie.  There  was  a 
character  of  adventure  in  my  position  that  charmed  me  much.  My 
men  were  gathered  in  groups  beside  the  fires ;  some  were  sunk  in 
slumber,  others  sat  smoking  silently,  or  chatting,  in  a  low  and  under- 
tone, of  some  bygone  scene  of  battle  or  bivouac ;  here  and  there 
were  picketed  the  horses,  the  heavy  panoply  and  piled  carbines 
flickering  in  the  red  glare  of  the  watch-fires,  which  ever  and  anon 
threw  a  flitting  glow  upon  the  stern  and  swarthy  faces  of  my  bold 
troopers.  Upon  the  trees  around,  sabres  and  helmets,  holsters  and 
cross-belts,  were  hung  like  armorial  bearings  in  some  antique  hall, 
the  dark  foliage  spreading  its  heavy  shadow  around  us.  Farther  off, 
upon  a  little  rocky  ledge,  the  erect  figure  of  the  sentry,  with  his  short 
carbine  resting  in  the  hollow  of  his  arm,  was  seen  slowly  pacing  in 
measured  tread,  or  standing  for  a  moment  silently,  as  he  looked 
upon  the  fair  and  tranquil  sky, — his  thoughts  doubtless  far,  far  away, 
beyond  the  sea,  to  some  humble  home,  where 

"  The  hum  of  the  spreading  sycamore, 
That  grew  beside  his  cottage  door," 

was  again  in  his  ears,  while  the  merry  laugh  of  his  children  stirred 
his  bold  heart.  It  was  a  Salvator-Rosa  scene,  and  brought  me  back 
in  fancy  to  the  bandit  legends  I  had  read  in  boyhood.  By  the  uncer- 
tain light  of  the  wood  embers  I  endeavored  to  sketch  the  group  that 
lay  before  me. 

The  night  wore  on.  One  by  one  the  soldiers  stretched  themselves 
to  sleep,  and  all  was  still.  As  the  hours  rolled  by,  a  drowsy  feeling 
crept  gradually  over  me.  I  placed  my  pistols  by  my  side,  and  having 
replenished  the  fire  by  some  fresh  logs,  disposed  myself  comfortably 
before  it. 

It  was  during  that  half-dreamy  state  that  intervenes  between 
waking  and  sleep  that  a  rustling  sound  of  the  branches  behind 
attracted  my  attention.  The  air  was  too  calm  to  attribute  this  to 
the  wind,  so  I  listened  for  some  minutes ;  but  sleep,  too  long  de- 
ferred, was  over-powerful ;  my  head  sank  upon  my  grassy  pillow, 
and  I  was  soon  sound  asleep.  How  long  I  remained  thus,  I  know 
not,  but  I  awoke  suddenly.     I  fancied  some  one  had  shaken  me 


318  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

rudely  by  the  shoulder ;  but  yet  all  was  tranquil.  My  men  were 
sleeping  soundly,  as  I  saw  them  last.  The  fires  were  becoming  low, 
and  a  gray  streak  in  the  sky,  as  well  as  a  sharp  cold  feeling  of  the 
air,  betokened  the  approach  of  day.  Once  more  I  heaped  some  dry 
branches  together,  and  was  about  again  to  stretch  myself  to  rest, 
when  I  felt  a  hand  upon  my  shoulder.  I  turned  quickly  round, 
and,  by  the  imperfect  light  of  the  fire,  saw  the  figure  of  a  man 
standing  motionless  beside  me.  His  head  was  bare,  and  his  hair 
fell  in  long  curls  over  his  shoulders ;  one  hand  was  pressed  upon  his 
bosom,  and  with  the  other  he  motioned  me  to  silence.  My  first  im- 
pression was  that  our  party  was  surprised  by  some  French  patrol ; 
but  as  I  looked  again,  I  recognized,  to  my  amazement,  that  the  indi- 
vidual before  me  was  the  young  French  officer  I  had  seen  that 
morning  a  prisoner  beside  the  Douro. 

"  How  came  you  here  ?"  said  I,  in  a  low  voice,  to  him  in  French. 

"  Escaped.  One  of  my  own  men  threw  himself  between  me  and 
the  sentry ;  I  swam  the  Douro,  received  a  musket-ball  through  my 
arm,  lost  my  shako,  and  here  I  am  !" 

"  You  are  aware  you  are  again  a  prisoner  ?" 

"  If  you  desire  it,  of  course  I  am,"  said  he,  in  a  voice  full  of  feel- 
ing, that  made  my  very  heart  creep.  "  I  thought  you  were  a  party 
of  Lorge's  dragoons,  scouring  the  country  for  forage;  tracked  you 
the  entire  day,  and  have  only  now  come  up  with  you." 

The  poor  fellow,  who  had  neither  eaten  nor  drunk  since  day- 
break, wounded  and  footsore,  had  accomplished  twelve  leagues  of  a 
march,  only  once  more  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  His 
years  could  scarcely  have  numbered  nineteen ;  his  countenance  was 
singularly  prepossessing ;  and,  though  bleeding  and  torn,  with  tat- 
tered uniform,  and  without  a  covering  to  his  head,  there  was  no 
mistaking  for  a  moment  that  he  was  of  gentle  blood.  Noiselessly 
and  cautiously  I  made  him  sit  down  beside  the  fire,  while  I  spread 
before  him  the  sparing  remnant  of  my  last  night's  supper,  and 
shared  my  solitary  bottle  of  sherry  with  him. 

From  the  moment  he  spoke,  I  never  entertained  a  thought  of 
making  him  a  prisoner ;  but,  as  I  knew  not  how  far  I  was  culpable 
in  permitting,  if  not  actually  facilitating,  his  escape,  I  resolved  to 
keep  the  circumstance  a  secret  from  my  party,  and,  if  possible,  get 
him  away  before  daybreak. 

No  sooner  did  he  learn  my  intentions  regarding  him,  than  in  an 
instant  all  memory  of  his  past  misfortune,  all  thoughts  of  his  pre- 
sent destitute  condition,  seemed  to  have  fled ;  and  while  I  dressed 
his  wound  and  bound  up  his  shattered  arm,  he  chatted  away  as  un- 
concernedly about  the  past  and  the  future  as  though  seated  beside 
the  fire  of  his  own  bivouac,  surrounded  by  his  own  brother  officers. 


THE  WATCH-FIRE.  319 

"  You  took  us  by  surprise  the  other  day,"  said  he.  "  Our  Mar- 
shal looked  for  the  attack  from  the  mouth  of  the  river ;  we  received 
information  that  your  ships  were  expected  there.  In  any  case,  our 
retreat  was  an  orderly  one,  and  must  have  been  effected  with  slight 
loss." 

I  smiled  at  the  self-complacency  of  this  reasoning,  but  did  not 
tcontradict  him. 

''Your  loss  must  indeed  have  been  great;  your  men  crossed 
under  the  fire  of  a  whole  battery." 

"Not  exactly,"  said  I ;  "our first  party  were  quietly  stationed  in 
Oporto  before  you  knew  anything  about  it." 

"Ah!  sacre  Dieul  Treachery  1"  cried  he,  striking  his  forehead  with 
his  clenched  fist. 

"  Not  so  ;  mere  daring — nothing  more.  But  come,  tell  me  some- 
thing of  your  own  adventures.     How  were  you  taken  ?" 

"  Simply  thus  :  I  was  sent  to  the  rear  with  orders  to  the  artillery 
to  cut  their  traces  and  leave  the  guns  ;  when  coming  back,  my  horse 
grew  tired  in  the  heavy  ground,  and  1  was  spurring  him  to  the 
utmost,  when  one  of  your  heavy  dragoons — an  officer,  too — dashed 
at  me,  and  actually  rode  me  down,  horse  and  all.  I  lay  for  some 
time  bruised  by  the  fall,  when  an  infantry  soldier,  passing  by,  seized 
me  by  the  collar,  and  brought  me  to  the  rear.  No  matter,  however, 
here  I  am  now.  You  will  not  give  me  up ;  and  perhaps  I  may  one 
day  live  to  repay  the  kindness." 

"  You  have  not  long  joined  ?" 

"  It  was  my  first  battle ;  my  epaulettes  were  very  smart  things 
yesterday,  though  they  do  look  a  little  passtes  to-day.  You  are 
advancing,  I  suppose?" 

I  smiled,  without  answering  this  question. 

"  Ah,  I  see  you  don't  wish  to  speak ;  never  mind,  your  discretion 
is  thrown  awray  upon  me ;  for  if  I  rejoined  my  regiment  to-morrow, 
I  should  have  forgotten  all  you  told  me — all  but  your  great  kind- 
ness." These  last  words  he  spoke  bowing  slightly  his  head,  and 
coloring  as  he  said  them. 

"  You  are  a  dragoon,  I  think  ?"  said  I,  endeavoring  to  change  the 
topic. 

"  I  was,  two  days  ago,  chasseur  d  cheval,  a  sous-lieutenant  in  the 
regiment  of  my  father,  the  General  St.  Croix." 

"  The  name  is  familiar  to  me,"  I  replied ;  "  and  I  am  sincerely 
happy  to  be  in  a  position  to  serve  the  son  of  so  distinguished  an 
officer." 

"  The  son  of  so  distinguished  an  officer  is  most  deeply  obliged, 
but  wishes  with  all  his  heart  and  soul  he  had  never  sought  glory 
under  such  very  excellent  auspices.     You  look  surprised,  mon  cherj 


320  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

but,  let  me  tell  you,  my  military  ardor  is  considerably  abated  in  the 
last  three  days.  Hunger,  thirst,  imprisonment,  and  this"— lifting 
his  wounded  limb  as  he  spoke — "  are  sharp  lessons  in  so  short  a 
campaign,  and  for  one,  too,  whose  life  hitherto  had  much  more  of 
ease  than  adventure  to  boast  of.  Shall  I  tell  you  how  I  became  a 
soldier?" 

"  By  all  means ;  give  me  your  glass  first ;  and  now,  with  a  fresh 
log  to  the  fire,  I'm  your  man." 

"  But  stay  ;  before  I  begin,  look  to  this." 

The  blood  was  flowing  rapidly  from  his  wound,  which  with  some 
difficulty  I  succeeded  in  stanching.  He  drank  off  his  wine  hastily, 
held  out  his  glass  to  be  refilled,  and  then  began  his  story. 

"  You  have  never  seen  the  Emperor  ?" 

"Never." 

"  Sacrebleu  !  What  a  man  he  is  !  Fd  rather  stand  under  the  fire 
of  your  grenadiers  than  meet  his  eye.  When  in  a  passion,  he  does 
not  say  much,  it  is  true ;  but  what  he  does,  comes  with  a  kind  of 
hissing,  rushing  sound,  while  the  very  fire  seems  to  kindle  in  his 
look.  I  have  him  before  me  this  instant,  and  though  you  will  con- 
fess that  my  present  condition  has  nothing  very  pleasing  in  it,  I 
should  be  sorry  indeed  to  change  it  for  the  last  time  I  stood  in  his 
presence. 

"  Two  months  ago,  I  sported  the  gay  light  blue  and  silver  of  a 
page  to  the  Emperor,  and  certainly,  what  with  balls,  bonbons,  flirta- 
tion, gossip,  and  champagne  suppers,  led  a  very  gay,  reckless,  and 
indolent  life  of  it.  Somehow — I  may  tell  you  more  accurately  at 
another  period,  if  we  ever  meet — I  got  myself  into  disgrace,  and,  as 
a  punishment,  was  ordered  to  absent  myself  from  the  Tuileries,  and 
retire  for  some  weeks  to  Fontainebleau.  Siberia  to  a  Russian  would 
scarcely  be  a  heavier  infliction  than  was  this  banishment  to  me. 
There  was  no  court,  no  levee,  no  military  parade,  no  ball,  no  opera. 
A  small  household  of  the  Emperor's  chosen  servants  quietly  kept 
house  there.  The  gloomy  walls  re-echoed  to  no  music;  the  dark 
alleys  of  the  dreary  garden^  seemed  the  very  impersonation  of  soli- 
tude and  decay.  Nothing  broke  the  dull  monotony  of  the  tiresome 
day,  except  when  occasionally,  near  sunset,  the  clash  of  the  guard 
would  be  heard  turning  out,  and  the  clank  of  presenting  arms,  fol- 
lowed by  the  roll  of  a  heavy  carriage  into  the  gloomy  court-yard. 
One  lamp,  shining  like  a  star,  in  a  small  chamber  on  the  second 
floor,  would  remain  till  near  four,  sometimes  five  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  The  same  sounds  of  the  guard  and  the  same  dull  roll  of 
the  carriage  would  break  the  stillness  of  the  early  morning  ;  and  the 
Emperor — for  it  was  he — would  be  on  his  road  back  to  Paris. 

"  We  never  saw  him — I  say  we,  for,  like  myself,  some  half-dozen 


THE   WATCH-FIRE.  321 

others  were  also  there,  expiating  their  follies  by  a  life  of  cheerless 
ennui. 

"  It  was  upon  a  calm  evening  in  April,  we  sat  together  chatting 
over  the  various  misdeeds  which  had  consigned  us  to  exile,  when 
some  one  proposed,  by  way  of  passing  the  time,  that  we  should  visit 
the  small  flower-garden  that  was  parted  from  off  the  rest,  and  re- 
served for  the  Emperor  alone.  It  was  already  beyond  the  hour  he 
usually  came ;  besides  that,  even  should  he  arrive,  there  was  abun- 
dant time  to  get  back  before  he  could  possibly  reach  it.  The  garden 
we  had  often  seen,  but  there  was  something  in  the  fact  that  our 
going  there  was  a  transgression  that  so  pleased  us  all,  that  we  agreed 
at  once,  and  set  forth.  For  above  an  hour  we  loitered  about  the 
lonely  and  deserted  walks,  where  already  the  Emperor's  foot-tracks 
had  worn  a  marked  pathway,  when  we  grew  weary,  and  were  about 
to  return,  just  as  one  of  the  party  suggested,  half  in  ridicule  of  the 
sanctity  of  the  spot,  that  we  should  have  a  game  of  leap-frog  ere  we 
left  it.  The  idea  pleased  us,  and  was  at  once  adopted.  Our  plan 
was  this :  each  person  stationed  himself  in  some  by -walk  or  alley, 
and  waited  till  the  other,  whose  turn  it  was,  came  and  leaped  over 
him ;  so  that,  besides  the  activity  displayed,  there  was  a  knowledge 
of  the  locale  necessary ;  for  to  any  one  passed  over,  a  forfeit  was  to 
be  paid.  Our  game  began  at  once,  and  certainly  I  doubt  if  ever 
those  green  alleys  and  shady  groves  rang  to  such  hearty  laughter. 
Here  would  be  seen  a  couple  rolling  over  together  on  the  grass  ; 
there  some  luckless  wight  counting  out  his  pocket-money,  to  pay  his 
penalty.  The  hours  passed  quietly  over,  and  the  moon  rose,  and  at 
last  it  came  my  turn  to  make  the  tour  of  the  garden.  As  I  was  sup- 
posed to  know  all  its  intricacies  better  than  the  rest,  a  longer  time 
was  given  for  them  to  conceal  themselves ;  at  length  the  word  was 
given,  and  I  started. 

"  Anxious  to  acquit  myself  well,  I  hurried  along  at  top  speed,  but 
guess  my  surprise  to  discover  that  nowhere  could  I  find  one  of  my 
companions ;  down  one  walk  I  scampered,  up  another,  across  a 
third,  but  all  was  still  and  silent ;  not  a  sound,  not  a  breath,  could  I 
detect.  There  was  still  one  part  of  the  garden  unexplored ;  it  was  a 
small  open  space  before  a  little  pond,  which  usually  contained  the 
gold  fish  the  Emperor  was  so  fond  of.  Thither  I  bent  my  steps,  and 
had  not  gone  far  when,  in  the  pale  moonlight,  I  saw,  at  length,  one 
of  my  companions  waiting  patiently  for  my  coming,  his  head  bent 
forward  and  his  shoulders  rounded.  Anxious  to  repay  him  for  my 
own  disappointment,  I  crept  silently  forward  on  tiptoe  till  quite  near 
him,  when,  rushing  madly  on,  I  sprang  upon  his  back ;  just,  how- 
ever, as  I  rose  to  leap  over,  he  raised  his  head,  and,  staggered  by  the 
impulse  of  my  spring,  he  was  thrown  forward,  and,  after  an  ineffec- 
21 


322  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

tual  effort  to  keep  his  legs,  fell  flat  upon  his  face  in  the  grass.  Burst- 
ing with  laughter,  I  fell  over  him  on  the  ground,  and  was  turning 
to  assist  him,  when  suddenly  he  sprang  upon  his  feet,  and — horror 
of  horrors! — it  was  Napoleon  himself;  his  usually  pale  features 
were  purple  with  rage,  but  not  a  word,  not  a  syllable  escaped  him. 

"  '  Qui  etes-vous  V  said  he,  at  length. 

"  '  St.  Croix,  sire,5  said  I,  still  kneeling  before  him,  while  my  very 
heart  leaped  into  my  mouth. 

"  ■  St.  Croix  !  toujours  St.  Croix  !  Come  here ;  approach  me,'  cried 
he,  in  a  voice  of  stifled  passion. 

"  I  rose  ;  but  before  I  could  take  a  step  forward  he  sprang  at  me, 
and  tearing  off  my  epaulettes,  trampled  them  beneath  his  feet,  and 
then  he  shouted  out,  rather  than  spoke,  the  word  'Allez  V 

"  I  did  not  wait  for  a  second  intimation,  but  clearing  the  paling 
at  a  spring,  was  many  a  mile  from  Fontainebleau  before  daybreak." 


CHAPTEE    LI, 

THE  MARCH. 


TWICE  the  reveille  sounded ;  the  horses  champed  impatiently 
their  heavy  bits ;  my  men  stood  waiting  for  the  order  to  mount 
ere  I  could  arouse  myself  from  the  deep  sleep  I  had  fallen 
into.  The  young  Frenchman  and  his  story  were  in  my  dreams,  and 
when  I  awoke,  his  figure,  as  he  lay  sleeping  beside  the  wood  embers, 
was  the  first  object  I  perceived.  There  he  lay,  to  all  seeming  as  for- 
getful of  his  fate  as  though  he  still  inhabited  the  gorgeous  halls  and 
gilded  saloons  of  the  Tuileries ;  his  pale  and  handsome  features  wore 
even  a  placid  smile  as,  doubtless,  some  dream  of  other  days  flitted 
across  him  ;  his  long  hair  waved  in  luxurious  curls  upon  his  neck, 
and  his  light  brown  moustache,  slightly  curled  at  the  top,  gave  to 
his  mild  and  youthful  features  an  air  of  saucy  fiertt  that  heightened 
their  effect.  A  narrow  blue  ribbon  which  he  wore  round  his  throat 
gently  peeped  from  his  open  bosom.  I  could  not  resist  the  curiosity 
I  felt  to  see  what  it  meant,  and  drawing  it  softly  forth,  I  perceived 
that  a  small  miniature  was  attached  to  it.  It  was  beautifully  painted, 
and  surrounded  with  brilliants  of  some  value.  One  glance  showred 
me — for  I  had  seen  more  than  one  engraving  before  of  her — that  it 
was  the  portrait  of  the  Empress  Josephine.  Poor  boy  !  he  doubtless 
was  a  favorite  at  court ;  indeed  everything  in  his  air  and  manner  be- 
spoke him  such.     I  gently  replaced  the  precious  locket,  and  turned 


THE  MARCH.  323 

from  the  spot,  to  think  over  what  was  best  to  be  done  for  him. 
Knowing  the  vindictive  feeling  of  the  Portuguese  towards  their  in- 
vaders, I  feared  to  take  Pietro,  our  guide,  into  my  confidence.  I  ac- 
cordingly summoned  my  man  Mike  to  my  aid,  who,  with  all  his 
country's  readiness,  soon  found  out  an  expedient.  It  was  to  pretend 
to  Pietro  that  the  prisoner  was  merely  an  English  officer,  who  had 
made  his  escape  from  the  French  army,  in  which,  against  his  will, 
he  had  been  serving  for  some  time. 

This  plan  succeeded  perfectly  ;  and  when  St.  Croix,  mounted  upon 
one  of  my  led  horses,  set  out  upon  his  march  beside  me,  none  was 
more  profuse  of  his  attentions  than  the  dark-brown  guide,  whose 
hatred  of  a  Frenchman  was  beyond  belief. 

By  thus  giving  him  safe-conduct  through  Portugal,  I  knew  that 
when  we  reached  the  frontier  he  could  easily  manage  to  come  up 
with  some  part  of  Marshal  Victor's  force,  the  advanced  guard  of 
which  lay  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Tagus. 

To  me  the  companionship  was  the  greatest  boon ;  the  gay  and 
buoyant  spirit,  that  no  reverse  of  fortune,  no  untoward  event,  could 
subdue,  lightened  many  an  hour  of  the  journey;  and  though  at 
times  the  gasconading  tone  of  the  Frenchman  would  peep  through, 
there  was  still  such  a  fund  of  good-tempered  raillery  in  all  he  said, 
that  it  was  impossible  to  feel  angry  with  him.  His  implicit  faith  in 
the  Emperor's  invincibility  also  amused  me.  Of  the  unbounded 
confidence  of  the  nation  in  general,  and  the  army  particularly,  in 
Napoleon,  I  had  till  then  no  conception.  It  was  not  that  in  the 
profound  skill  and  immense  resources  of  the  general  they  trusted, 
but  they  actually  regarded  him  as  one  placed  above  all  the  common 
accidents  of  fortune,  and  revered  him  as  something  more  than 
human. 

"Ilviendra,  et  puis "  was  the  continued  exclamation  of  the  young 

Frenchman.  Any  notion  of  our  successfully  resisting  the  over- 
whelming might  of  the  Emperor,  he  would  have  laughed  to  scorn, 
and  so  I  let  him  go  on  prophesying  our  future  misfortunes  till  the 
time  when,  driven  back  upon  Lisbon,  we  should  be  compelled  to 
evacuate  the  Peninsula,  and,  under  favor  of  a  convention,  be  per- 
mitted to  return  to  England.  All  this  was  sufficiently  ridiculous, 
coming  from  a  youth  of  nineteen,  wounded,  in  misery,  a  prisoner ; 
but  further  experience  of  his  nation  has  shown  me  that  St.  Croix 
was  not  the  exception,  but  the  rule.  The  conviction  in  the  ultimate 
success  of  their  army,  whatever  be  the  merely  momentary  mishap, 
is  the  one  present  thought  of  a  Frenchman ;  a  victory  with  them  is 
a  conquest ;  a  defeat— if  they  are  by  any  chance  driven  to  acknowl- 
edge one— zfatalitS. 

I  was  too  young  a  man,  and,  still  more,  too  young  a  soldier,  to 


324  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

bear  with  this  absurd  affectation  of  superiority  as  I  ought,  and  con- 
sequently was  glad  to  wander  whenever  I  could  from  the  contested 
point  of  our  national  superiority  to  other  topics.  St.  Croix,  although 
young,  had  seen  much  of  the  world,  as  a  page  in  the  splendid  court 
of  the  Tuileries.  The  scenes  passing  before  his  eyes  were  calculated 
to  make  a  strong  impression ;  and  by  many  an  anecdote  of  his  for- 
mer life  he  lightened  the  road  as  we  passed  along. 

"  You  promised,  by  the  bye,  to  tell  me  of  your  banishment.  How 
did  that  occur,  St.  Croix  ?" 

"  Ah/  par  Dieu!  that  was  an  unfortunate  affair  for  me:  then 
began  all  my  mishaps ;  but  for  that,  I  should  never  have  been  sent 
to  Fontainebleau — never  have  played  leap-frog  with  the  Emperor — 
never  have  been  sent  a  soldier  into  Spain.  True,"  said  he,  laugh- 
ing, "  I  should  never  have  had  the  happiness  of  your  acquaintance. 
But  still,  I'd  much  rather  have  met  you  first  in  the  Places  des  Vic- 
toires  than  in  the  Estrella  Mountains." 

"  Who  knows?"  said  I;  "perhaps  your  good  genius  prevailed  in 
all  this." 

"  Perhaps,"  said  he,  interrupting  me  ;  "  that's  exactly  what  the 
Empress  said— she  was  my  godmother — '  Jules  will  be  a  Marshal 
de  France  yet.'  But  certainly  it  must  be  confessed  I  have  made  a 
bad  beginning.  However,  you  wish  to  hear  of  my  disgrace  at 
court.,   Attons,  done.     But  had  we  not  better  wait  for  a  halt?" 

"  Agreed,"  said  I ;  "  and  so  let  us  now  press  forward." 


CHAPTER    LII. 

THE   PAGE. 

"T"  "TNDER,  the  deep  shade  of  some  tall  trees,  sheltered  from  the 
noonday  sun,  we  lay  down  to  rest  ourselves,  and  enjoy  a 
V_y  most  patriarchal  dinner.  Some  dry  biscuits,  a  few  bunches 
of  grapes,  and  a  little  weak  wine, -savoring  more  of  the  boraccio-skin 
than  the  vine-juice,  were  all  we  boasted;  yet  they  were  not  unac- 
ceptable at  such  a  time  and  place. 

"  Whose  health  did  you  pledge  then  ?"  inquired  St.  Croix,  with  a 
half-malicious  smile,  as  I  raised  the  glass  silently  to  my  lips. 

I  blushed  deeply  and  looked  confused. 

"  A  ses  beaux  yeux !  whoever  she  be,"  said  he,  gayly,  tossing  off 
his  wine ;  "  and  now,  if  you  feel  disposed,  I'll  tell  you  my  story.  In 
good  truth,  it  is  not  worth  relating,  but  it  may  serve  to  set  you 
asleep,  at  all  events. 


THE  PAGE.  325 

"  I  have  already  told  you  that  I  was  a  page.  Alas !  the  impres- 
sions you  may  feel  of  that  functionary,  from  having  seen  Cheru- 
bino,  give  but  a  faint  notion  of  him  when  pertaining  to  the  house- 
hold of  the  Emperor  Napoleon. 

"  The  farfallone  amoroso  basked  in  the  soft  smiles  and  sunny  looks 
of  the  Countess  Almaviva ;  we  met  but  the  cold,  impassive  look  of 
Talleyrand,  the  piercing  and  penetrating  stare  of  Savary,  or  the 
ambiguous  smile,  half  menace,  half  mockery,  of  Monsieur  Fouch6. 
While  on  service,  our  days  were  passed  in  the  ante-chamber,  beside 
the  salle  oVaudience  of  the  Emperor,  reclining  against  the  closed 
door,  watching  attentively  for  the  gentle  tinkle  of  the  little  bell 
which  summoned  us  to  open  for  the  exit  of  some  haughty  diplo- 
mate,  or  the  entree  of  some  redoubted  general.  Thus  passed  we  the 
weary  hours.  The  illustrious  visitors  by  whom  we  were  surrounded 
had  no  novelty,  consequently  no  attraction  for  us,  and  the  names 
already  historical  were  but  household  words  with  us. 

"  We  often  remarked,  too,  the  proud  and  distant  bearing  the  Em- 
peror assumed  to  those  of  his  generals  who  had  been  his  former 
companions  in  arms.  Whatever  familiarity  or  freedom  may  have 
existed  in  the  campaign  or  in  the  battle-field,  the  air  of  the  Tuile- 
ries  certainly  chilled  it.  I  have  often  heard  that  the  ceremonious 
observances  and  rigid  etiquette  of  the  old  Bourbon  court  were  far 
preferable  to  the  stern  reserve  and  unbending  stiffness  of  the  Impe- 
rial one. 

"  The  ante-chamber  is  but  the  reflection  of  the  reception-room ; 
and  whatever  be  the  whims,  the  caprices,  the  littleness  of  the  Great 
Man,  they  are  speedily  assumed  by  his  inferiors,  and  the  dark  tem- 
per of  one  casts  a  lowering  shadow  on  every  menial  by  whom  he  is 
surrounded. 

"  As  for  us,  we  were  certainly  not  long  in  catching  somewhat  of 
the  spirit  of  the  Emperor;  and  I  doubt  much  if  the  impertinence  of 
the  waiting-room  was  not  more  dreaded  and  detested  than  the 
abrupt  speech  and  searching  look  of  Napoleon  himself. 

"  What  a  malicious  pleasure  have  I  not  felt  in  arresting  the  step 
of  M.  de  Talleyrand,  as  he  approached  the  Emperor's  closet !  With 
what  easy  insolence  have  I  lisped  out,  '  Pardon,  monsieur,  but  his 
Majesty  cannot  receive  you  f  or, '  Monsieur  le  Due,  his  Majesty  has 
given  no  orders  for  your  admission.'  How  amusing  it  was  to  watch 
the  baffled  look  of  each,  as  he  retired  once  more  to  his  place  among 
the  crowd — the  wily  diplomate  covering  his  chagrin  with  a  prac- 
tised smile,  while  the  stern  marshal  would  blush  to  his  very  eyes 
with  indignation.  This  was  the  great  pleasure  our  position  afforded 
us,  and,  with  a  boyish  spirit  of  mischief,  we  cultivated  it  to  perfec- 
tion, and  became  at  last  the  very  horror  and  detestation  of  all  who 


326  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

frequented  the  levees ;  and  the  ambassador  whose  fearless  voice  was 
heard  among  the  councils  of  kings  became  soft  and  conciliating  in 
his  approaches  to  us ;  and  the  hardy  general,  who  would  have 
charged  upon  a  brigade  of  artillery,  was  timid  as  a  girl  in  address- 
ing us  a  mere  question. 

"  Among  the  amiable  class  thus  characterized  I  was  most  con- 
spicuous. Preserving  cautiously  a  tone  of  civility  that  left  nothing 
openly  to  complain  of,  I  assumed  an  indifference  and  impartiality 
of  manner  that  no  exigency  of  affairs,  no  pressing  haste,  could  dis- 
compose or  disturb  ;  and  my  bow  of  recognition  to  Soult  or  Massena 
was  as  coolly  measured  as  my  monosyllabic  answer  was  accurately 
conned  over. 

"  Upon  ordinary  occasions,  the  Emperor,  at  the  close  of  each  per- 
son's audience,  rang  his  little  bell  for  the  admission  of  the  next 
in  order  as  they  arrived  in  the  waiting-room ;  yet  when  anything 
important  was  under  consideration,  a  list  was  given  us  in  the  morn- 
ing of  the  names  to  be  presented  in  rotation,  which  no  casual  cir- 
cumstance was  ever  suffered  to  interfere  with. 

"It  is  now  about  four  months  since,  one  fine  morning,  such  a  list 
was  placed  within  my  hands.  His  Majesty  was  just  then  occupied 
with  an  inquiry  into  the  naval  force  of  the  kingdom.  As  I  cast  my 
eyes  carelessly  over  the  names,  I  read  little  else  than  Vice- Admiral 
so-and-so,  Commander  such-a-one,  and  Chef  d'Escadron  such 
another,  and  the  levee  presented,  accordingly,  instead  of  its  usual 
brilliant  array  of  gorgeous  uniform  and  aiguilletted  marshals,  the 
simple  blue-and-gold  of  the  naval  service. 

"  The  marine  was  not  in  high  favor  with  the  Emperor,  and  truly 
my  reception  of  these  unfrequent  visitors  was  anything  but  flatter- 
ing. The  early  part  of  the  morning  was,  as  usual,  occupied  by  the 
audience  of  the  Minister  of  Police  and  the  Due  de  Bassano,  who 
evidently,  from  the  length  of  time  they  remained,  had  matter  of  im- 
portance to  communicate.  Meanwhile,  the  ante-chamber  filled 
rapidly,  and  before  noon  was  actually  crowded.  It  was  just  at  this 
moment  that  the  folding-door  slowly  opened,  and  a  figure  entered 
such  as  I  had  never  before  seen  in  our  brilliant  saloon.  He  was  a 
man  of  five  or  six-and-fifty,  short,  thick-set,  and  strongly  built,  with 
a  bronzed  and  weather-beaten  face,  and  a  broad,  open  forehead, 
deeply  scarred  with  a  sabre-cut ;  a  shaggy  gray  moustache  curled 
over  and  concealed  his  mouth,  while  eyebrows  of  the  same  color 
shaded  his  dark  and  piercing  eyes.  His  dress  was  a  coarse  coat  of 
blue  cloth,  such  as  the  fishermen  wear  in  Bretagnc,  fastened  at  the 
waist  by  a  broad  belt  of  black  leather,  from  which  hung  a  short 
broad-bladed  cutlass  ;  his  loose  trousers,  of  the  same  material,  were 
turned  up  at  the  ankles,  to  show  a  pair  of  strong  legs,  coarsely  cased 


THE  PAGE.  327 

in  blue  stockings  and  thick-soled  shoes ;  a  broad-leaved  oil-skin  hat 
was  held  in  one  hand,  and  the  other  stuck  carelessly  in  his  pocket, 
as  he  entered.  He  came  in  with  a  careless  air,  and,  familiarly  salut- 
ing one  or  two  officers  in  the  room,  he  sat  himself  down  near  the 
door,  appearing  lost  in  his  own  reflections. 

"  '  Who  can  you  be,  my  worthy  friend  ?'  was  my  question  to  my- 
self, as  I  surveyed  this  singular  apparition.  At  the  same  time, 
casting  my  eyes  down  the  list,  I  perceived  that  several  pilots  of  the 
coast  of  Havre,  Calais,  and  Boulogne  had  been  summoned  to  Paris, 
to  give  some  information  upon  the  soundings  and  depth  of  water 
along  the  shore. 

"'Ha/  thought  I,  'I  have  it;  the  good  man  has  mistaken  his 
place,  and  instead  of  remaining  without,  has  walked  boldly  forward 
to  the  ante-chamber.'  There  was  something  so  strange  and  so  orig- 
inal in  the  grim  look  of  the  old  fellow,  as  he  sat  there  alone,  that  I 
suifered  him  to  remain  quietly  in  his  delusion,  rather  than  order  him 
back  to  the  waiting-room  without ;  besides,  I  perceived  that  a  kind 
of  sensation  was  created  among  the  others  by  his  appearance  there, 
which  amused  me  greatly. 

"As  the  day  wore  on,  the  officers  formed  into  little  groups  of  three 
or  four,  chatting  together  in  an  undertone  of  voice,  all  save  the  old 
pilot;  he  had  taken  a  huge  tobacco-box  from  his  capacious  breast- 
pocket, and  inserting  an  immense  piece  of  the  bitter  weed  in  his 
mouth,  began  to  chew  it  as  leisurely  as  though  he  were  walking  the 
quarter-deck.  The  cool  insouciance  of  such  a  proceeding  amused  me 
much,  and  I  resolved  to  draw  him  out  a  little. 

"  His  strong,  broad  Breton  features,  his  deep  voice,  his  dry,  blunt 
manner,  were  all  in  admirable  keeping  with  his  exterior,  and  amused 
me  highly. 

"  iPar  Dieu  I  my  lad/  said  he,  after  chatting  some  time,  '  had  you 
not  better  tell  the  Emperor  that  I  am  waiting  ?  It's  now  past  noon, 
and  I  must  eat  something.' 

"  '  Have  a  little  patience,'  said  I ;  '  his  Majesty  is  going  to  invite 
you  to  dinner.' 

"  '  Be  it  so,'  said  he,  gravely ;  l  provided  the  hour  be  an  early  one, 
I'm  his  man.' 

"  With  difficulty  did  I  keep  down  my  laughter  as  he  said  this,  and 
continued, — 

"  '  So  you  know  the  Emperor  already,  it  seems  ?' 

" '  Yes,  that  I  do !  I  remember  him  when  he  was  no  higher  than 
yourself.' 

" '  How  delighted  he'll  be  to  find  you  here.  I  hope  you  have 
brought  up  some  of  your  family  with  you,  as  the  Emperor  would  be 
so  flattered  by  it?' 


328  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  '  No,  I've  left  them  at  home ;  this  place  don't  suit  us  over  well. 
We  have  plenty  to  do,  besides  spending  our  time  and  money  among 
all  you  fine  folks  here.' 

"  'And  not  a  bad  life  of  it,  either,'  added  I,  '  fishing  for  cod  and 
herrings — stripping  a  wreck  now  and  then.' 

"  He  stared  at  me  as  I  said  this,  like  a  tiger  on  the  spring,  but 
spoke  not  a  word. 

"  'And  how  many  young  sea-wolves  may  you  have  in  your  den  at 
home?' 

"  '  Six ;  and  all  o'  them  able  to  carry  you  with  one  hand  at  arm's 
length !' 

"  '  I  have  no  doubt ;  I  shall  certainly  not  test  their  ability.  But 
you  yourself,  how  do  you  like  the  capital  ?' 

"  '  Not  over  well,  and  I'll  tell  you  why ' 

"As  he  said  this,  the  door  of  the  audience-chamber  opened,  and 
the  Emperor  appeared.  His  eyes  flashed  fire,  as  he  looked  hurriedly 
around  the  room. 

"  '  Who  is  in  waiting  here?' 

"  '  I  am,  please  your  Majesty,'  said  I,  bowing  deeply,  as  I  started 
from  my  seat. 

"'And  where  is  the  Admiral  Truguet?  Why  was  he  not  ad- 
mitted?' 

"  '  Not  present,  your  Majesty,'  said  I,  trembling  with  fear. 

"  '  Hold  there,  young  fellow.     Not  so  fast ;  here  he  is.' 

"  'Ah,  Truguet,  mon  ami  V  cried  the  Emperor,  placing  both  hands 
on  the  old  fellow's  shoulders ;  '  how  long  have  you  been  in  wait- 
ing?' 

"  '  Two  hours  and  a  half,'  said  he,  producing  in  evidence  a  watch 
like  a  saucer. 

"  '  What !  two  hours  and  a  half,  and  I  not  know  it?' 

"  '  No  matter ;  I  am  always  happy  to  serve  your  Majesty.  But 
if  that  fine  fellow  had  not  told  me  that  you  were  going  to  ask  me  to 
dinner ' 

"  '  He!  he  said  so,  did  he?'  said  Napoleon,  turning  on  me  a  glance 
like  a  wild  beast.  'Yes,  Truguet,  so  I  am ;  you  shall  dine  with  me 
to-day.  And  you,  sir,'  said  he,  dropping  his  voice  to  a  whisper,  as 
he  came  closer  towards  me,  '  and  you  have  dared  to  speak  thus  ? 
Call  in  a  guard  there.  Capitaine,  put  this  person  under  arrest ;  he 
is  disgraced ;  he  is  no  longer  page  of  the  palace.  Out  of  my  pres- 
ence !  away,  sir !' 

"  The  room  wheeled  round ;  my  legs  tottered,  my  senses  reeled  ; 
and  I  saw  no  more. 

"  Three  weeks'  bread  and  water  in  St.  Pelagie,  however,  brought 
me  to  my  recollection  ;  and  at  last  my  kind,  my  more  than  kind 


THE  PAGE.  329 

friend,  the  Empress,  obtained  my  pardon  and  sent  me  to  Fontaine- 
bleau,  till  the  Emperor  should  forget  all  about  it.  How  I  contrived 
again  to  refresh  his  memory  I  have  already  told  you ;  and  certainly 
you  will  acknowledge  that  I  have  not  been  fortunate  in  my  inter- 
views with  Napoleon." 

I  am  conscious  how  much  St.  Croix's  story  loses  in  my  telling, 
The  simple  expressions,  the  grace  of  the  narrative,  were  its  charm ; 
and  these,  alas !  I  can  neither  translate  nor  imitate,  no  more  than 
I  can  convey  the  strange  mixture  of  deep  feeling  and  levity, 
shrewdness  and  simplicity,  that  constituted  the  manner  of  the 
narrator. 

With  many  a  story  of  his  courtly  career  he  amused  me  as  we 
trotted  along ;  when,  towards  nightfall  of  the  third  day,  a  peasant 
informed  us  that  a  body  of  French  cavalry  occupied  the  convent  of 
San  Cristoval,  about  three  leagues  off.  The  opportunity  of  his  return 
to  his  own  army  pleased  him  far  less  than  I  expected ;  he  heard 
without  any  show  of  satisfaction  that  the  time  of  his  liberation  had 
arrived,  and  when  the  moment  of  leave-taking  drew  near,  he  became 
deeply  affected. 

"Eh  Men,  Charles,"  said  he,  smiling  sadly  through  his  dimmed  and 
tearful  eyes.  "You've been  a  kind  friend  to  me.  »Is  the  time  never 
to  come  when  I  can  repay  you  ?" 

"  Yes,  yes ;  we'll  meet  again,  be  assured  of  it.  Meanwhile,  there 
is  one  way  you  can  more  than  repay  anything  I  have  done  for  you." 

"  Oh !  name  it  at  once." 

"  Many  a  brave  fellow  of  ours  is  now,  and,  doubtless,  many  more 
will  be,  prisoners  with  your  army  in  this  war.  Whenever,  therefore, 
your  lot  brings  you  in  contact  with  such " 

"They  shall  be  my  brothers,"  said  he,  springing  towards  me,  and 
throwing  his  arms  round  my  neck.  "Adieu,  adieu !"  With  that  he 
rushed  from  the  spot,  and  before  I  could  speak  again,  was  mounted 
upon  the  peasant's  horse,  and  waving  his  hand  to  me  in  farewell. 

I  looked  after  him  as  he  rode  at  a  fast  gallop  down  the  slope  of 
the  green  mountain,  the  noise  of  the  horse's  feet  echoing  along  the 
silent  plain.  I  turned  at  length  to  leave  the  spot,  and  then  per- 
ceived, for  the  first  time,  that,  when  taking  his  farewell  of  me,  he 
had  hung  round  my  neck  his  miniature  of  the  Empress.  Poor  boy! 
how  sorrowful  I  felt  thus  to  rob  him  of  what  he  held  so  dear !  How 
gladly  would  I  have  overtaken  him  to  restore  it !  It  was  the  only 
keepsake  he  possessed ;  and  knowing  that  I  would  not  accept  it  if 
offered,  he  took  this  way  of  compelling  me  to  keep  it. 

Through  the  long  hours  of  the  summer's  night  I  thought  of  him  ; 
and,  when  at  last  I  slept,  towards  morning,  my  first  thought  on 
waking  was  of  the  solitary  day  before  me.     The  miles  no  longer 


330  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

slipped  imperceptibly  along ;  no  longer  did  the  noon  and  night  seem 
fast  to  follow.  Alas  !  that  one  should  grow  old  !  The  very  sorrows 
of  our  early  years  have  something  soft  and  touching  in  them.  Aris- 
ing less  from  deep  wrong  than  slight  mischances,  the  grief  they  cause 
comes  ever  with  an  alloy  of  pleasant  thoughts,  telling  of  the  tender 
past,  and,  'mid  the  tears  they  call  up,  forming  some  bright  rainbow 
of  future  hope. 

Poor  St.  Croix  had  already  won  greatly  upon  me,  and  I  felt 
lonely  and  desolate  when  he  departed. 


CHAPTER    LIII. 

ALVAS. 

NOTHING  of  incident  marked  our  further  progress  towards  the 
frontier  of  Spain,  and  at  length  we  reached  the  small  town  of 
Alvas.  It  was  past  sunset  as  we  arrived,  and,  instead  of  the 
usual  quiet  and  repose  of  a  little  village,  we  found  the  streets  crowded 
with  people,  on  horseback  and  on  foot ;  mules,  bullocks,  carts,  and 
wagons  blocked  up  the  way,  and  the  oaths  of  the  drivers  and  the 
screaming  of  women  and  children  resounded  on  all  sides. 

With  what  little  Spanish  I  possessed,  I  questioned  some  of  those 
near  me,  and  learned,  in  reply,  that  a  dreadful  engagement  had 
taken  place  that  day  between  the  advanced  guard  of  the  French, 
under  Victor,  and  the  Lusitanian  legion  ;  that  the  Portuguese  troops 
had  been  beaten  and  completely  routed,  losing  all  tfceir  artillery  and 
baggage;  that  the  French  were  rapidly  advancing,  and  expected 
hourly  to  arrive  at  Alvas,  in  consequence  of  which  the  terror- 
stricken  inhabitants  were  packing  up  their  possessions  and  hurrying 
away. 

Here,  then,  was  a  point  of  considerable  difficulty  for  me  at  once. 
My  instructions  had  never  provided  for  such  a  conjuncture,  and  I 
was  totally  unable  to  determine  what  was  best  to  be  done  ;  both  my 
men  and  their  horses  were  completely  tired  by  a  march  of  fourteen 
leagues,  and  had  a  pressing  need  of  some  rest ;  on  every  side  of  me 
the  preparations  for  flight  were  proceeding  with  all  the  speed  that 
fear  inspires ;  and  to  my  urgent  request  for  some  information  as  to 
food  and  shelter,  I  could  obtain  no  other  reply  than  muttered  men- 
aces of  the  fate  before  me  if  I  remained,  and  exaggerated  accounts 
of  French  cruelty. 

Amid  all  this  bustle  and  confusion,  a  tremendous  fall  of  heavy 


ALVAS.  331 

rain  set  in,  which  at  once  determined  me,  come  what  might,  to  house 
my  party,  and  provide  forage  for  our  horses. 

As  we  pushed  our  way  slowly  through  the  encumbered  streets, 
looking  on  every  side  for  some  appearance  of  a  village  inn,  a  tre- 
mendous shout  rose  in  our  rear,  and  a  rush  of  the  people  towards  us 
induced  us  to  suppose  that  the  French  were  upon  us.  For  some 
minutes  the  din  and  uproar  were  terrific — the  clatter  of  horses'  feet, 
the  braying  of  trumpets,  the  yelling  of  the  mob,  all  mingling  in 
one  frightful  concert. 

I  formed  my  men  in  close  column,  and  waited  steadily  for  the 
attack,  resolving,  if  possible,  to  charge  through  the  advancing  files, 
any  retreat  through  the  crowded  and  blocked-up  thoroughfares  being 
totally  out  of  the  question.  The  rain  was  falling  in  such  torrents 
that  nothing  could  be  seen  a  few  yards  off,  when  suddenly  a  pause 
of  a  few  seconds  occurred,  and,  from  the  clash  of  accoutrements  and 
the  hoarse  tones  of  a  loud  voice,  I  judged  that  the  body  of  men 
before  us  were  forming  for  attack. 

Kesolving,  therefore,  to  take  them  by  surprise,  I  gave  the  word  to 
charge,  and,  spurring  our  jaded  cattle,  onward  we  dashed.  The  mob 
fled  right  and  left  from  us  as  we  came  on  ;  and  through  the  dense 
mist  we  could  just  perceive  a  body  of  cavalry  before  us. 

In  an  instant  we  were  among  them ;  down  they  went  on  every 
side,  men  and  horses  rolling  pell-mell  over  each  other — not  a  blow, 
not  a  shot  striking  us  as  we  pressed  on.  Never  did  I  witness  such 
total  consternation ;  seme  threw  themselves  from  their  horses,  and 
fled  towards  the  houses ;  others  turned  and  tried  to  fall  back,  but  the 
increasing  pressure  from  behind  held  them,  and  finally  succeeded  in 
blocking  us  up  amongst  them.  . 

It  was  just  at  this  critical  moment  that  a  sudden  gleam  of  light 
from  a  window  fell  upon  the  disordered  mass,  and  to  my  astonish- 
ment— I  need  not  say,  to  my  delight — I  perceived  that  they  were 
Portuguese  troops.  Befote  I  had  well  time  to  halt  my  party,  my 
convictions  were  pretty  well  strengthened  by  hearing  a  well-known 
voice  in  the  rear  of  the  mass  call  out : — 

"  Charge,  ye  devils !  charge,  will  ye  ?  illustrious  Hidalgos !  cut 
them  down;  los  injidelos,  sacrificiados  los — scatter  them  like  chaff!" 

One  roar  of  laughter  was  my  only  answer  to  this  energetic  appeal 
for  my  destruction,  and  the  moment  after,  the  dry  features  and  pleas- 
ant face  of  old  Monsoon  beamed  on  me  by  the  light  of  a  pine-torch 
he  carried  in  his  right  hand. 

"Are  they  prisoners? — have  they  surrendered?"  inquired  he, 
riding  up.  "It  is  well  for  them;  we'd  have  made  mincemeat  of 
them  otherwise ;  now  they  shall  be  well  treated,  and  ransomed  if 
they  prefer." 


332  Off  A  II L  ESS  0  'MA  LIE  Y. 

"Gracias  excdlcnzc /"  said  I,  in  a  feigned  voice. 
"  Give  up  your  sword,"  said  the  Major,  in  an  undertone.     "  You 
behaved  gallantly,  but  you  fought  against  invincibles.     Lord  love 
them  !  but  they  are  the  most  terrified  invincibles." 
I  nearly  burst  aloud  at  this. 

"  It  was  a  close  thing  which  of  us  ran  first,"  muttered  the  Major, 
as  he  turned  to  give  some  directions  to  an  aide-de-camp.  "Ask  them 
who  they  are,"  said  he,  in  Spanish. 

By  this  time  I  came  close  alongside  of  him,  and  placing  my  mouth 
close  to  his  ear,  holloed  out, — 

"  Monsoon,  old  fellow,  how  goes  the  King  of  Spain's  sherry  ?" 
"  Eh ! — what — why — upon  my  life,  and  so  it  is — Charley,  my  boy, 
so  it's  you,  is  it — egad,  how  good ;  and  we  were  so  near  being  the 
death  of  you  !     My  poor  fellow,  how  came  you  here  ?" 

A  few  words  of  explanation  sufficed  to  inform  the  Major  why  we 
were  there,  and  still  more  to  comfort  him  with  the  assurance  that 
he  had  not  been  charging  the  General's  staff*,  and  the  Commander- 
in-Chief  himself. 

"  Upon  my  life,  you  gave  me  a  great  start ;  though,  as  long  as  I 
thought  you  were  French,  it  was  very  well." 

"  True,  Major,  but  certainly  the  invincibles  were  merciful  as  they 
were  strong." 

"  They  were  tired,  Charley — nothing  more  ;  why,  lad,  we've  been 
fighting  since  daybreak — beat  Victor  at  six  o'clock — drove  him  back 
behind  the  Tagus — took  a  cold  dinner,  and  had  at  him  again  in  the 
afternoon.  .  Lord  love  you  !  we've  immortalized  ourselves ;  but  you 
must  never  speak  of  this  little  business  here ;  it  tells  devilish  ill  for 
the  discipline  of  your  fellows,  upon  my  life  it  does." 

This  was  rather  an  original  turn  to  give  the  transaction,  but  I 
did  not  oppose ;  and  thus  chatting,  we  entered  the  little  inn,  where, 
confidence  once  restored,  some  semblance  of  comfort  already  ap- 
peared. 

"And  so  you're  come  to  reinforce  us  ?"  said  Monsoon  ;  "  there  was 
never  anything  more  opportune;  though  we  surprised  ourselves 
to-day  with  valor,  I  don't  think  we  could  persevere." 

"Yes,  Major,  the  appointment  gave  me  sincere  pleasure;  I  greatly 
desired  to  see  a  little  service  under  your  orders.  Shall  I  present  you 
with  my  despatches  ?" 

"  Not  now,  Charley — not  now,  my  lad.  Supper  is  the  first  thing 
at  this  moment ;  besides,  now  that  you  remind  me,  I  must  send  off 
a  despatch  myself.  Upon  my  life,  it's  a  great  piece  of  fortune  that 
you're  here ;  you  shall  be  Secretary  at  War,  and  write  it  for  me ; 
here  now — how  lucky  that  I  thought  of  it,  to  be  sure !  and  that  was 
just  a  mere  chance ;  one  has  so  many  things "     Muttering  such 


AL  VAS.  333 

broken,  disjointed  sentences,  the  Major  opened  a  large  portfolio  with 
writing  materials,  which  he  displayed  before  me  as  he  rubbed  his 
hands  with  satisfaction,  and  said,  "Write  away,  lad." 

"  But,  my  dear  Major,  you  forget;  I  was  not  in  the  action.  You 
must  describe;  I  can  only  follow  you." 

"  Begin  then  thus : — 

" '  Head-Quarters,  Alvas,  June  26. 

" '  Your  Excellency, 

" l  Having  learned  from  Don  Alphonzo  Xaviero  da  Minto,  an 
officer  upon  my  personal  staff ' 

"  Luckily  sober  at  that  moment 

" '  That  the  advanced  guard  of  the  eighth  corps  of  the  French 
army ' 

"  Stay,  though,  was  it  the  eighth  ?  Upon  my  life,  I'm  not  quite 
clear  as  to  that ;  blot  the  word  a  little  and  go  on 

"  {  That  the corps,  under  Marshal  Victor,  had  commenced  a 

forward  movement  towards  Alcantara,  I  immediately  ordered  a 
flank  movement  of  the  light  infantry  regiment  to  cover  the  bridge 
over  the  Tagus.     After  breakfast ' " 

"  I'm  afraid,  Major,  that  is  not  precise  enough." 

"  Well,  'About  eleven  o'clock,  the  French  skirmishers  attacked, 
and  drove  in  our  pickets  that  were  posted  in  front  of  our  position, 
and  following  rapidly  up  with  cavalry,  they  took  a  few  prisoners,' 
and  killed  old  Alphonzo ;  he  ran  like  a  man,  they  say,  but  they 
caught  him  in  the  rear.' 

"  You  needn't  put  that  in,  if  you  don't  like. 

" '  I  now  directed  a  charge  of  the  cavalry  brigade  under  Don  As- 
turias  Y'Hajos,  that  cut  them  up  in  fine  style.  Our  artillery,  posted 
on  the  heights,  mowed  away  at  their  columns  like  fun. 

" '  Victor  didn't  like  this,  and  got  into  a  wood,  when  we  all  went 
to  dinner :  it  was  about  two  o'clock  then. 

" '  After  dinner,  the  Portuguese  light  corps,  under  Silva  da  Onorha, 
having  made  an  attack  upon  the  enemy's  left,  without  my  orders, 
got  devilishly  well  trounced,  and  served  them  right ;  but,  coming  up 
to  their  assistance,  with  the  heavy  brigade  of  guns,  and  the  cavalry, 
we  drove  back  the  French,  and  took  several  prisoners,  none  of  whom 
we  put  to  death/ 

"  Dash  that — Sir  Arthur  likes  respect  for  the  usages  of  war. — Lord, 
how  dry  I'm  getting ! 

" '  The  French  were  soon  seen  to  retire  their  heavy  guns,  and 
speedily  afterwards  retreated.  We  pursued  them  for  some  time,  but 
they  showed  fight ;  and  as  it  was  getting  dark,  I  drew  off  my  forces, 
and  came  here  to  supper.  Your  Excellency  will  perceive,  by  the  en- 
closed return,  that  our  loss  has  been  considerable. 


334  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

" '  I  send  this  despatch  by  Don  Emmanuel  Forgales,  whose  ser- 
vices  ' 

"  I  back  him  for  mutton  hash  with  onions  against  the  whole  regi- 
ment  

"  'Have  been  of  the  most  distinguished  nature,  and  beg  to  recom- 
mend him  to  your  Excellency's  favor. 

"  '  I  have  the  honor,  &c.' 

"  Is  it  finished,  Charley  ?  Egad,  I'm  glad  of  it,  for  here  comes 
supper." 

The  door  opened  as  he  spoke,  and  displayed  a  tempting  tray  of 
smoking  viands,  flanked  by  several  bottles;  an  officer  of  the  Major's 
staff  accompanied  it,  and  showed,  by  his  attentions  to  the  etiquette 
of  the  table,  and  the  proper  arrangement  of  the  meal,  that  his  func- 
tions in  his  superior's  household  were  more  than  military. 

We  were  speedily  joined  by  two  others  in  rich  uniform,  whose 
names  I  now  forget,  but  to  whom  the  Major  presented  me  in  all  form, 
introducing  me,  as  well  as  I  could  interpret  his  Spanish,  as  his  most 
illustrious  ally  and  friend,  Don  Carlos  O'Malley. 


CHAPTER     LIV. 

THE  SUPPER. 

I  HAVE  often  partaken  of  more  luxurious  cookery  and  rarer 
wines ;  but  never  do  I  remember  enjoying  a  more  welcome  sup- 
per than  on  this  occasion. 

Our  Portuguese  guests  left  us  soon,  and  the  Major  and  myself 
were  once  more  tete-a-tete  beside  a  cheerful  fire ;  a  well-chosen  array 
of  bottles  guaranteeing  that,  for  some  time  at  least,  no  necessity  of 
leave-taking  should  arise  from  any  deficiency  of  wine. 

"  That  sherry  is  very  near  the  thing,  Charley  ;  a  little,  a  very  little 
sharp,  but  the  after-taste  perfect.  And  now,  my  boy,  how  have  you 
been  doing  since  we  parted  ?" 

"  Not  so  badly,  Major.  I  have  already  got  a  step  in  promotion. 
The  affair  at  the  Douro  gave  me  a  lieutenancy." 

"  I  wish  you  joy  with  all  my  heart.  I'll  call  you  Captain  always 
while  you're  with  me.  Upon  my  life  I  will.  Why,  man,  they  style 
me  your  Excellency  here.  Bless  your  heart!  we  are  great  folk 
among  the  Portuguese,  and  no  bad  service  after  all." 

"I  should  think  not,  Major.  You  seem  to  have  always  made  a 
good  thing  of  it." 


THE  SUPPER.  335 

"No,  Charley;  no,  my  boy.  They  overlook  us  greatly  in  general 
orders  and  despatches.  Had  the  brilliant  action  of  to-day  been 
fought  by  the  British — but  no  matter;  they  may  behave  well  in 
England,  after  all ;  and,  when  I'm  called  to  the  Upper  House  as 
Baron  Monsoon  of  the  Tagus is  that  better  than  Lord  Alcan- 
tara?" 

"  I  prefer  the  latter." 

"  Well,  then,  I'll  have  it.  Lord  !  what  a  treaty  I'll  move  for  with 
Portugal,  to  let  us  have  wine  cheap.  Wine,  you  know,  as  David 
says,  gives  us  a  pleasant  countenance ;  and  oil,  I  forget  what  oil 
does, — pasS  over  the  decanter.  And  how  is  Sir  Arthur,  Charley? 
A  fine  fellow,  but  sadly  deficient  "in  the  knowledge  of  supplies  — 
Never  would  have  made  any  character  in  the  commissariat.  Bless 
your  heart,  he  pays  for  everything  here,  as  if  he  were  in  Cheap- 
side." 

"  How  absurd,  to  be  sure !" 

"  Isn't  it,  though  ?  That  was  not  my  way,  when  I  was  commis- 
sary-general about  a  year  or  two  ago.  To  be  sure,  how  I  did  puzzle 
them  !  They  tried  to  audit  my  accounts  ;  and  what  do  you  think  I 
did  ?  I  brought  them  in  three  thousand  pounds  in  my  debt.  They 
never  tried  on  that  game  any  more.  '  No !  no !'  said  the  Junta ; 
'  Beresford  and  Monsoon  are  great  men,  and  must  be  treated  with 
respect.'  Do  you  think  we'd  let  them  search  our  pockets  ?  But  the 
rogues  doubled  on  us,  after  all ;  they  sent  us  to  the  northward, — a 
poor  country " 

"  So  that,  except  a  little  commonplace  pillage  of  the  convents  and 
nunneries,  you  had  little  or  nothing?" 

"  Exactly  so  ;  and  then  I  got  a  great  shock  about  that  time,  that 
affected  my  spirits  for  a  considerable  while." 

"  Indeed,  Major !  some  illness  ?" 

"  No,  I  was  quite  well ;  but — Lord !  how  thirsty  it  makes  me  to 
think  of  it !  my  throat  is  absolutely  parched, — I  was  near  being 
hanged !" 

"Hanged!" 

"  Yes.  Upon  my  life  it's  true — very  horrible,  ain't  it  ?  It  had  a 
great  effect  upon  my  nervous  system ;  and  they  never  thought  of 
any  little  pension  to  me,  as  a  recompense  for  my  sufferings." 

"And  who  was  barbarous  enough  to  think  of  such  a  thing, 
Major?" 

"  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley  himself;  none  other,  Charley." 

"Oh,  it  was  a  mistake,  Major,  or  a  joke." 

"  It  was  devilish  near  being  a  practical  one,  though.  I'll  tell  you 
how  it  occurred.  After  the  battle  of  Vimeira,  the  brigade  to  which 
I  was  attached  had  their  head-quarters  at  San  Pietro,  a  large  con- 


33G  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

vent  where  all  the  church  plate  for  miles  around  was  stored  up  for 
safety.  A  sergeant's  guard  was  accordingly  stationed  over  the  re- 
fectory, and  every  precaution  taken  to  prevent  pillage,  Sir  Arthur 
himself  having  given  particular  orders  on  the  subject.  Well,  some-- 
how, — I  never  could  find  out  how, — but  in  leaving  the  place  all  the 
wagons  of  our  brigade  had  got  some  trifling  articles  of  small  value 
scattered,  as  it  might  be,  among  their  stores — gold  cups,  silver-candle- 
sticks, Virgin  Marys,  ivory  crucifixes,  saints'  eyes  set  in  topazes, 
and  martyrs'  toes  in  silver  filigree,  and  a  hundred  other  similar 
things. 

"  One  of  these  confounded  bullock-cars  broke  down  just  at  the 
angle  of  the  road  where  the  Commander-in-Chief  was  standing  with 
his  staff  to  watch  the  troops  defile,  and  out  rolled,  among  bread 
rations  and  salt  beef,  a  whole  avalanche  of  precious  relics  and 
church  ornaments.  Every  one  stood  aghast !  Never  was  there 
such  a  misfortune.  No  one  endeavored  to  repair  the  mishap,  but 
all  looked  on  in  terrified  amazement  as  to  what  was  to  follow. 

"  '  Who  has  command  of  this  detachment?'  shouted  out  Sir  Arthur, 
in  a  voice  that  made  more  than  one  of  us  tremble. 

"  '  Monsoon,  your  Excellency — Major  Monsoon,  of  the  Portuguese 
brigade.' 

"  '  The  d —  old  rogue! — I  know  him.'  Upon  my  life  that's  what 
he  said.  '  Hang  him  up  on  the  spot,'  pointing  with  his  finger  as  he 
spoke ;  ?  we  shall  see  if  this  practice  cannot  be  put  a  stop  to.'  And 
with  these  words  he  rode  leisurely  away,  as  if  he  had  been  merely 
ordering  dinner  for  a  small  party. 

"  When  I  came  up  to  the  place,  the  halberts  were  fixed,  and 
Gronow,  with  a  company  of  the  Fusiliers,  under  arms  beside  them. 

"  '  Devilish  sorry  for  it,  Major,'  said  he.  '  It's  confoundedly  un- 
pleasant, but  it  can't  be  helped.  We've  got  orders  to  see  you 
hanged !' 

"  Faith  it  was  just  so  he  said  it,  tapping  his  snuff-box  as  he  spoke, 
and  looking  carelessly  about  him.  Now  had  it  not  been  for  the 
fixed  halberts  and  the  Provost-Marshal,  I'd  not  have  believed  him ; 
but  one  glance  at  them,  and  another  at  the  bullock-cart  with  all  the 
holy  images,  told  me  at  once  what  had  happened. 

"  '  He  only  means  to  frighten  me  a  little.  Isn't  that  all,  Gronow  ¥ 
cried  I,  in  a  supplicating  voice. 

" '  Very  possibly,  Major,'  said  he ;  '  but  I  must  execute  my 
orders.' 

"'  You'll  surely  not '     Before  I  could  finish,  up  came  Dan 

Mackinnon,  cantering  smartly.     l  Going  to  hang  old  Monsoon,  eh, 
Gronow  ?     What  fun  !' 

"  '  Ain't  it,  though  ?'  said  I,  half  blubbering. 


THE  SUPPER.  337 

"  '  Well,  if  you're  a  good  Catholic,  you  may  have  your  choice  of  a 
saint,  for,  by  Jupiter  !  there's  a  strong  muster  of  them  here.'  This 
cruel  allusion  was  made  in  reference  to  the  gold  and  silver  effigies 
that  lay  scattered  about  the  highway. 

"  '  Dan,'  said  I,  in  a  whisper,  '  intercede  for  me — do,  like  a  good, 
kind  fellow.     You  have  influence  with  Sir  Arthur.' 

"  '  You  old  sinner,'  said  he,  '  it's  useless.' 

"  '  Dan,  I'll  forgive  you  the  fifteen  pounds.' 

"  '  That  you  owe  me,1  said  Dan,  laughing. 

"'Who'll  ever  be  the  father  to  you  I  have  been ?  Who'll  mix 
your  punch  with  burnt  Madeira,  when  I'm  gone  ?'  said  I. 

"  '  Well,  really,  I  am  sorry  for  you,  Monsoon.  I  say,  Gronow, 
don't  tuck  him  up  for  a  few  minutes ;  I'll  speak  for  the  old  villain, 
and  if  I  succeed,  I'll  wave  my  handkerchief.' 

"  Well,  away  went  Dan  at  a  full  gallop.  Gronow  sat  down  on  a 
bank,  and  I  fidgeted  about  in  no  very  enviable  frame  of  mind,  the 
confounded  Provost-Marshal  eyeing  me  all  the  while. 

" '  I  can  only  give  you  five  minutes  more,  Major,'  said  Gronow, 
placing  his  watch  beside  him  on  the  grass.  I  tried  to  pray  a  little, 
and  said  three  or  four  of  Solomon's  proverbs,  when  he  again  called 
out, — '  There,  you  see  it  won't  do !   Sir  Arthur  is  shaking  his  head.' 

"  '  What's  that  waving  yonder  ? 

" '  The  colors  of  the  Sixth  Foot.  Come,  Major,  off  with  your 
stock.' 

" '  Where  is  Dan  now — what  is  he  doing  ?' — for  I  could  see 
nothing  myself. 

" '  He's  riding  beside  Sir  Arthur.     They  all  seem  laughing.' 

"  '  God  forgive  them  !  What  an  awful  retrospect  this  will  prove 
to  some  of  them.' 

"  \  Time's  up  !'  said  Gronow,  jumping  up  and  replacing  his  watch 
in  his  pocket. 

"  '  Provost-Marshal,  be  quick  now ' 

"'Eh?  what's  that? — there,  I  see  it  waving! — there's  a  shout, 
too !' 

"  '  Ay,  by  Jove !  so  it  is.  Well,  you're  saved  this  time,  Major, — 
that's  the  signal.' 

"  So  saying,  Gronow  formed  his  fellows  in  line  and  resumed  his 
march  quite  coolly,  leaving  me  alone  on  the  roadside,  to  meditate 
over  martial  law  and  my  pernicious  taste  for  relics. 

"Well,  Charley,  this  gave  me  a  great  shock,  and  I  think,  too,  it 
must  have  had  a  great  effect  upon  Sir  Arthur  himself;  but,  upon 
my  life,  he  has  wonderful  nerves.  I  met  him  one  day  afterwards  at 
dinner  in  Lisbon;  he  looked  at  me  very  hard  for  a  few  seconds — ■ 
'Eh,  Monsoon !  Major  Monsoon,  I  think  ?' 
22 


338  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  '  Yes,  your  Excellency,'  said  I,  briefly,  thinking  how  painful  it 
must  be  for  him  to  meet  me. 

"  '  Thought  I  had  hanged  you — know  I  intended  it.  No  matter — 
a  glass  of  wine  with  you  ?' 

"  Upon  my  life,  that  was  all.  How  easily  some  people  can  for- 
give themselves.  But,  Charley,  my  hearty,  we  are  getting  on  slowly 
with  the  tipple.  Are  they  all  empty  ?  So  they  are !  Let  us  make 
a  sortie  on  the  cellar.     Bring  a  candle  with  you,  and  come  along." 

We  had  scarcely  proceeded  a  few  steps  from  the  door,  when  a  most 
vociferous  sound  of  mirth,  arising  from  a  neighboring  apartment, 
arrested  our  progress. 

"  Are  the  Dons  so  convivial,  Major  ?"  said  I,  as  a  hearty  burst  of 
laughter  broke  forth  at  the  moment. 

"  Upon  my  life,  they  surprise  me ;  I  begin  to  fear  they  have  taken 
some  of  our  wine." 

We  now  perceived  that  the  sounds  of  merriment  came  from  the 
kitchen,  which  opened  upon  a  little  court-yard.  Into  this  we  crept 
stealthily,  and  approaching  noiselessly  to  the  window,  obtained  a 
peep  at  the  scene  within. 

Around  a  blazing  fire,  over  which  hung  by  a  chain  a  massive  iron 
pot,  sat  a  goodly  party  of  some  half-dozen  people.  One  group  lay 
in  dark  shadow,  but  the  others  were  brilliantly  lighted  up  by  the 
cheerful  blaze,  and  showed  us  a  portly  Dominican  friar,  with  a 
beard  down  to  his  waist ;  a  buxom,  dark-eyed  girl  of  some  eighteen 
years ;  and  between  the  two,  most  comfortably  leaning  back,  with  an 
arm  round  each,  no  less  a  person  than  my  trusty  man,  Mickey  Free. 

It  was  evident  from  the  alternate  motion  of  his  head  that  his 
attentions  were  evenly  divided  between  the  Church  and  the  fair  sex ; 
although,  to  confess  the  truth,  they  seemed  much  more  favorably 
received  by  the  latter  than  the  former— a  brown  earthen  flagon 
appearing  to  absorb  all  the  worthy  monk's  thoughts  that  he  could 
spare  from  the  contemplation  of  heavenly  objects. 

"  Mary,  my  darlin',  don't  be  looking  at  me  that  way,  through  the 
corner  of  your  eye.  I  know  you're  fond  of  me — but  the  girls  always 
was.  You  think  I'm  joking,  but  troth  I  wouldn't  say  a  lie  before 
the  holy  man  beside  me ;  sure  I  wouldn't,  father." 

The  friar  grunted  out  something  in  reply,  not  very  unlike,  in 
sound  at  least,  a  hearty  anathema, 

"  Ah,  then,  isn't  it  yourself  has  the  illigant  time  of  it,  father 
dear!"  said  he,  tapping  him  familiarly  upon  his  ample  paunch, 
"  and  nothing  to  trouble  you ;  the  best  of  divarsion  wherever  you 
go,  and  whether  it's  Badahos  or  Ballykilruddery,  it's  all  one ;  the 
women  is  fond  of  ye.  Father  Murphy,  the  coadjutor  in  Scariff,  was 
just  such  another  as  yourself,  and  he'd  coax  the  birds  off  the  trees 


THE  SUPPER.  339 

with  the  tongue  of  him.  Give  us  a  pull  at  the  pipkin  before  it's  all 
gone,  and  I'll  give  you  a  chant." 

With  this  he  seized  the  jar,  and  drained  it  to  the  bottom — the 
smack  of  his  lips  as  he  concluded,  and  the  disappointed  look  of  the 
friar,  as  he  peered  into  the  vessel,  throwing  the  others  once  more 
into  a  loud  burst  of  laughter. 

"  And  now,  your  rev'rance,  a  good  chorus  is  all  I'll  ask,  and  you'll 
not  refuse  it  for  the  honor  of  the  Church." 

So  saying,  he  turned  a  look  of  most  droll  expression  upon  the 
monk,  and  began  the  following  ditty,  to  the  air  of  "  St.  Patrick  was 
a  gentleman." 

"  What  an  illigant  life  a  friar  leads, 

With  a  fat  round  paunch  before  him ; 
He  mutters  a  prayer  and  counts  his  beads, 

And  all  the  women  adore  him. 
It's  little  he's  troubled  to  work  or  to  think, 

Wherever  devotion  leads  him ; 
A  '  pater'  pays  for  his  dinner  and  drink, 

For  the  Church— good  luck  to  her ! — feeds  him. 

"  From  the  cow  in  the  field  to  the  pig  in  the  sty, 

From  the  maid  to  the  lady  in  satin, 
They  tremble  wherever  he  turns  an  eye ; 

He  can  talk  of  the  devil  in  Latin ! 
He's  mighty  severe  to  the  ugly  and  ould, 

And  curses  like  mad  when  he's  near  'em ; 
But  one  beautiful  trait  of  him  I've  been  tould, 

The  innocent  craytures  don't  fear  him. 

"It's  little  for  spirits  or  ghosts  he  cares ; 

For  'tis  true  as  the  world  supposes, 
With  an  ave  he'd  make  them  march  down  stairs, 

Av  they  dared  to  show  their  noses. 
The  devil  himself  s  afraid,  'tis  said, 

And  dares  not  to  deride  him ; 
For  '  angels  make  each  night  his  bed, 

And  then— lie  down  beside  him.'  " 

A  perfect  burst  of  laughter  from  Monsoon  prevented  my  hearing 
how  Mike's  minstrelsy  succeeded  within  doors,  but  when  I  looked 
again,  I  found  that  the  friar  had  decamped,  leaving  the  field  open 
to  his  rival — a  circumstance,  I  could  plainly  perceive,  not  disliked 
by  either  party. 

"Come  back,  Charley;  that  villain  of  yours  has  given  me  the 
cramp,  standing  here  on  the  cold  pavement.  We'll  have  a  little 
warm  posset — very  small  and  thin,  as  they  say  in  '  Tom  Jones,' — 
and  then  to  bed." 

Notwithstanding  the  abstemious  intentions  of  the  Major  it  was 
daybreak  ere  we  separated,  neither  party  being  in  a  condition  for 
performing  upon  the  tight-rope. 


340  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER  LV. 

THE    LEGION. 

MY  services  while  with  the  Legion  were  of  no  very  distinguished 
character,  and  require  no  lengthened  chronicle.  Their  great 
feat  of  arms,  the  repulse  of  an  advanced  guard  of  Victor's 
corps,  had  taken  place  the  very  morning  I  had  joined  them,  and  the 
ensuing  month  was  passed  in  soft  repose  upon  their  laurels. 

For  the  first  few  days,  indeed,  a  multiplicity  of  cares  beset  the 
worthy  Major.  There  was  a  despatch  to  be  written  to  Beresford, 
another  to  the  Supreme  Junta,  a  letter  to  Wilson,  at  that  time  with 
a  corps  of  observation  to  the  eastward.  There  were  some  wounded 
to  be  looked  after,  a  speech  to  be  made  to  the  conquering  heroes 
themselves,  and,  lastly,  a  few  prisoners  were  taken,  whose  fate 
seemed  certainly  to  partake  of  the  most  uncertain  of  war's  prover- 
bial chances. 

The  despatches  gave  little  trouble ;  with  some  very  slight  altera- 
tions, the  great  original,  already  sent  forward  to  Sir  Arthur,  served 
as  a  basis  for  the  rest.  The  wounded  were  forwarded  to  Alcantara, 
with  a  medical  staff,  to  whom  Monsoon,  at  parting,  pleasantly 
hinted  that  he  expected  to  see  all  the  sick  at  their  duty  by  an  early 
day,  or  he  would  be  compelled  to  report  the  doctors.  The  speech, 
which  was  intended  as  a  kind  of  general  order,  he  deferred  for  some 
favorable  afternoon,  when  he  could  get  up  his  Portuguese;  and, 
lastly,  came  to  the  prisoners,  by  far  the  most  difficult  of  all  his  cares. 
As  for  the  few  common  soldiers  taken,  they  gave  him  little  uneasi- 
ness ;  as  Sir  John  has  it,  they  were  "  mortal  men,  and  food  for  pow- 
der;" but  there  was  a  staff  officer  among  them,  aiguilletted  and 
epauletted.  The  very  decorations  he  wore  were  no  common  temp- 
tation. Now,  the  Major  deliberated  a  long  time  with  himself 
whether  the  usages  of  modern  war  might  not  admit  of  the  ancient, 
time-honored  practice  of  ransom.  The  battle,  save  in  glory,  had 
been  singularly  unproductive;  plunder  there  was  none;  the  few 
ammunition-wagons  and  gun-carriages  were  worth  little  or  nothing; 
so  that,  save  the  prisoners,  nothing  remained.  It  was  late  in  the 
evening — the  mellow  hour  of  the  Major's  meditations — when  he 
ventured  to  open  his  heart  to  me  upon  the  matter. 

"  I  was  just  thinking,  Charley,  how  very  superior  they  were  in  olden 
time  to  us  moderns,  in  many  matters,  and  nothing  more  than  in 
their  treatment  of  prisoners.  They  never  took  them  away  from 
their  friends  and  country ;  they  always  ransomed  them — if  they  had 
wherewithal  to  pay  their  way.  So  good-natured— upon  my  life  it 
was  a  most  excellent  custom.    They  took  any  little  valuables  they 


THE  LEGION.  341 

found  about  them,  and  then  put  them  up  at  auction.  Moses  and 
Eleazar,  a  priest,  we  are  told,  took  every  piece  of  gold,  and  their 
wrought  jewels — meaning  their  watches  and  earrings.  You  needn't 
laugh ;  they  all  wore  earrings,  those  fellows  did.  Now,  why  shouldn't 
I  profit  by  their  good  example  ?  I  have  taken  Agag,  the  king  of  the 
Amalekites — no,  but,  upon  my  life,  I  have  got  a  French  Major,  and 
I'd  let  him  go  for  fifty  doubloons." 

It  was  not  without  much  laughing  and  some  eloquence  that  I 
could  persuade  Monsoon  that  Sir  Arthur's  military  notions  might 
not  accept  of  even  the  authority  of  Moses ;  and,  as  our  head-quar- 
ters were  at  no  great  distance,  the  danger  of  such  a  step  as  he  medi- 
tated was  too  considerable  at  such  a  moment. 

As  for  ourselves,  no  fatiguing  drills,  no  harassing  field-days,  and 
no  provoking  inspections,  interfered  with  the  easy  current  of  our 
lives.  Foraging  parties  there  were,  it  is  true,  and  some  occasional 
outpost  duty  was  performed ;  but  the  officers  for  both  were  selected 
with  a  tact  that  proved  the  Major's  appreciation  of  character;  for 
while  the  gay,  joyous  fellow  that  sung  a  jovial  song  and  loved  his 
liquor  was-  certain  of  being  entertained  at  head-quarters,  the  less 
gifted  and  less  congenial  spirit  had  the  happiness  of  scouring  the 
country  for  forage,  and  presenting  himself  as  a  target  to  a  French 
rifle. 

My  own  endeavors  to  fulfil  my  instructions  met  with  but  little 
encouragement  or  support ;  and  although  I  labored  hard  at  my  task, 
I  must  confess  that  the  soil  was  a  most  ungrateful  one.  The  cav- 
alry were,  it  is  true,  composed  mostly  of  young  fellows  well  ap- 
pointed, and  in  most  cases  well  mounted ;  but  a  more  disorderly, 
careless,  undisciplined  set  of  good-humored  fellows  never  formed  a 
corps  in  the  world. 

Monsoon's  opinions  were  felt  in  every  branch  of  the  service,  from 
the  adjutant  to  the  drummer-boy — the  same  reckless,  indolent,  plun- 
der-loving spirit  prevailed  everywhere.  And  although  under  fire 
they  showed  no  lack  of  gallantry  or  courage,  the  moment  of  danger 
past,  discipline  departed  with  it,  and  their  only  conception  of  bene- 
fiting by  a  victory  consisted  in  the  amount  of  pillage  that  resulted 
from  it. 

From  time  to  time  the  rumors  of  great  events  reached  us.  We 
heard  that  Soult,  having  succeeded  in  reorganizing  his  beaten  army, 
was,  in  conjunction  with  Ney's  corps,  returning  from  the  North ; 
that  the  Marshals  were  consolidating  their  forces  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Talavera,  and  that  King  Joseph  himself,  at  the  head  of  a 
large  army,  had  marched  for  Madrid. 

Menacing  as  such  an  aspect  of  affairs  was,  it  had  little  disturbed 
the   Major's  equanimity  ;  and  when  our  advanced   posts  reported 


342  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

daily  the  intelligence  that  the  French  were  in  retreat,  he  cared  little 
with  what  object  of  concentrating  they  retired,  provided  the  interval 
between  us  grew  gradually  wider.  His  speculations  upon  the  future 
were  singularly  prophetic.  "  You'll  see,  Charley,  what  will  happen ; 
old  Cuesta  will  pursue  them  and  get  thrashed.  The  English  will 
come  up,  and  perhaps  get  thrashed  too ; '  but  we— God  bless  us !  are 
only  a  small  force,  partially  organized  and  ill  to  depend  on;  we'll 
go  up  the  mountains  till  all  is  over !"  Thus  did  the  Major's  discre- 
tion not  only  extend  to  the  avoidance  of  danger,  but  he  actually 
disqualified  himself  from  even  making  its  acquaintance. 

Meanwhile,  our  operations  consisted  in  making  easy  marches  to 
Almarez,  halting  wherever  the  commissariat  reported  a  well-stocked 
cellar  or  well-furnished  hen-roost ;  taking  the  primrose  path  in  life, 
and  being,  in  the  words  of  the  Major,  "  contented  and  grateful,  even 
amid  great  perils I" 


CHAPTEE  LVI. 

THE  DEPARTURE. 

ON  the  morning  of  the  10th  July,  a  despatch  reached  us  an- 
nouncing that  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley  had  taken  up  his  head- 
quarters at  Placentia,  for  the  purpose  of  communicating  with 
Cuesta,  then  at  Casa  del  Puerto,  and  ordering  me  immediately  to 
repair  to  the  Spanish  head-quarters,  and  await  Sir  Arthur's  arrival, 
to  make  my  report  upon  the  effective  state  of  our  corps.  As  for  me,  I 
was  heartily  tired  of  the  inaction  of  my  present  life,  and,  much  as 
I  relished  the  eccentricities  of  my  friend  the  Major,  longed  ardently 
for  a  different  sphere  of  action. 

Not  so  Monsoon ;  the  prospect  of  active  employment,  and  the 
thoughts  of  being  left  once  more  alone, — for  his  Portuguese  staff 
afforded  him  little  society, — depressed  him  greatly,  and,  as  the  hour 
of  my  departure  drew  near,  he  appeared  lower  in  spirits  than  I  had 
ever  seen  him. 

"  I  shall  be  very  lonely  without  you,  Charley,"  said  he,  with  a 
sigh,  as  we  sat  the  last  evening  together  beside  our  cheerful  wood 
fire.  "  I  have  little  intercourse  with  the  Dons ;  for  my  Portuguese 
is  none  of  the  best,  and  only  comes  when  the  evening  is  far  ad- 
vanced ;  and,  besides,  the  villains,  I  fear,  may  remember  the  sherry 
affair.     Two  of  my  present  staff  were  with  me  then." 

"  Is  that  the  story  Power  so  often  alluded  to,  Major,  the  King  of 
Spain's ?" 


THE  DEPARTURE.  343 

"There,  Charley,  hush — be  cautious,  my  boy.  I'd  rather  not 
speak  about  that  till  we  get  amongst  our  own  fellows." 

"  Just  as  you  like,  Major ;  but,  do  you  know,  I  have  a  strong  curi- 
osity to  hear  the  narrative  ?" 

"  If  I'm  not  mistaken,  there  is  some  one  listening  at  the  door — 
gently — that's  it,  eh  ?" 

"  No,  we  are  perfectly  alone ;  the  night's  early — who  knows  when 
we  shall  have  as  quiet  an  hour  again  together  ?  Let  me  hear  it  by 
all  means." 

"  Well,  I  don't  care.  The  thing,  Heaven  knows !  is  tolerably 
well  known ;  so,  if  you'll  amuse  yourself  making  a  devil  of  the 
turkey's  legs  there,  I'll  tell  you  the  story.  It's  very  short,  Charley, 
and  there's  no  moral ;  so  you're  not  likely  to  repeat  it." 

So  saying,  the  Major  filled  up  his  glass,  drew  a  little  closer  to  the 
fire,  and  began  : — 

"  When  the  French  troops  under  Laborde  were  marching  upon 
Alcobaca,  in  concert  with  Loison's  corps,  I  was  ordered  to  convey  a 
very  valuable  present  of  sherry  the  Due  d' Albuquerque  was  making 
to  the  Supreme  Junta — no  less  than  ten  hogsheads  of  the  best  sherry 
the  royal  cellars  of  Madrid  had  formerly  contained. 

"  It  was  stored  in  the  San  Vincente  convent ;  and  the  Junta, 
knowing  a  little  about  monkish  tastes  and  the  wants  of  the  Church, 
prudently  thought  it  would  be  quite  as  well  at  Lisbon.  I  was  ac- 
cordingly ordered  with  a  sufficient  force  to  provide  for  its  safe-con- 
duct and  secure  arrival,  and  set  out  upon  my  march  one  lovely 
morning  in  April  with  my  precious  convoy. 

"  I  don't  know,  I  never  could  understand,  why  temptations  are 
thrown  in  our  way  in  this  life,  except  for  the  pleasure  of  yielding  to 
them.  As  for  me,  I'm  a  stoic  when  there's  nothing  to  be  had ;  but, 
let  me  get  a  scent  of  a  well-kept  haunch,  the  odor  of  a  wine-bin 
once  in  my  nose,  I  forget  everything  except  appropriation. — That 
bone  smells  deliciously,  Charley ;  a  little  garlic  would  improve  it 
vastly. 

"  Our  road  lay  through  cross  paths  and  mountain  tracts — for  the 
French  were  scouring  the  country  on  every  side — and  my  fellows, 
only  twenty  altogether,  trembled  at  the  very  name  of  them  ;  so  that 
our  only  chance  was  to  avoid  falling  in  with  any  forage  parties. 
We  journeyed  along  for  several  days,  rarely  making  more  than  a 
few  leagues  between  sunrise  and  sunset,  a  scout  always  in  advance 
to  assure  us  that  all  was  safe.  The  road  was  a  lonesome  one,  and 
the  way  weary, — for  I  had  no  one  to  speak  to  or  converse  with, — so 
I  fell  into  a  kind  of  musing  fit  about  the  old  wine  in  the  great  brown 
casks.  I  thought  on  its  luscious  flavor,  its  rich  straw  tint,  its  oily 
look  as  it  flowed  into  the  glass,  the  mellow  after-taste,  warming  the 


344  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

heart  as  it  went  down,  and  I  absolutely  thought  I  could  smell  it 
through  the  wood. 

"  How  I  longed  to  broach  one  of  them,  if  it  were  only  to  see  if 
my  dreams  about  it  were  correct.  'Maybe  it's  brown  sherry/ 
thought  I,  '  and  I  am  all  wrong.'  This  was  a  very  distressing  reflec- 
tion. I  mentioned  it  to  the  Portuguese  Intendant,  who  travelled 
with  us  as  a  kind  of  supercargo  ;  but  the  villain  only  grinned,  and 
said  something  about  the  Junta  and  the  galleys  for  life ;  so  I  did 
not  recur  to  it  afterwards.  Well,  it  was  upon  the  third  evening  of 
our  march  that  the  scout  reported  that  at  Merida,  about  a  league 
distant,  he  had  fallen  in  with  an  English  cavalry  regiment,  who 
were  on  their  march  to  the  northern  provinces,  and  remaining  that 
night  in  the  village.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  I  had  made  all  my 
arrangements  for  the  night,  I  took  a  fresh  horse,  and  cantered  over 
to  have  a  look  at  my  countrymen,  and  hear  the  news.  When 
I  arrived  it  was  dark  night;  but  I  was  not  long  in  finding  out 
our  fellows.  They  were  the  11th  Light  Dragoons,  commanded 
by  my  old  friend  Bowes,  and  with  as  jolly  a  mess  as  any  in  the 
service. 

"  Before  half  an  hour's  time  I  was  in  the  midst  of  them,  hearing 
all  about  the  campaign,  and  telling  them  in  return  about  my  con- 
voy— dilating  upon  the  qualities  of  the  wine,  as  if  I  had  been  drink- 
ing it  every  day  at  dinner. 

"  We  had  a  very  mellow  night  of  it,  and  before  four  o'clock  the 
senior  major  and  four  captains  were  under  the  table,  and  all  the 
subs,  in  a  state  unprovided  for  by  the  articles  of  war.  So  I  thought 
I'd  be  going,  and,  wishing  the  sober  ones  a  good-bye,  set  out  on  my 
road  to  join  my  own  party. 

"  I  had  not  gone  above  a  hundred  yards,  when  I  heard  some  one 
running  after  me,  and  calling  out  my  name. 

"  'I  say,  Monsoon  ;  Major,  confound  you,  pull  up.' 
"'Well,  what's  the  matter?  has  any  more  lush  turned  up?'  in- 
quired I — for  we  had  drunk  the  tap  dry  when  I  left. 

"  *  Not  a  drop,  old  fellow,'    said  he  ;    '  but  I  was  thinking  of  what 
you've  been  saying  about  that  sherry.' 
" '  Well  I  what  then  ?' 

Why,  I  want  to  know  how  we  could  get  a  taste  of  it  ?' 
'You'd  better  get  elected  one  of  the  Cortes/  said  I,  laughing; 
■  for  it  does  not  seem  likely  you'll  do  so  in  any  other  way.' 

I'm  not  so  sure  of  that/  said  he,  smiling.     '  What  road  do  you 
travel  to-morrow  ?' 

"  '  By  Cavalhos  and  Reina.' 

Whereabouts  may  you  happen  to  be  towards  sunset  ?' 
"  '  I  fear  we  shall  be  in  the  mountains/  said  I,  with  a  knowing 


THE  DEPARTURE.  345 

look,  {  where  ambuscades  and  surprise  parties  would  be  highly  dan- 
gerous.' 

" '  And  your  party  consists  of ?' 

"  *  About  twenty  Portuguese,  all  ready  to  run  at  the  first  shot.' 

" '  I'll  do  it,  Monsoon  !     I'll  be  hanged  if  I  don't.' 

"  '  But  Tom,'  said  I,  '  don't  make  any  blunder ;  only  blank  cart- 
ridge, my  boy.' 

"  \  Honor  bright !'  cried  he ;  '  your  fellows  are  armed,  of  course  V 

"  *  Never  think  of  that ;  they  may  shoot  each  other  in  the  confu- 
sion ;  but  if  you  only  make  plenty  of  noise  coming  on,  they'll  never 
wait  for  you.' 

"  '  What  capital  fellows  they  must  be !' 

"'Crack  troops,  Tom;  so  don't  harm  them.  And  now,  good- 
night.' 

"  As  I  cantered  off,  I  began  to  think  over  O'Flaherty's  idea,  and, 
upon  my  life,  I  didn't  half  like  it.  He  was  a  reckless,  devil-may- 
care  fellow,  and  it  was  just  as  likely  he  would  really  put  his  scheme 
into  practice. 

"When  morning  broke,  however,  we  got  under  way  again,  and 
I  amused  myself  all  the  forenoon  in  detailing  stories  of  French 
cruelty;  so  that,  before  we  had  marched  ten  miles,  there  was  not  a 
man  amongst  us  not  ready  to  run  at  the  slightest  sound  of  attack  on 
any  side.  As  evening  was  falling,  we  reached  Morento,  a  little 
mountain  pass  which  follows  the  course  of  a  small  river,  and  where 
in  many  places  the  mule-carts  had  barely  space  enough  to  pass  be- 
tween the  cliffs  and  the  stream.  '  What  a  place  for  Tom  O'Flaherty 
and  his  foragers  !'  thought  I,  as  we  entered  the  little  mountain  gorge ; 
but  all  was  silent  as  the  grave ;  except  the  tramp  of  our  party,  not 
a  sound  was  heard.  There  was  something  solemn  and  still  in  the 
great  brown  mountain,  rising  like  a  vast  wall  on  either  side,  with  a 
narrow  streak  of  gray  sky  at  top,  and  in  the  dark  sluggish  stream, 
that  seemed  to  awe  us,  and  no  one  spoke ;  the  muleteer  ceased  his 
merry  song,  and  did  not  crack  or  flourish  his  long  whip  as  before, 
but  chid  his  beasts  in  a  half-muttered  voice,  and  urged  them  faster, 
to  reach  the  village  before  nightfall. 

"  Egad,  somehow  I  felt  uncommonly  uncomfortable ;  I  could  not 
divest  my  mind  of  the  impression  that  some  disaster  was  impending, 
and  I  wished  O'Flaherty  and  his  project  in  a  very  warm  climate. 
'  He'll  attack  us,'  thought  I,  '  where  we  can't  run  ;  fair  play  forever  ; 
but  if  they  are  not  able  to  get  away,  even  the  militia  will  fight.' 
However,  the  evening  crept  on,  and  no  sign  of  his  coming  appeared 
on  any  side.  To  my  sincere  satisfaction,  I  could  see,  about  half  a 
league  distant,  the  twinkling  light  of  the  little  village  where  we  were 
to  halt  for  the  night.     It  was  just  at  this  time  that  a  scout  I  had  sent 


346  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

out  some  few  hundred  yards  in  advance  came  galloping  up,  almost 
breathless. 

"  '  The  French,  captain — the  French  are  upon  us  !'  said  he,  with 
a  face  like  a  ghost. 

"  '  Whew !  Which  way  ?  how  many  ?'  said  I,  not  at  all  sure  that 
he  might  not  be  telling  the  truth. 

"  '  Coming  in  force !'  said  the  fellow :  '  dragoons — by  this  road.' 

"  '  Dragoons  ?  By  this  road  V  repeated  every  man  of  the  party, 
looking  at  each  other  like  men  sentenced  to  be  hanged. 

"  Scarcely  had  they  spoken,  when  we  heard  the  distant  noise  of 
cavalry  advancing  at  a  brisk  trot.  Lord,  what  a  scene  ensued! 
The  soldiers  ran  hither  and  thither  like  frightened  sheep ;  some 
pulled  out  crucifixes  and  began  to  say  their  prayers ;  others  fired 
off  their  muskets  in  a  panic;  the  mule-drivers  cut  their  traces,  and 
endeavored  to  get  away  by  riding ;  and  the  Intendant  took  to  his 
heels,  screaming  out  to  us,  as  he  went,  to  fight  manfully  to  the  last, 
and  that  he'd  report  us  favorably  to  the  Junta. 

"  Just  at  this  moment  the  dragoons  came  in  sight ;  they  came 
galloping  up,  shouting  like  madmen.  One  look  was  enough  for  my 
fellows;  they  sprang  to  their  legs  from  their  devotions;  fired  a 
volley  straight  at  the  new  moon,  and  ran  like  men. 

"  I  was  knocked  down  in  the  rush.  As  soon  as  I  regained 
my  legs,  Tom  O'Flaherty  was  standing  beside  me,  laughing  like 
mad. 

"  '  Eh,  Monsoon !  I've  kept  my  word,  old  fellow !  What  legs 
they  have !  We  shall  make  no  prisoners,  that's  certain.  Now,  lads, 
here  it  is;  put  the  horses  to,  here.  We  shall  take  but  one,  Monsoon, 
so  that  your  gallant  defence  of  the  rest  will  please  the  Junta.  Good- 
night !  good-night !  I  will  drink  your  health  every  night  these  two 
months.' 

"So  saying,  Tom  sprang  to  his  saddle,  and  in  less  time  than  I've 
been  telling  it  the  whole  was  over,  and  I  sitting  by  myself  in  the 
gray  moonlight,  meditating  on  all  I  saw,  and  now  and  then  shout- 
ing to  my  Portuguese  friends  to  come  back  again.  They  came  in 
time,  by  twos  and  threes,  and  at  last  the  whole  party  reassembled, 
and  we  set  forth  again, — every  man,  from  the  Intendant  to  the 
drummer,  lauding  my  valor,  and  saying  that  Don  Monsoon  was  * 
match  for  the  Cid." 

"  And  how  did  the  Junta  behave  ?" 

"  Like  trumps,  Charley.  Made  me  a  Knight  of  Battalha,  and 
kissed  me  on  both  cheeks,  having  sent  twelve  dozen  of  the  rescued 
wine  to  my  quarters,  as  a  small  testimony  of  their  esteem.  I  have 
laughed  very  often  at  it  since.  But,  hush,  Charley !  What's  that 
I  hear  without  there  ?" 


THE  DEPARTURE.  347 

"  Oh,  it's  my  fellow  Mike.  He  asked  my  leave  to  entertain  his 
friends  before  parting,  and  I  perceive  he  is  delighting  them  with  a 
song." 

"  But  what  a  confounded  air  it  is  !    Are  the  words  Hebrew?" 

"  Irish,  Major — most  classical  Irish,  too,  I'll  be  bound." 

"Irish!  I  think  I've  heard  most  tongues;  but  that  certainly 
surprises  me.  Call  him  in,  however,  Charley,  and  let  us  have  the 
canticle." 

In  a  few  minutes  more  Mr.  Free  appeared,  in  a  state  of  very 
satisfactory  elevation,  his  eyebrows  alternately  rising  and  falling, 
his  mouth  a  little  drawn  to  one  side,  and  a  side  motion  in  his  knee- 
joints  that  might  puzzle  a  physiologist  to  account  for. 

"  A  sweet  little  song  of  yours,  Mike,"  said  the  Major, — "  a  very 
sweet  thing  indeed.     Wet  your  lips,  Mickey." 

"  Long  life  to  your  honor,  and  Master  Charles  there  too,  and  them 
that  belongs  to  both  of  yez.  May  a  gooseberry  skin  make  a  night- 
cap for  the  man  would  harm  either  of  ye." 

"Thank  you,  Mike.     And  now  about  that  song." 

"  It's  the  ouldest  tune  ever  was  sung,"  said  Mike,  with  a  hiccup, 
"  barrin'  Adam  had  a  taste  for  music ;  but  the  words — the  poethry 
— is  not  so  ould." 

"  And  how  comes  that  ?" 

"  The  poethry,  ye  see,  was  put  to  it  by  one  of  my  ancesthors, — he 
was  a  great  inventhor  in  times  past,  and  made  beautiful  songs, — and 
ye'd  never  guess  what  it's  all  about." 

"  Love,  mayhap  ?"  quoth  Monsoon. 

"  Sorra  taste  of  kissin'  from  beginning  to  end." 

"  A  drinking  song  ?"  said  I. 

"  Whisky  is  never  mentioned." 

"Fighting  is  the  only  other  national  pastime.  It  must  be  in 
praise  of  sudden  death." 

"  You're  out  again ;  but  sure  you'd  never  guess  it,"  said  Mike. 
"  Well,  ye  see,  here's  what  it  is.  It's  the  praise  and  glory  of  ould 
Ireland  in  the  great  days  that's  gone,  when  we  were  all  Phenay- 
ceans  and  Armanians,  and  when  we  worked  all  manner  of  beautiful 
contrivances  in  goold  and  silver — bracelets,  and  collars,  and  tea- 
pots, illigant  to  look  at ;  and  read  Roosian  and  Latin,  and  played 
the  harp  and  the  barrel-organ ;  and  ate  and  drank  of  the  best,  for 
nothing  but  asking." 

"Blessed  times,  upon  my  life  !"  quoth  the  Major;  "I  wish  we  had 
them  back  again." 

"  There's  more  of  your  mind,"  said  Mike,  steadying  himself.  "  My 
ancesthors  was  great  people  in  them  days  ;  and  sure  it  isn't  in  my 
present  situation  I'd  be  av  we  had  them  back  again— sorra  bit, 


348  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

faith !  It  isn't '  Come  here,  Mickey,  bad  luck  to  you,  Mike !'  or, 
'That  blackguard,  Mickey  Free!'  people'd  be  calling  me.  But  no 
matter ;  here's  your  health  again,  Major  Monsoon " 

"  Never  mind  vain  regrets,  Mike.  Let  us  hear  your  song ;  the 
Major  has  taken  a  great  fancy  to  it." 

"Ah,  then,  it's  joking  you  are,  Misther  Charles,"  said  Mike, 
affecting  an  air  of  most  bashful  coyness. 

"  By  no  means  ;  we  want  to  hear  you  sing  it." 

"  To  be  sure  we  do.  Sing  it,  by  all  means ;  never  be  ashamed. 
King  David  was  very  fond  of  singing — upon  my  life  he  was." 

"  But  you'd  never  understand  a  word  of  it,  sir." 

"  No  matter ;  we  know  what  it's  about.  That's  the  way  with  the 
Legion ;  they  don't  know  much  English,  but  they  generally  guess 
what  I'm  at." 

This  argument  seemed  to  satisfy  all  Mike's  remaining  scruples, 
so,  placing  himself  in  an  attitude  of  considerable  pretension  as  to 
grace,  he  began,  with  a  voice  of  no  very  measured  compass,  an  air, 
of  which,  neither  by  name  nor  otherwise,  can  I  give  any  conception, 
my  principal  amusement  being  derived  from  a  tol-de-rol  chorus  of 
the  Major,  which  concluded  each  verse,  and,  indeed,  in  a  lower  key, 
accompanied  the  singer  throughout. 

Since  that  I  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  free-and-easy  transla- 
tion of  the  lyric;  but  in  my  anxiety  to  preserve  the  metre  and 
something  of  the  spirit  of  the  original,  I  have  made  several  blunders 
and  many  anachronisms.  Mr.  Free,  however,  pronounces  my  ver- 
sion to  be  a  very  good  one,  and  the  world  must  take  his  word  till 
some  more  worthy  translator  shall  have  consigned  it  to  immortal 
verse. 

With  this  apology,  therefore,  I  present  Mr.  Free's  song,  which  is 
set  to  the  air — "  Na  Guilloch  y'  Goulen." 

"  Oh !  once  we  were  illigant  people, 

Though  we  now  live  in  cabins  of  mud; 
And  the  land  that  yc  see  from  the  steeple 
'  Belonged  to  us  all  from  the  flood. 
My  father  was  then  king  of  Connaught, 

My  grand-aunt  viceroy  of  Tralee ; 
But  the  Sassenach  came,  and,  signs  on  it, 

The  devil  an  acre  have  we. 

"  The  least  of  us  then  were  all  earls, 

And  jewels  we  wore  without  name ; 
We  drank  punch  out  of  rubies  and  pearls — 

Mr.  Petrie  can  tell  you  the  same. 
But,  except  some  turf  mould  and  potatoes, 

There's  nothing  our  own  we  can  call ; 
And  the  English— bad  luck  to  then) !— hate  us, 

Because  we've  more  fun  than  them  all ! 


THE  DEPARTURE.  349 

"  My  grand-aunt  was  niece  to  St.  Kevin, 

That's  the  reason  my  name's  Mickey  Free ! 
Priest's  nieces — but  sure  he's  in  heaven, 

And  his  failins  is  nothing  to  me. 
And  we  still  might  get  on  without  doctors, 

If  they'd  let  the  ould  island  alone ; 
And  if  purple  men,  priests,  and  tithe-proctors, 

Were  crammed  down  the  great  gun  of  Athlone." 

As  Mike's  melody  proceeded,  the  Major's  thorough  bass  waxed 
beautifully  less — now  and  then,  it's  true,  roused  by  some  moment- 
ary strain,  it  swelled  upward  in  full  chorus ;  but  gradually  these 
passing  nights  grew  rarer,  and  finally  all  ceased,  save  a  long,  low, 
droning  sound,  like  the  expiring  sigh  of  a  wearied  bagpipe.  His 
fingers  still  continued  mechanically  to  beat  time  upon  the  table,  and 
still  his  head  nodded  sympathetically  to  the  music ;  his  eyelids 
closed  in  sleep,  and,  as  the  last  verse  concluded,  a  full-drawn  snore 
announced  that  Monsoon,  if  not  in  the  land  of  dreams,  was,  at 
least,  in  a  happy  oblivion  of  all  terrestrial  concerns,  and  caring  as 
little  for  the  woes  of  green  Erin  and  the  altered  fortunes  of  the 
Free  family  as  any  Saxon  that  ever  oppressed  them. 

There  he  sat,  the  finished  decanter  and  empty  goblet  testifying 
that  his  labors  had  only  ceased  from  the  pressure  of  necessity ;  but 
the  broken,  half-uttered  words  that  fell  from  his  lips  evinced  that 
he  reposed  on  the  last  bottle  of  the  series. 

"  Oh,  thin,  he's  a  fine  ould  gentleman,"  said  Mike,  after  a  pause 
of  some  minutes,  during  which  he  had  been  contemplating  the 
Major  with  all  the  critical  acumen  Chantrey  or  Canova  would  have 
bestowed  upon  an  antique  statue — "a  fine  ould  gentleman,  every 
inch  of  him  ;  and  it's  the  master  would  like  to  have  him  up  at  the 
castle." 

"  Quite  true,  Mike ;  but  let  us  not  forget  the  road.  Look  to  the 
cattle,  and  be  ready  to  start  within  an  hour." 

When  he  left  the  room  for  this  purpose,  I  endeavored  to  shake 
the  Major  into  momentary  consciousness  ere  we  parted. 

"  Major,  Major,"  said  I,  "  time  is  up.     I  must  start." 

"  Yes,  it's  all  true,  your  Excellency ;  they  pillaged  a  little ;  and, 
if  they  did  change  their  facings,  there  was  a  great  temptation.  All 
the  red  velvet  they  found  in  the  churches- " 

"  Good-bye,  old  fellow,  good-bye !" 

"  Stand  at  ease  !" 

"  Can't,  unfortunately,  yet  awhile  ;  so  farewell.  I'll  make  a  capi- 
tal report  of  the  Legion  to  Sir  Arthur.  Shall  I  add  anything  par- 
ticularly from  yourself?" 

This,  and  the  shake  that  accompanied  it,  aroused  him.  He  started 
up,  and  looked  about  him  for  a  few  seconds. 


350  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Eh,  Charley !    You  didn't  say  Sir  Arthur  was  here,  did  you?" 

"  No,  Major ;  don't  be  frightened ;  he's  many  a  league  off.  I  asked 
if  you  had  anything  to  say  when  I  met  him." 

"  Oh  yes,  Charley.  Tell  him  we're  capital  troops  in  our  own  little 
way  in  the  mountains;  would  never  do  in  pitched  battles;  skirmish- 
ing's our  forte ;  and  for  cutting  off  stragglers  or  sacking  a  town, 
back  them  at  any  odds." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  know  all  that :  you've  nothing  more  ?" 

"  Nothing,"  said  he,  once  more  closing  his  eyes  and  crossing  his 
hands  before  him,  while  his  lips  continued  to  mutter  on,  "  Nothing 
more,  except  you  may  say  from  me, — he  knows  me,  Sir  Arthur  does. 
Tell  him  to  guard  himself  from  intemperance :  a  fine  fellow  if  he 
wouldn't  drink." 

"You  horrid  old  humbug,  what  nonsense  are  you  muttering 
there?" 

"  Yes,  yes ;  Solomon  says,  '  Who  hath  red  eyes  and  carbuncles  V 
— they  that  mix  their  lush?  Pure  tSnei/d  never  injured  any  one.  Tell 
him  so  from  me  :  it's  an  old  man's  advice,  and  I  have  drunk  some 
hogsheads  of  it." 

With  these  words  he  ceased  to  speak,  while  his  head,  falling  gently 
forward  upon  his  chest,  proclaimed  him  sound  asleep. 

"  Adieu !  then,  for  the  last  time,"  said  I,  slapping  him  gently  on 
the  shoulder ;  "  and  now  for  the  road." 


CHAPTER    LVII. 

CUESTA. 

THE  second  day  of  our  journey  was  drawing  to  a  close  as  we 
came  in  view  of  the  Spanish  army.  The  position  they  occu- 
pied was  an  undulating  plain  beside  the  Teitar  river.  The 
country  presented  no  striking  feature  of  picturesque  beauty ;  but  the 
scene  before  us  needed  no  such  aid  to  make  it  one  of  the  most  inter- 
esting kind.  From  the  little  mountain  path  we  travelled,  we  be- 
held beneath  a  force  of  thirty  thousand  men  drawn  up  in  battle 
array;  dense  columns  of  infantry,  alternating  with  squadrons  of 
horse  or  dark  masses  of  artillery,  dotted  the  wide  plain,  the  bright 
steel  glittering  in  the  rich  sunset  of  a  July  evening.  Not  a  breath 
of  air  was  stirring ;  the  very  banners  hung  down  listlessly,  and  not 
a  sound  broke  the  solemn  stillness  of  the  hour.  All  was  silent.  So 
impressive  and  so  strange  was  the  spectacle  of  a  vast  army  thus  rest-  • 


CUESTA.  351 

ing  mutely  under  arms,  that  I  reined  in  my  horse,  and  almost 
doubted  the  reality  of  the  scene  as  I  gazed  upon  it.  The  dark 
shadows  of  the  tall  mountain  were  falling  across  the  valley,  and  a 
starry  sky  was  already  replacing  the  ruddy  glow  of  sunset  as  we 
reached  the  plain  ;  but  still  no  change  took  place  in  the  position  of 
the  Spanish  army. 

"Who  goes  there?"  cried  a  hoarse  voice,  as  we  issued  from  the 
mountain  gorge,  and  in  a  moment  we  found  ourselves  surrounded 
by  an  outpost  party.  Having  explained,  as  well  as  I  was  able,  who 
I  was,  and  for  what  reason  I  was  there,  I  proceeded  to  accompany 
the  officer  towards  the  camp. 

On  my  way  thither  I  learned  the  reason  of  the  singular  display  of 
troops  which  had  been  so  puzzling  to  me.  From  an  early  hour  of 
that  day  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley's  arrival  had  been  expected,  and  old 
Cuesta  had  drawn  up  his  men  for  inspection,  and  remained  thus  for 
several  hours  patiently  awaiting  his  coming ;  he  himself,  over- 
whelmed with  years  and  infirmity,  sitting  upon  his  horse  the  entire 
time. 

As  it  was  not  necessary  that  I  should  be  presented  to  the  General, 
my  report  being  for  the  ear  of  Sir  Arthur  himself,  I  willingly  availed 
myself  of  the  hospitality  proffered  by  a  Spanish  officer  of  cavalry. 
Having  provided  for  the  comforts  of  my  tired  cattle  and  taken  a 
hasty  supper,  I  issued  forth  to  look  at  the  troops,  which,  although  it 
was  now  growing  late,  were  still  in  the  same  attitude. 

Scarcely  had  I  been  half  an  hour  thus  occupied,  when  the  stillness 
of  the  scene  was  suddenly  interrupted  by  the  loud  report  of  a  large 
gun,  immediately  followed  by  a  long  roll  of  musketry,  while  at  the 
same  moment  the  bands  of  the  different  regiments  struck  up,  and,  as 
if  by  magic,  a  blaze  of  red  light  streamed  across  the  dark  ranks. 
This  was  effected  by  pine-torches  held  aloft  at  intervals,  throwing  a 
lurid  glow  upon  the  grim  and  swarthy  features  of  the  Spaniards, 
whose  brown  uniforms  and  slouching  hats  presented  a  most  pictur- 
esque effect  as  the  red  light  fell  upon  them. 

The  swell  of  the  thundering  cannon  grew  louder  and  nearer ;  the 
shouldering  of  muskets,  the  clash  of  sabres,  and  the  hoarse  roll  of 
the  drum,  mingling  in  one  common  din.  I  at  once  guessed  that  Sir 
Arthur  had  arrived,  and  as  I  turned  the  flank  of  a  battalion,  I  saw 
the  staff  approaching. 

Nothing  can  be  conceived  more  striking  than  their  advance.  In 
the  front  rode  old  Cuesta  himself,  clad  in  the  costume  of  a  past  cen- 
tury, his  slashed  doublet  and  trunk  hose  reminding  one  of  a  more 
chivalrous  period  ;  his  heavy,  unwieldy  figure,  looming  from  side  to 
side,  and  threatening  at  each  moment  to  fall  from  his  saddle.  On 
each  side  of  him  walked  two  figures  gorgeously  dressed,  whose  duty 


352  CHARLES  0' MALLET. 

appeared  to  be  to  sustain  the  chief  in  his  seat.  At  his  side  rode  a 
far  different  figure.  Mounted  upon  a  slight-made,  active  thorough- 
bred, whose  drawn  flanks  bespoke  a  long  and  weary  journey,  sat  Sir 
Arthur  Wellesley,  a  plain  blue  frock  and  gray  trousers  being  his  un- 
pretending costume ;  but  the  eagle  glance  which  he  threw  around 
on  every  side,  the  quick  motion  of  his  hand  as  he  pointed  hither 
and  thither  among  the  dense  battalions,  bespoke  him  every  inch  a 
soldier.  Behind  them  came  a  brilliant  staff,  glittering  in  aiguillettes 
and  golden  trappings,  among  whom  I  recognized  some  well-remem- 
bered faces,  our  gallant  leader  at  the  Douro,  Sir  Charles  Stewart, 
among  the  number. 

As  they  passed  the  spot  where  I  was  standing,  the  torch  of  a  foot 
soldier  behind  me  flared  suddenly  up,  and  threw  a  strong  flash  upon 
the  party.  Cuesta's  horse  grew  frightened,  and  plunged  so  fearfully 
for  a  minute,  that  the  poor  old  man  could  scarcely  keep  his  seat.  A 
smile  shot  across  Sir  Arthur's  features  at  the  moment,  but  the  next 
instant  he  was  grave  and  steadfast  as  before. 

A  wretched  hovel,  thatched  and  in  ruins,  formed  the  head-quar- 
ters of  the  Spanish  army,  and  thither  the  staff  now  bent  their  steps; 
a  supper  being  provided  there  for  our  Commander-in-Chief  and  the 
officers  of  his  suite.  Although  not  of  the  privileged  party,  I  lingered 
round  the  spot  for  some  time,  anxiously  expecting  to  find  some 
friend  or  acquaintance,  who  might  tell  me  the  news  of  our  people, 
and  what  events  had  occurred  in  my  absence. 


CHAPTEE    LVIII. 

THE    LETTER. 


THE  hours  passed  slowly  over,  and  I  at  length  grew  weary  of 
waiting.  For  some  time  I  had  amused  myself  with  observing 
the  slouching  gait  and  unsoldier-like  air  of  the  Spaniards  as 
they  lounged  carelessly  about,  looking,  in  dress,  gesture,  and  ap- 
pointment, far  more  like  a  guerilla  than  a  regular  force.  Then, 
again,  the  strange  contrast  of  the  miserable  hut,  with  falling  chim- 
neys and  ruined  walls,  to  the  glitter  of  the  mounted  guard  of  honor 
who  sat  motionless  beside  it,  served  to  pass  the  time ;  but  as  the 
night  was  already  far  advanced,  I  turned  towards  my  quarters, 
hoping  that  the  next  morning  might  gratify  my  curiosity  about  my 
friends. 
Beside  the  tent  where  I  was  billeted,  I  found  Mike  in  waiting, 


THE  LETTER.  353 

who,  the  moment  he  saw  me,  came  hastily  forward  with  a  letter  in 
his  hand.  An  officer  of  Sir  Arthur's  staff  had  left  it  while  I  was 
absent,  desiring  Mike  on  no  account  to  omit  its  delivery  the  first 
instant  he  met  me.  The  hand — not  a  very  legible  one — was  per- 
fectly unknown  to  me,  and  the  appearance  of  the  billet  such  as 
betrayed  no  over-scrupulous  care  in  the  writer. 

I  trimmed  my  lamp  leisurely,  threw  a  fresh  log  upon  the  fire, 
disposed  myself  completely  at  full  length  beside  it,  and  then  pro- 
ceeded to  form  acquaintance  with  my  unknown  correspondent.  I 
will  not  attempt  any  description  of  the  feelings  which  gradually 
*  filled  me  as  I  read  on ;  the  letter  itself  will  suggest  them  to  those 
who  know  my  story.     It  ran  thus. 

Placentia,  July  8, 1809. 

"  Dear  O'Malley  : — Although  I'd  rather  march  to  Lisbon  bare- 
foot than  write  three  lines,  Fred  Power  insists  upon  my  turning 
scribe,  as  he  has  a  notion  you'll  be  up  at  Cuesta's  head-quarters 
about  this  time.  You're  in  a  nice  scrape — devil  a  lie  in  it !  Here 
has  Fred  been  fighting  that  fellow  Trevyllian  for  you — all  because 
you  would  not  have  patience  and  fight  him  yourself  the  morning 
you  left  the  Douro — so  much  for  haste !  Let  it  be  a  lesson  to  you 
for  life. 

"  Poor  Fred  got  the  ball  in  his  hip,  and  the  devil  a  one  of  the  doc- 
tors can  find  it.  But  he's  getting  better  anyway,  and  going  to  Lisbon 
for  change  of  air.  Meanwhile,  since  Power's  been  wounded,  Tre- 
vyllian's  speaking  very  hardly  of  you,  and  they  all  say  here  you 
must  come  back — no  matter  how — and  put  matters  to  rights.  Fred 
has  placed  the  matter  in  my  hands,  and  I'm  thinking  we'd  better 
call  out  the  '  heavies'  by  turns ;  for  most  of  them  stand  by  Trevyl- 
lian. Maurice  Quill  and  myself  sat  up  considering  it  last  night ; 
but,  somehow,  we  don't  clearly  remember  to-day  a  beautiful  plan 
we  hit  upon.  However,  we'll  have  at  it  again  this  evening.  Mean- 
while, come  over  here,  and  let  us  be  doing  something.  We  hear 
that  old  Monsoon  has  blown  up  a  town,  abridge,  and  a  big  convent. 
They  must  have  been  hiding  the  plunder  very  closely,  or  he'd  never 
have  been  reduced  to  such  extremities.  We'll  have  a  brush  with 
the  French  soon.  Yours  most  eagerly, 

"D.  O'Shaughnessy." 

My  first  thought,  as  I  ran  my  eyes  over  these  lines,  was  to  seek 
for  Power's  note,  written  on  the  morning  we  parted.  I  opened  it, 
and  to  my  horror  found  that  it  only  related  to  my  quarrel  with  Ham- 
in  ersley.  My  meeting  with  Trevyllian  had  been  during  Fred's 
absence;  and  when  he  assured  me  that  all  was  satisfactorily  ar- 
23 


354  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

ranged  and  a  full  explanation  tendered — that  nothing  interfered 
with  my  departure — I  utterly  forgot  that  he  was  only  aware  of  one 
half  my  troubles,  and  in  the  haste  and  bustle  of  my  departure,  had 
not  a  moment  left  me  to  collect  myself  and  think  calmly  on  the 
matter.  The  two  letters  lay  before  me,  and  as  I  thought  over  the 
stain  upon  my  character  thus  unwittingly  incurred, — the  blast  I  had 
thrown  upon  my  reputation,  the  wound  of  my  poor  friend,  who 
exposed  himself  for  my  sake, — I  grew  sick  at  heart,  and  the  bitter 
tears  of  agony  burst  from  my  eyes. 

That  weary  night  passed  slowly  over ;  the  blight  of  all  my  pros- 
pects, when  they  seemed  fairest  and  brightest,  presented  itself  to  me 
in  a  hundred  shapes ;  and  when,  overcome  by  fatigue  and  exhaus- 
tion, I  closed  my  eyes  to  sleep,  it  was  only  to  follow  up  in  my  dreams 
my  waking  thoughts.  Morning  came  at  length,  but  its  bright  sun- 
shine and  balmy  air  brought  no  comfort  to  me.  I  absolutely  dreaded 
to  meet  my  brother  officers ;  I  felt  that,  in  such  a  position  as  I 
stood,  no  half  or  partial  explanation  could  suffice  to  set  me  right  in 
their  estimation;  and  yet,  what  opportunity  had  I  for  aught  else? 
Irresolute  how  to  act,  I  sat  leaning  my  head  upon  my  hands,  when 
I  heard  a  footstep  approach.  I  looked  up,  and  saw  before  me  no 
other  than  my  poor  friend  Sparks,  from  whom  I  had  been  separated 
so  long.  Any  other  adviser  at  such  a  moment  would,  I  acknowledge, 
have  been  more  welcome,  for  the  poor  fellow  knew  but  little  of  the 
world,  and  still  less  of  the  service.  However,  one  glance  convinced 
me  that  his  heart  at  least  was  true,  and  I  shook  his  outstretched 
hand  with  delight.  In  a  few  words  he  informed  me  that  Merivale 
had  secretly  commissioned  him  to  come  over,  in  the  hope  of  meeting 
me ;  that  although  all  the  14th  men  were  persuaded  that  I  was  not 
to  blame  in  what  had  occurred,  yet  that  reports  so  injurious  had 
gone  abroad,  so  many  partial  and  imperfect  statements  were  circu- 
lated, that  nothing  but  my  return  to  head-quarters  would  avail,  and 
that  I  must  not  lose  a  moment  in  having  Trevyllian  out,  with  whom 
all  the  misrepresentations  had  originated. 

"  This,  of  course,"  said  Sparks,  "  is  to  be  a  secret ;  Merivale,  being 
our  Colonel " 

"  Of  course,"  said  I,  "  he  cannot  countenance,  much  less  counsel, 
such  a  proceeding.     Now,  then,  for  the  road." 

"  Yes ;  but  you  cannot  leave  before  making  your  report.  Gordon 
expects  to  see  you  at  eleven ;  he  told  me  so  last  night." 

"  I  cannot  help  it ;  I  shall  not  wait ;  my  mind  is  made  up.  My 
career  here  matters  but  little  in  comparison  with  this  horrid  charge. 
I  shall  be  broken,  but  I  shall  be  avenged." 

"  Come,  come,  O'Malley ;  you  are  in  our  hands  now,  and  you 
must  be  guided.     You  shall  wait:  you  shall  see  Gordon.     Half  an 


MAJOR  O'SHAUGHNESSY.  355 

hour  will  make  your  report,  and  I  have  relays  of  horses  along  the 
road,  and  we  shall  reach  Placentia  by  nightfall." 

There  was  a  tone  of  firmness  in  this  so  unlike  anything  I  ever 
looked  for  in  the  speaker,  and  withal  so  much  of  foresight  and  pre- 
caution, that  I  could  scarcely  credit  my  senses  as  he  spoke.  Having 
at  length  agreed  to  his  proposal,  Sparks  left  me  to  think  over  my 
return  to  the  Legion,  promising  that  immediately  after  my  inter- 
view with  the  Military  Secretary,  we  should  start  together  for  head- 
quarters. 


CHAPTEE    LIX. 

MAJOR  O'SHAUGHNESSY. 

THIS  is  Major  O'Shaughnessy's  quarters,  sir,  said  a  sergeant,  as 
he  stopped  short  at  the  door  of  a  small  low  house  in  the  midst 
of  an  olive  plantation.  An  Irish  wolf-dog — the  well-known 
companion  of  the  Major — lay  stretched  across  the  entrance,  watch- 
ing with  eager  and  bloodshot  eyes  the  process  of  cutting  up  a  bul- 
lock, which  two  soldiers  in  undress  jackets  were  performing  within 
a  few  yards  of  the  spot. 

Stepping  cautiously  across  the  savage-looking  sentinel,  I  entered 
the  little  hall,  and,  finding  no  one  near,  passed  into  a  small  room, 
the  door  of  which  lay  half  open. 

A  very  palpable  odor  of  cigars  and  brandy  proclaimed,  even 
without  his  presence,  that  this  was  O'Shaughnessy's  sitting-room  ; 
so  I  sat  myself  down  upon  an  old-fashioned  sofa  to  wait  patiently 
for  his  return,  which  I  heard  would  be  immediately  after  the  evening 
parade.  Sparks  had  become  knocked  up  during  our  ride,  so  that 
for  the  last  three  leagues  I  was  alone ;  and,  like  most  men  in  such 
circumstances,  pressed  on  only  the  harder.  Completely  worn  out 
for  want  of  rest,  I  had  scarcely  placed  myself  on  the  sofa  when  I 
fell  sound  asleep.  When  I  awoke,  all  was  dark  around  me,  save  the 
faint  flickering  of  the  wood  embers  on  the  hearth,  and  for  some 
moments  I  could  not  remember  where  I  was.  By  degrees  recollec- 
tion came,  and  as  I  thought  over  my  position  and  its  possible  con- 
sequences, I  was  again  nearly  dropping  asleep,  when  the  door 
suddenly  opened,  and  a  heavy  step  sounded  on  the  floor. 

I  lay  still  and  spoke  not,  as  a  large  figure  in  a  cloak  approached 
the  fireplace,  and  stooping  down,  endeavored  to  light  a  candle  at 
the  fast  expiring  fire. 

I  had  little  difficulty  in  detecting  the  Major  even  by  the  half- 


356  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

light ;  a  muttered  execration  upon  the  candle,  given  with  an  energy 
that  only  an  Irishman  ever  bestows  upon  slight  matters,  soon  satis- 
fied me  on  this  head. 

"  May  the  devil  fly  away  with  the  commissary  and  the  chandler 
to  the  forces !     Ah  !  you've  lit  at  last." 

With  these  words  he  stood  up,  and  his  eyes  falling  on  me  at  the 
moment,  he  sprang  a  yard  or  two  backward,  exclaiming,  as  he  did 
so,  "  The  blessed  Virgin  be  near  us,  what's  this  ?"  a  most  energetic 
crossing  of  himself  accompanying  his  words.  My  pale  and  haggard 
face,  thus  suddenly  presented,  having  suggested  to  the  worthy 
Major  the  impression  of  a  supernatural  visitor,  a  hearty  burst  of 
laughter,  which  I  could  not  resist,  was  my  only  answer ;  and  the 
next  moment  O'Shaughnessy  was  wrenching  my  hand  in  a  grasp 
like  a  steel  vice. 

"  Upon  my  conscience,  I  thought  it  was  your  ghost ;  and  if  you 
kept  quiet  a  little  longer,  I  was  going  to  promise  you  Christian 
burial,  and  as  many  masses  for  your  soul  as  my  uncle  the  bishop 
could  say  between  this  and  Easter.  How  are  you,  my  boy  ? — a  little 
thin  and  something  paler,  I  think,  than  when  you  left  us." 

Having  assured  him  that  fatigue  and  hunger  were  in  a  great 
measure  the  cause  of  my  sickly  looks,  the  Major  proceeded  to  place 
before  me  the  remains  of  his  day's  dinner,  with  a  sufficiency  of 
bottles  to  satisfy  a  mess-table,  keeping  up  as  he  went  a  running  fire 
of  conversation. 

"  I'm  as  glad  as  if  the  Lord  took  the  senior  Major  to  see  you  here 
this  night.  With  the  blessing  of  Providence  we'll  shoot  Trevyllian 
in  the  morning,  and  any  more  of  the  heavies  that  like  it.  You  are 
an  ill-treated  man,  that's  what  it  is,  and  Dan  O'Shaughnessy  says 
it.  Help  yourself,  my  boy :  crusty  old  port  in  that  bottle  as  ever 
you  touched  your  lips  to.  Power's  getting  all  right ;  it  was  con- 
tract powder,  warranted  not  to  kill.  Bad  luck  to  the  commissaries 
once  more !  With  such  ammunition  Sir  Arthur  does  right  to  trust 
most  to  the  bayonet.     And  how  is  Monsoon,  the  old  rogue  ?" 

"  Gloriously ;  living  in  the  midst  of  wine  and  olives." 

"  No  fear  of  him,  the  old  sinner ;  but  he  is  a  fine  fellow,  after  all. 
Charley,  you  are  eating  nothing,  boy." 

"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I'm  far  more  anxious  to  talk  with  you  at 
this  moment  than  aught  else." 

"  So  you  shall — the  night's  young.  Meanwhile,  I  had  better  not 
delay  matters.     You  want  to  have  Trevyllian  out — is  not  that  so  ?" 

"  Of  course  ;  you  are  aware  how  it  happened?" 

"  I  know  everything.  Go  on  with  your  supper,  and  don't  mind 
me ;  I'll  be  back  in  twenty  minutes  or  less." 

Without  waiting  for  any  reply,  he  threw  his  cloak  around  him, 


MAJOR  O'SHAUGHNESSY.  357 

and  strode  out  of  the  room.  Once  more  I  was  alone  ;  but  already 
my  frame  of  mind  was  altered.  The  cheering  tone  of  my  reckless, 
gallant  countryman  had  raised  my  spirits,  and  I  felt  animated  by 
his  very  manner. 

An  hour  elapsed  before  the  Major  returned,  and  when  he  did 
come,  his  appearance  and  gestures  bespoke  anger  and  disappoint- 
ment. He  threw  himself  hurriedly  into  a  seat,  and  for  some  minutes 
never  spoke. 

"The  world's  beautifully  changed,  anyhow,  since  I  began  it, 
O'Malley— when  you  thanked  a  man  civilly  that  asked  you  to  fight 
him.     The  devil  take  the  cowards  !  say  I." 

"  What  has  happened  ?    Tell  me,  I  beseech  you  !" 

"  He  won't  fight,"  said  the  Major>  blurting  out  the  words  as  if 
they  would  choke  him. 

"  He'll  not  fight !    And  why  ?" 

The  Major  was  silent:  he  seemed  confused  and  embarrassed;  he 
turned  from  the  fire  to  the  table,  from  the  table  to  the  fire,  filled  out 
a  glass  of  wine,  drank  it  hastily  off,  and,  springing  from  his  chair, 
paced  the  room  with  long,  impatient  strides. 

"  My  dear  O'Shaughnessy,  explain,  I  beg  of  you.  Does  he  refuse 
to  meet  me  for  any  reason " 

"  He  does,"  said  the  Major,  turning  on  me  a  look  of  deep  feeling 
as  he  spoke ;  "  and  he  does  it  to  ruin  you,  my  boy ;  but,  as  sure  as 
my  name  is  Dan,  he'll  fail  this  time.  He  was  sitting  with  his  friend 
Beaufort  when  I  reached  his  quarters,  and  received  me  with  all  the 
ceremonious  politeness  he  well  knows  how  to  assume.  I  told  him 
in  a  few  words  the  object  of  my  visit ;  upon  which  Trevyllian,  stand- 
ing up,  referred  me  to  his  friend  for  a  reply,  and  left  the  room.  I 
thought  that  all  was  right,  and  sat  down  to  discuss,  as  I  believed, 
preliminaries,  when  the  cool  puppy,  with  his  back  to  the  fire,  care- 
lessly lisped  out,  '  It  can't  be,  Major:  your  friend  is  too  late.' 

" '  Too  late !  too  late  !'  said  I. 

"  '  Yes,  precisely  so.  Not  up  to  time ;  the  affair  should  have  come 
off  some  weeks  since.     We  won't  meet  him  now/ 

" '  This  is  really  your  answer  ?' 

v  ( This  is  really  my  answer ;  and  not  only  so,  but  the  decision  of 
our  mess.' 

"What  I  said  after  this  he  may  remember.  Devil  take  me  if  1 
can  ;  but  I  have  a  vague  recollection  of  saying  something  that  the 
aforesaid  mess  will  never  petition  the  Horse  Guards  to  put  on  their 
regimental  colors  :  and  here  I  am " 

With  these  words  the  Major  gulped  down  a  full  goblet  of  wine, 
and  once  more  resumed  his  walk  through  the  room.  I  shall  not 
attempt  to  record  the  feelings  which  agitated  me  during  the  Major's 


358  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

recital.  In  one  rapid  glance  I  saw  the  aim  of  my  vindictive  enemy. 
My  honor,  not  my  life,  was  the  object  he  sought  for ;  and  ten  thou- 
sand times  more  than  ever  did  I  pant  for  the  opportunity  to  confront 
him  in  a  deadly  combat. 

"  Charley,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  at  length,  placing  his  hand  upon 
my  shoulder,  "  you  must  get  to  bed  now — nothing  more  can  be  done 
to-night  in  any  way.  Be  assured  of  one  thing,  my  boy — I'll  not 
desert  you  ;  and  if  that  assurance  can  give  you  a  sound  sleep,  you'll 
not  need  a  lullaby." 


CHAPTEK    LX. 

PRELIMINARIES. 

I  AWOKE  refreshed  on  the  following  morning,  and  came  down 
to  breakfast  with  a  lighter  heart  than  I  had  even  hoped  for ;  a 
secret  feeling  that  all  would  go  well  had  somehow  taken  posses- 
sion of  me,  and  I  longed  for  O'Shaughnessy's  coming,  trusting  that 
he  might  be  able  to  confirm  my  hopes.  His  servant  informed  me 
that  the  Major  had  been  absent  since  daybreak,  and  left  orders  that 
he  was  not  to  be  waited  for  at  breakfast. 

I  was  not  destined,  however,  to  pass  a  solitary  time  in  his  absence, 
for  every  moment  brought  some  new  arrival  to  visit  me,  and  during 
the  morning  the  Colonel  and  every  officer  of  the  regiment  not  on 
actual  duty  came  over.  I  soon  learned  that  the  feeling  respecting 
Trevyllian's  conduct  was  one  of  unmixed  condemnation  among  my 
corps;  but  a  kind  of  party  spirit,  which  had  subsisted  for  some 
months  between  the  regiment  he  belonged  to  and  the  14th,  had 
given  a  graver  character  to  the  affair,  and  induced  many  men  to 
take  up  his  views  of  the  transaction  ;  and  although  I  heard  of  none 
who  attributed  my  absence  to  any  dislike  to  a  meeting,  yet  there 
were  several  who  conceived  that,  by  my  not  going  at  the  time,  I  had 
forfeited  all  claim  to  satisfaction  at  his  hands. 

"  Now  that  Merivale  is  gone,"  said  an  officer  to  me,  as  the  Colonel 
left  the  room,  "  I  may  confess  to  you  that  he  sees  nothing  to  blame 
in  your  conduct  throughout ;  and,  even  had  you  been  aware  of  how 
matters  were  circumstanced,  your  duty  was  too  imperative  to  have 
preferred  your  personal  consideration  to  it !" 

"  Does  any  one  know  where  Conyers  is?"  said  Baker. 

"  The  story  goes  that  Conyers  can  assist  us  here.  Conyers  is  at 
Zarza  la  Mayor,  with  the  28th ;  but  what  can  he  do  ?" 

"  That  I'm  not  able  to  tell  you !  but  I  know  O'Shaughnessy  heard 


PRELIMINARIES.  359 

something  at  parade  this  morning,  and  has  set  off  in  search  of  him 
on  every  side." 

"  Was  Conyers  ever  out  with  Trevyllian  ?" 

"  Not  as  a  principal,  I  believe.  The  report  is,  however,  that  he 
knows  more  about  him  than  other  people,  as  Tom  certainly  does  of 
everybody." 

"It  is  rather  a  new  thing  for  Trevyllian  to  refuse  a  meeting. 
They  say,  O'Malley,  he  has  heard  of  your  shooting !"  i 

"  No,  no,"  said  another,  "  he  cares  very  little  for  any  man's  pis- 
tol. If  the  story  be  true,  he  fires  a  second  or  two  before  his  adver- 
sary ;  at  least,  it  was  in  that  way  he  killed  Carysfort." 

"  Here  comes  the  great  O'Shaughnessy !"  cried  some  one  at  the 
window ;  and  the  next  moment  the  heavy  gallop  of  a  horse  was 
heard  along  the  causeway. 

In  an  instant  we  all  rushed  to  the  door  to  receive  him. 

"  It's  all  right,  lads,"  cried  he,  as  he  came  up :  "  we  have  him  this 
time." 

"How?  when?  why?  in  what  way  have  you  managed?"  fell  from 
a  dozen  voices,  as  the  Major  elbowed  his  way  through  the  crowd  to 
the  sitting-room. 

"  In  the  first  place,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  drawing  a  long  breath, 
"I  have  promised  secrecy  as  to  the  steps  of  this  transaction; 
secondly,  if  I  hadn't,  it  would  puzzle  me  to  break  it,  for  I'll  be 
hanged  if  I  know  more  than  yourselves.  Tom  Conyers  wrote  me  a 
few  lines  for  Trevyllian,  and  Trevyllian  pledges  himself  to  meet  our 
friend ;  and  that's  all  we  need  know  or  care  for." 

"  Then  you  have  seen  Trevyllian  this  morning  ?" 

"  No ;  Beaufort  met  me  at  the  village  ;  but  even  now  it  seems  this 
affair  is  never  to  come  off.  Trevyllian  has  been  sent  with  a  forage 
party  towards  Lesco ;  however,  that  can't  be  a  long  absence.  But, 
for  Heaven's  sake!  let  me  have  some  breakfast." 

While  O'Shaughnessy  proceeded  to  the  attack  of  the  viands  before 
him,  the  others  chatted  about  in  little  groups ;  but  all  wore  the 
pleased  and  happy  looks  of  men  who  had  rescued  their  friend  from 
a  menaced  danger.  As  for  myself,  my  heart  swelled  with  gratitude 
to  the  kind  fellows  around  me. 

"  How  has  Conyers  assisted  us  at  this  juncture  ?"  was  my  first 
question  to  O'Shaughnessy,  when  we  were  once  more  alone. 

"I  am  not  at  liberty  to  speak  on  that  subject,  Charley.  But  be 
satisfied  the  reasons  for  which  Trevyllian  meets  you  are  fair  and 
honorable." 

"  I  am  content." 

11  The  only  thing  now  to  be  done  is,  to  have  the  meeting  as  soon 
possible." 


360  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  We  are  all  agreed  upon  that  point,"  said  I ;  "  and  the  more  so 
as  the  matter  had  better  be  decided  before  Sir  Arthur's  return." 

"Quite  true;  and  now,  O'Malley,  you  had  better  join  your  people 
as  soon  as  may  be,  and  it  will  put  a  stop  to  all  talking  about  the 
matter." 

The  advice  was  good,  and  I  lost  no  time  in  complying  with  it. 
»When  I  joined  the  regiment  that  day  at  mess,  it  was  with  a  light 
heart  and  a  cheerful  spirit ;  for,  come  what  might  of  the  affair,  of 
one  thing  I  was  certain — my  character  was  now  put  above  any 
reach  of  aspersion,  and  my  reputation  beyond  attack. 


CHAPTER   LXI. 

ALL   EIGHT.       • 

SOME  days  after  coming  back  to  head-quarters,  I  was  returning 
from  a  visit  I  had  been  making  to  a  friend  at  one  of  the  out- 
posts, when  an  officer,  whom  I  knew  slightly,  overtook  me  and 
informed  me  that  Major  O'Shaughnessy  had  been  to  my  quarters  in 
search  of  me,  and  had  sent  persons  in  different  directions  to  find  me. 

Suspecting  the  object  of  the  Major's  haste,  I  hurried  on  at  once. 
As  I  rode  up  to  the  spot,  I  found  him  in  the  midst  of  a  group  of 
officers,  engaged,  to  all  appearance,  in  most  eager  conversation.  "  Oh, 
here  he  comes !"  cried  he,  as  I  cantered  up.  "  Come,  my  boy,  doff 
the  blue  frock,  as  soon  as  you  can,  and  turn  out  in  your  best  fitting 
black.  Everything  has  been  settled  for  this  evening  at  seven  o'clock, 
and  we  have  no  time  to  lose." 

"I  understand  you,"  said  I,  "and  shall  not  keep  you  waiting." 
So  saying,  I  sprang  from  my  saddle  and  hastened  to  my  quarters. 
As  I  entered  the  room,  I  was  followed  by  O'Shaughnessy,  who  closed 
the  door  after  him  as  he  came  in,  and  having  turned  the  key  in  it, 
sat  down  beside  the  table,  and,  folding  his  arms,  seemed  buried  in 
reflection.  As  I  proceeded  with  my  toilet,  he  returned  no  answers 
to  the  numerous  questions  I  put  to  him,  either  as  to  the  time  of 
Trevyllian's  return,  the  place  of  the  meeting,  or  any  other  part  of 
the  transaction. 

His  attention  seemed  to  wander  far  from  all  around  and  about 
him;  and  as  he  muttered  indistinctly  to  himself,  the  few  words 
I  could  catch  bore  not  in  the  remotest  degree  upon  the  matter  be- 
fore us. 

"I  have  written  a  letter  or  two  here,  Major,"  said  I,  opening  my 


ALL  RIGHT.  361 

writing-desk ;  "  in  case  anything  happens,  you  will  look  to  a  few 
things  I  have  mentioned  here.  Somehow,  I  could  not  write  to  poor 
Fred  Power ;  but  you  must  tell  him  from  me  that  his  rude  conduct 
towards  me  was  the  last  thing  I  spoke  of." 

"What  confounded  nonsense  you  are  talking!"  said  O'Shaugh- 
nessy,  springing  from  his  seat  and  crossing  the  room  with  tremen- 
dous strides ;  "  croaking  away  there  as  if  the  bullet  was  in  your 
thorax.     Hang  it,  man,  bear  up  !" 

"But,  Major,  my  dear  friend,  what  the  deuce  are  you  thinking  of? 
The  few  things  I  mentioned " 

"The  devil!  you  are  not  going  over  it  all  again,  are  you?"  said 
he,  in  a  voice  of  no  measured  tone. 

I  now  began  to  feel  irritated  in  turn,  and  really  looked  at  him  for 
some  seconds  in  considerable  amazement.  That  he  should  have 
mistaken  the  directions  I  was  giving  him,  and  attributed  them  to 
any  cowardice,  was  too  insulting  a  thought  to  bear;  and  yet  how 
otherwise  was  I  to  understand  the  very  coarse  style  of  his  inter- 
ruption ? 

At  length  my  temper  got  the  victory,  and,  with  a  voice  of  most 
measured  calmness,  I  said,  "Major  O'Shaughnessy,  I  am  grateful, 
most  deeply  grateful,  for  the  part  you  have  acted  towards  me  in 
this  difficult  business ;  at  the  same  time,  as  you  now  appear  to  dis- 
approve of  my  conduct  and  bearing,  when  I  am  most  firmly  deter- 
mined to  alter  nothing,  I  shall  beg  to  relieve  you  of  the  unpleasant 
office  of  my  friend." 

"  Heaven  grant  that  you  could  do  so  !"  said  he,  interrupting  me, 
while  his  clasped  hands  and  eager  look  attested  the  vehemence  of 
the  wish.  He  paused  for  a  moment;  then,  springing  from  his  chair, 
rushed  towards  me,  and  threw  his  arms  around  me.  "No,  my  boy, 
I  can't  do  it — I  can't  do  it.  I  have  tried  to  bully  myself  into  insen- 
sibility for  this  evening's  work — I  have  endeavored  to  be  rude  to 
you,  that  you  might  insult  me,  and  steel  my  heart  against  what 
might  happen ;  but  it  won't  do,  Charley — it  won't  do." 

With  these  words  the  big  tears  rolled  down  his  stern  cheeks,  and 
his  voice  became  thick  with  emotion. 

"But  for  me,  all  this  need  not  have  happened.  I  know  it — I  feel 
it.  I  hurried  on  this  meeting.  Your  character  stood  fair  and  un- 
blemished without  that — at  least-  they  tell  me  so  now ;  and  I  still 

have  to  assure  you " 

"Come,  my  dear,  kind  friend,  don't  give  way  in  this  fashion. 
You  have  stood  manfully  by  me  through  every  step  of  the  road ; 

don't  desert  me  on  the  threshold  of " 

"The  grave,  O'Malley  ?" 

"  I  don't  think  so,  Major  ;  but  see,  it  is  now  half-past  six  !     Look 


362  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

to  these  pistols  for  me.  Are  they  likely  to  object  to  hair- trig- 
gers ?" 

A  knocking  at  the  door  turned  off  our  attention,  and  the  next 
moment  Baker's  voice  was  heard. 

"  O'Malley,  you'll  be  close  run  for  time ;  the  meeting-place  is  full 
three  miles  from  this." 

I  seized  the  key  and  opened  the  door.  At  the  same  instant, 
O'Shaughnessy  rose  and  turned  towards  the  window,  holding  one 
of  the  pistols  in  his  hand. 

"  Look  at  that,  Baker, — what  a  sweet  tool  it  is !"  said  he,  in  a 
voice  that  actually  made  me  start.  Not  a  trace  of  his  late  excite- 
ment remained;  his  usually  dry,  half-humorous  manner  had  re- 
turned, and  his  droll  features  were  as  full  of  their  own  easy,  devil- 
may-care  fun  as  ever. 

"  Here  comes  the  drag,"  said  Baker.  "  We  can  drive  nearly  all 
the  way,  unless  you  prefer  riding." 

"  Of  course  not.  Keep  your  hand  steady,  Charley,  and  if  you 
don't  bring  him  down  with  that  saw-handle,  you're  not  your  uncle's 
nephew." 

With  these  words  we  mounted  into  the  tax-cart,  and  set  off  for 
the  meeting-place. 


CHAPTEE  LXII. 

THE  DUEL. 

A  SMALL  and  narrow  ravine  between  two  furze-covered  dells 
led  to  the  open  space  where  the  meeting  had  been  arranged 
for.  As  we  reached  this,  therefore,  we  were  obliged  to  des- 
cend from  the  drag,  and  proceed  the  remainder  of  the  way  afoot. 
We  had  not  gone  many  yards  when  a  step  was  heard  approaching, 
and  the  next  moment  Beaufort  appeared.  His  usually  easy  and 
dtyagt  air  was  certainly  tinged  with  somewhat  of  constraint,  and 
though  his  soft  voice  and  half  smile  were  as  perfect  as  ever,  a 
slightly  flurried  expression  about  the  lip,  and  a  quick  and  nervous 
motion  of  his  eyebrow,  bespoke  a  heart  not  completely  at  ease.  He 
lifted  his  foraging-cap  most  ceremoniously  to  salute  us  as  we  came 
up,  and  casting  an  anxious  look  to  see  if  any  others  were  following, 
stood  quite  still. 

"  I  think  it  right  to  mention,  Major  O'Shaughnessy,"  said  he,  in 
a  voice  of  most  dulcet  sweetness,  "that  I  am  the  only  friend  of 
Captain  Trevyllian  on  the  ground;    and  though  I  have  not  the 


THE  DUEL.  363 

slightest  objection  to  Captain  Baker  being  present,  I  hope  you  will 
see  the  propriety  of  limiting  the  witnesses  to  the  three  persons  now 
here." 

"Upon  my  conscience,  as  far  as  I  am  concerned,  or  my  friend 
either,  we  are  perfectly  indifferent  if  we  'fight  before  three  or  three 
thousand.     In  Ireland  we  rather  like  a  crowd." 

"  Of  course,  then,  as  you  see  no  objection  to  my  proposition,  I  may 
count  upon  your  co-operation  in  the  event  of  any  intrusion ;  I  mean 
that  while  we  upon  our  sides  will  not  permit  any  of  our  friends  to 
come  forward,  you  will  equally  exert  yourself  with  yours." 

"  Here  we  are — Baker  and  myself — neither  more  nor  less.  We 
expect  no  one,  and  want  no  one,  so  that  I  humbly  conceive  all  the 
preliminaries  you  are  talking  of  will  never  be  required." 

Beaufort  tried  to  smile,  and  bit  his  lips,  while  a  small  red  spot 
upon  his  cheek  spoke  that  some  deeper  feeling  of  irritation  than  the 
mere  careless  manner  of  the  Major  could  account  for  still  rankled 
in  his  bosom.  We  now  walked  on  without  speaking,  except  when 
occasionally  some  passing  observation  of  Beaufort  upon  the  fine- 
ness of  the  evening,  or  the  rugged  nature  of  the  road,  broke  the 
silence.  As  we  emerged  from  the  little  mountain  pass  into  the 
open  meadow  land,  the  tall  and  soldier-like  figure  of  Trevyllian  was 
the  first  object  that  presented  itself.  He  was  standing  beside  a  little 
stone  cross  that  stood  above  a  holy  well,  and  seemed  occupied  in 
deciphering  the  inscription.  He  turned  at  the  noise  of  our  ap- 
proach, and  calmly  awaited  our  coming.  His  eye  glanced  quickly 
from  the  features  of  O'Shaughnessy  to  those  of  Baker ;  but,  seem- 
ingly rapidly  reassured  as  he  walked  forward,  his  face  at  once 
recovered  its  usual  severity,  and  its  cold,  impassive  look  of  stern- 
ness. 

"  All  right !"  said  Beaufort  in  a  whisper,  the  tones  of  which  I 
overheard  as  he  drew  near  to  his  friend.  Trevyllian  smiled  in  re- 
turn, but  did  not  speak.  During  the  few  moments  which  passed  in 
conversation  between  the  seconds,  I  turned  from  the  spot  with 
Baker,  and  had  scarcely  time  to  address  a  question  to  him,  when 
O'Shaughnessy  called  out,  "  Hallo,  Baker  ! — come  here  a  moment !" 
The  three  seemed  now  in  eager  discussion  for  some  minutes,  when 
Baker  walked  towards  Trevyllian,  and  saying  something,  appeared 
to  wait  for  his  reply.  This  being  obtained,  he  joined  the  others, 
and  the  moment  afterwards  came  to  where  I  was  standing.  "  You 
are  to  toss  for  first  shot,  O'Malley.  O'Shaughnessy  has  made  that 
proposition,  and  the  others  agree  that,  with  two  crack  marksmen,  it 
is  perhaps  the  fairest  way.     I  suppose  you  have  no  objection  ?" 

"  Of  course,  I  shall  make  none.  Whatever  O'Shaughnessy  decides 
for  me  I  am  ready  to  abide  by." 


364  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  Well,  then,  as  to  the  distance,"  said  Beaufort,  loud  enough  to  be 
heard  by  me  where  I  was  standing.  O'Shaughnessy's  reply  I  could 
not  catch,  but  it  was  evident,  from  the  tone  of  both  parties,  that 
some  difference  existed  on  the  point. 

"  Captain  Baker  shall  decide  between  us,"  said  Beaufort  at  length, 
and  they  all  walked  away  to  some  distance.  During  all  the  while  I 
could  perceive  that  Trevyllian's  uneasiness  and  impatience  seemed 
extreme ;  he  looked  from  the  speakers  to  the  little  mountain  pass, 
and  strained  his  eyes  in  every  direction.  It  was  clear  that  he 
dreaded  some  interruption.  At  last,  unable  any  longer  to  control 
his  feeling,  he  called  out,  "  Beaufort,  I  say,  what  the  devil  are  we 
waiting  for  now  ?" 

"  Nothing  at  present,"  said  Beaufort,  as  he  came  forward  with  a 
dollar  in  his  hand.  "  Come,  Major  O'Shaughnessy,  you  shall  call 
for  your  friend." 

As  he  spoke,  he  pitched  the  piece  of  money  high  into  the  air,  and 
watched  it  as  it  fell  on  the  soft  grass  beneath. 

"  Head  !  for  a  thousand,"  cried  O'Shaughnessy,  running  over  and 
stooping  down  ;  "  and  head  it  is !" 

"  You've  won  the  first  shot,"  whispered  Baker ;  "  for  Heaven's 
sake  be  cool !" 

Beaufort  grew  deadly  pale  as  he  bent  over  the  crown  piece,  and 
seemed  scarcely  to  have  courage  to  look  his  friend  in  the  face.  Not 
so  Trevyllian ;  he  pulled  off  his  gloves  without  the  slightest  sem- 
blance of  emotion,  buttoned  up  his  well-fitting  black  frock  to  the 
throat,  and,  throwing  a  rapid  glance  around,  seemed  only  eager  to 
begin  the  combat. 

"  Fifteen  paces,  and  the  words  '  One — two.' 

"  Exactly.     My  cane  shall  mark  the  spot." 

"  Devilish  long  paces  you  make  them,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  who 
did  not  seem  to  approve  of  the  distance.  "  They  have  some  con- 
founded advantage  in  this,  depend  upon  it,"  said  the  Major  in  a 
whisper  to  Baker. 

"  Are  you  ready  ?"  inquired  Beaufort. 

"  Beady — quite  ready  !" 

"Take  your  ground,  then  !" 

As  Trevyllian  moved  forward  to  his  place,  he  muttered  something 
to  his  friend.  I  did  not  hear  the  first  part,  but  the  latter  words 
which  met  me  were  ominous  enough, — "  for  as  I  intend  to  shoot 
him,  'tis  just  as  well  as  it  is." 

Whether  this  was  intended  to  be  overheard  and  intimidate  me  I 
knew  not ;  but  its  effect  proved  directly  opposite.  My  firm  resolu- 
tion to  hit  my  antagonist  was  now  confirmed,  and  no  compunctious 
visiting  unnerved  my  arm.     As  we  took  our  places,  some  .little 


THE  DUEL.  365 

delay  again  took  place,  the  flint  of  my  pistol  having  fallen ;  and 
thus  we  remained  full  ten  or  twelve  seconds  steadily  regarding  each 
other.  At  length  O'Shaughnessy  came  forward,  and,  putting  my 
weapon  in  my  hand,  whispered  low,  "  Remember,  you  have  but  one 
chance." 

"  You  are  both  ready  ?"  cried  Beaufort. 

"Ready!" 

"Then,  One— two " 

The  last  word  was  lost  in  the  report  of  my  pistol,  which  went  off 
at  the  instant.  For  a  second,  the  flash  and  smoke  obstructed  my 
view ;  but  the  moment  after  I  saw  Trevyllian  stretched  upon  the 
ground,  with  his  friend  kneeling  beside  him.  My  first  impulse  was 
to  rush  over,  for  now  all  feeling  of  enmity  was  buried  in  most 
heartfelt  anxiety  for  his  fate;  but  as  I  was  stepping  forward, 
O'Shaughnessy  called  out,  "  Stand  fast,  boy,  he's  only  wounded !" 
and  the  same  moment  he  rose  slowly  from  the  ground,  with  the 
assistance  of  his  friend,  and  looked  with  the  same  wild  gaze  around 
him.  Such  a  look  !  I  shall  never  forget  it ;  there  was  that  intense 
expression  of  searching  anxiety,  as  if  he  sought  to  trace  the  outlines 
of  some  visionary  spirit  as  it  receded  before  him.  Quickly  reas- 
sured, as  it  seemed  by  the  glance  he  threw  on  all  sides,  his  counten- 
ance lighted  up,  not  with  pleasure,  but  with  a  fiendish  expression  of 
revengeful  triumph,  which  even  his  voice  evinced  as  he  called  out, 
"  It's  my  turn  now." 

I  felt  the  words  in  their  full  force,  as  I  stood  silently  awaiting  my 
death  wound.  The  pause  was  a  long  one.  Twice  did  he  interrupt 
his  friend,  as  he  was  about  to  give  the  word,  by  an  expression  of 
suffering,  pressing  his  hand  upon  his  side,  and  seeming  to  writhe 
with  torture ;  and  yet  this  was  mere  counterfeit. 

O'Shaughnessy  was  now  coming  forward  to  interfere  and  prevent 
these  interruptions,  when  Trevyllian  called  out  in  a  firm  tone,  "  I 
am  ready !"  The  words  "  One — two  !"  the  pistol  slowly  rose,  his 
dark  eye  measured  me  coolly,  steadily ;  his  lip  curled,  and  just  as  I 
felt  that  my  last  moment  of  life  had  arrived,  the  heavy  sound  of  a 
horse  galloping  along  the  rocky  causeway  seemed  to  take  off  his 
attention.  His  frame  trembled,  his  hand  shook,  and  jerking  up- 
ward his  weapon,  the  ball  passed  high  above  my  head. 

"  You  bear  me  witness  I  fired  in  the  air,"  said  Trevyllian,  while 
the  large  drops  of  perspiration  rolled  from  his  forehead,  and  his 
features  worked  as  if  in  a  fit. 

"You  saw  it,  sir;  and  you,  Beaufort,  my  friend, — you  also. 
Speak !     Why  will  you  not  speak  ?" 

"Be  calm,  Trevyllian;  be  calm,  for  Heaven's  sake!  What's  the 
matter  with  you  ?" 


366  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  The  affair  is  then  ended,"  said  Baker,  "  and  most  happily  so. 
You  are,  I  hope,  not  dangerously  wounded." 

As  he  spoke,  Trevyllian's  features  grew  deadly  livid ;  his  half-open 
mouth  quivered  slightly ;  his  eyes  became  fixed,  and  his  arm 
dropped  heavily  beside  him,  and  with  a  low  moan  he  fell  fainting 
to  the  ground. 

As  we  bent  over  him,  I  perceived  that  another  person  had  joined 
our  party ;  he  was  a  short,  determined-looking  man  of  about  forty f 
with  black  eyes  and  aquiline  features.  Before  I  had  time  to  guess  who 
it  might  be,  I  heard  O'Shaughnessy  address  him  as  Colonel  Conyers. 

"He  is  dying!"  said  Beaufort,  still  stooping  over  his  friend,  whose 
cold  hand  he  grasped  within  his  own.     "  Poor,  poor  fellow  I" 

"  He  fired  in  the  air,"  said  Baker,  as  he  spoke  in  reply  to  a  ques- 
tion from  Conyers. 

What  he  answered  I  heard  not,  but  Baker  rejoined, — 

"  Yes,  I  am  certain  of  it.     We  all  saw  it." 

"  Had  you  not  better  examine  his  wounds  ?"  said  Conyers,  in  a 
tone  of  sarcastic  irony  I  could  almost  have  struck  him  for.  "  Is 
your  friend  not  hit?     Perhaps  he  is  bleeding." 

"  Yes,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  "  let  us  look  to  the  poor  fellow  now." 
So  saying,  with  Beaufort's  aid  he  unbuttoned  his  frock,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  opening  the  waistcoat.  There  was  no  trace  of  blood  any- 
where, and  the  idea  of  internal  hemorrhage  at  once  occurred  to  us ; 
when  Conyers,  stooping  down,  pushed  me  aside,  saying  at  the  same 
time,  "  Your  fears  for  his  safety  need  not  distress  you  much — look 
here !"  As  he  spoke,  he  tore  open  his  shirt,  and  disclosed  to  our 
almost  doubting  senses  a  vest  of  chain  mail  armor  fitting  close  next 
the  skin  and  completely  pistol  proof. 

I  cannot  describe  the  effect  this  sight  produced  upon  us.  Beaufort 
sprang  to  his  feet  with  a  bound  as  he  screamed  out,  rather  than 
spoke,  "  No  man  believes  me  to  have  been  aware " 

"  No,  no,  Beaufort ;  your  reputation  is  very  far  removed  from  such 
a  stain,"  said  Conyers. 

O'Shaughnessy  was  perfectly  speechless.  He  looked  from  one  to 
the  other,  as  though  some  unexplained  mystery  still  remained,  and 
only  seemed  restored  to  any  sense  of  consciousness  as  Baker  said, 
"  I  can  feel  no  pulse  at  his  wrist — his  heart,  too,  doe3  not  beat." 
Conyers  placed  his  hand  upon  his  bosom,  then  felt  along  his  throat, 
lifted  up  an  arm,  and,  letting  it  fall  heavily  upon  the  ground,  he 
muttered,  "  He  is  dead !" 

It  was  true.  No  wound  had  pierced  him — the  pistol  bullet  was 
found  within  his  clothes.  Some  tremendous  conflict  of  the  spirit 
within  had  snapped  the  cords  of  life,  and  the  strong  man  had  per- 
ished in  his  agony. 


NEWS  FROM  GALWAY.  367 

CHAPTER    LXIII. 

NEWS   FROM   GALWAY. 

I  HAVE  but  a  vague  and  most  imperfect  recollection  of  the 
events  which  followed  this  dreadful  scene.  For  some  days  my 
faculties  seemed  stunned  and  paralyzed,  and  my  thoughts  clung 
to  the  minute  detail  of  the  ground — the  persons  about — the  moun- 
tain path — and,  most .  of  all,  the  half-stifled  cry  that  spoke  the 
broken  heart,  with  a  tenacity  that  verged  upon  madness. 

A  court-martial  was  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  affair;  and 
although  I  have  been  since  told  that  my  deportment  was  calm,  and 
my  answers  were  firm  and  collected,  yet  I  remember  nothing  of  the 
proceedings. 

The  inquiry,  through  a  feeling  of  delicacy  for  the  friends  of  him 
who  was  no  more,  was  made  as  brief  and  as  private  as  possible. 
Beaufort  proved  the  facts  which  exonerated  me  from  any  imputation 
in  the  matter ;  and  upon  the  same  day  the  court  delivered  the  de- 
cision, "  that  Lieutenant  O'Malley  was  not  guilty  of  the  charges 
preferred  against  him,  and  that  he  should  be  released  from  arrest 
and  join  his  regiment." 

Nothing  could  be  more  kind  and  considerate  than  the  conduct  of 
my  brother  officers ;  a  hundred  little  plans  and  devices  for  making 
me  forget  the  late  unhappy  event  were  suggested  and  practised  ;  and 
I  look  back  to  that  melancholy  period,  marked,  as  it  was,  by  the 
saddest  circumstance  of  my  life,  as  one  in  which  I  received  more  of 
truly  friendly  companionship  than  even  my  palmiest  days  of  pros- 
perity boasted. 

While,  therefore,  I  deeply  felt  the  good  part  my  friends  were  per- 
forming towards  me,  I  was  still  totally  unsuited  to  join  in  the  happy 
current  of  their  daily  pleasures  and  amusements.  The  gay  and 
unreflecting  character  of  O'Shaughnessy — the  careless  merriment  of 
my  brother  officers — jarred  upon  my  nerves,  and  rendered  me  irri- 
table and  excited  ;  and  I  sought,  in  lonely  rides  and  unfrequented 
walks,  the  peace  of  spirit  that  calm  reflection,  and  a  firm  purpose 
for  the  future,  rarely  fail  to  lead  to. 

There  is  in  deep  sorrow  a  touch  of  the  prophetic.  It  is  at  seasons 
when  the  heart  is  bowed  down  with  grief,  and  the  spirit  wasted  with 
suffering,  that  the  veil  which  conceals  the  future  seems  to  be  re- 
moved, and  a  glance,  short  and  fleeting  as  the  lightning  flash,  is  per- 
mitted us  into  the  gloomy  valley  before  us. 

Misfortunes,  too,  come  not  singly — the  seared  heart  is  not  suffered 
to  heal  from  one  affliction  ere  another  succeeds  it ;  and  this  antici- 
pation of  the  coming  evil  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  poignant  feat- 


368  CHARLES  0' M  ALLEY. 

ures  of  grief — the  ever  watchful  apprehension — the  ever  rising  ques- 
tion, "  What  next  ?"  is  a  torture  that  never  sleeps. 

This  was  the  frame  of  my  mind  for  several  days  after  I  returned 
to  my  duty — a  morbid  sense  of  some  threatened  danger  being  my 
last  thought  at  night  and  my  first  on  awakening.  I  had  not  heard 
from  home  since  my  arrival  in  the  Peninsula.  A  thousand  vague 
fancies  haunted  me  now  that  some  brooding  misfortune  awaited  me. 
My  poor  uncle  never  left  my  thoughts.  Was  he  well, — was  he 
happy  ?  Was  he,  as  he  ever  used  to  be,  surrounded  by  the  friends 
he  loved, — the  old  familiar  faces,  around  the  hospitable  hearth  his 
kindliness  had  hallowed  in  my  memory  as  something  sacred?  Oh  ! 
could  I  but  see  his  manly  smile,  or  hear  his  voice !  Could  I  but  feel 
his  hand  upon  my  head,  as  he  was  wont  to  press  it,  while  words  of 
comfort  fell  from  his  lips,  and  sunk  into  my  heart ! 

Such  were  my  thoughts  one  morning  as  I  sauntered  unaccompa- 
nied frorn  my  quarters.  I  had  not  gone  far,  when  my  attention  was 
aroused  by  the  noise  of  a  mule-cart,  whose  jingling  bells  and  clatter- 
ing timbers  announced  its  approach  by  the  road  I  was  walking. 
Another  turn  of  the  way  brought  it  into  view  ;  and  I  saw  from  the  gay 
costume  of  the  driver,  as  well  as  a  small  orange  flag  which  decorated 
the  conveyance,  that  it  was  the  mail-cart,  with  letters  from  Lisbon. 

Full  as  my  mind  was  with  the  thoughts  of  home,  I  turned  hastily 
back,  and  retraced  my  steps  towards  the  camp.  When  I  reached 
the  Adjutant-General's  quarters,  I  found  a  considerable  number  of 
officers  assembled ;  the  report  that  the  post  had  come  was  a  rumor  of 
interest  to  all,  and,  accordingly,  every  moment  brought  fresh  arrivals, 
pouring  in  from  all  sides,  and  eagerly  inquiring  "  if  the  bag  had 
been  opened?"  The  scene  of  riot,  confusion,  and  excitement,  when 
that  event  did  take  place,  exceeded  all  belief,  each  man  reading  his 
letter  half  aloud,  as  if  his  private  affairs  and  domestic  concerns  must 
interest  his  neighbors,  amid  a  volley  of  exclamations  of  surprise, 
pleasure,  or  occasionally  anger,  as  the  intelligence  severally  sug- 
gested,— the  disappointed  expectants  cursing  their  idle  correspond- 
ents, bemoaning  their  fate  about  remittances  that  never  arrived,  or 
drafts  never  honored ;  while  here  and  there  some  public  benefactor, 
with  an  outspread  Times  or  Chronicle,  was  retailing  the  narrative  of 
our  own  exploits  in  the  Peninsula,  or  the  more  novel  changes  in  the 
world  of  politics,  since  we  left  England.  A  cross-fire  of  news  and 
London  gossip  ringing  on  every  side,  made  up  a  perfect  Babel,  most 
difficult  to  form  an  idea  of.  The  jargon  partook  of  every  accent  and 
intonation  the  empire  boasts  of,  and,  from  the  sharp  precision  of  the 
North  Tweeder  to  the  broad  Doric  of  Kerry,  every  portion,  almost 
every  county,  of  Great  Britain  had  its  representative.  Here  was  a 
Scotch  Paymaster,  in  a  lugubrious  tone,  detailing  to  his  friend  the 


NEWS  FROM  GAL  WA  Y.  369 

apparently  not  over-welcome  news  that  Mistress  M'Elwain  had  just 
been  safely  delivered  of  twins,  which,  with  their  mother,  were  doing 
^.s  well  as  possible.  Here  an  eager  Irishman,  turning  over  the  pages 
rather  than  reading  his  letter,  while  he  exclaimed  to  his  friend, 

"  Oh,  the  devil  a  rap  she's  sent  me.  The  old  story  about  runaway 
tenants  and  distress  notices — sorrow  else  tenants  seem  to  do  in  Ire- 
land than  run  away  every  half  year." 

A  little  apart  some  sentimental-looking  cockney  was  devouring  a 
very  crossed  epistle,  which  he  pressed  to  his  lips  whenever  any  one 
looked  at  him ;  while  a  host  of  others  satisfied  themselves  by  read- 
ing in  a  kind  of  buzzing  undertone,  every  now  and  then  interrupting 
themselves  with  some  broken  exclamation  as  commentary — such  as 
"Of  course  she  will !"— " Never  knew  him  better!"— "That's  the 
girl  for  my  money!" — "  Fifty  per  cent. — the  devil !" — and  so  on.  At 
last  I  was  beginning  to  weary  of  the  scene,  and  finding  that  there 
appeared  to  be  nothing  for  me,  was  turning  to  leave  the  place,  when 
I  saw  a  group  of  two  or  three  endeavoring  to  spell  out  the  address  of 
a  letter. 

"  That's  an  Irish  post-mark,  I'll  swear,"  said  one ;  "  but  who  can 
make  anything  of  the  name  ?     It's  devilish  like  Otaheite — isn't  it  ?" 

"  I  wish  my  tailor  wrote  as  illegibly,"  said  another ;  "  I'd  keep  up 
a  most  animated  correspondence  with  him." 

"  Here,  O'Shaughnessy,  you  know  something  of  savage  life — spell 
us  this  word  here." 

"  Show  it  here — what  nonsense — it's  as  plain  as  the  nose  on  my 
face ! — '  Master  Charles  O'Malley,  in  foreign  parts  !' " 

A  roar  of  laughter  followed  this  announcement,  which,  at  any 
other  time,  perhaps,  I  should  have  joined  in,  but  which  now  grated 
sadly  on  my  ruffled  feelings. 

"  Here,  Charley,  this  is  for  you,"  said  the  Major ;  and  added  in  a 
whisper — "  and  upon  my  conscience,  between  ourselves,  your  friend, 
whoever  he  is,  has  a  strong  action  against  his  writing-master — devil 
such  a  fist  ever  I  looked  at !" 

One  glance  satisfied  me  as  to  my  correspondent.  It  was  from 
Father  Rush,  my  old  tutor.  I  hurried  eagerly  from  the  spot.  Re- 
gaining my  quarters,  I  locked  the  door,  and  with  a  beating  heart 
broke  the  seal  and  began,  as  well  as  I  was  able,  to  decipher  his 
letter.  The  hand  was  cramped  and  stiffened  with  age,  and  the  bold 
upright  letters  were  gnarled  and  twisted  like  a  rustic  fence,  and  de- 
manded great  patience  and  much  time  in  unravelling.     It  ran  thus : 

The  Priory,  Lady-day,  1809. 

"  My  Dear  Master  Charles  : — Your  uncle's  feet  are  so  big  and 
so  uneasy  that  he  can't  write,  and  I  am  obliged  to  take  up  the  pen 
24 


370  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

myself,  to  tell  you  how  we  are  doing  here  since  you  left  us.  And, 
first  of  all,  the  master  lost  the  lawsuit  in  Dublin,  all  for  the  want  of 
a  Galway  jury;  but  they  don't  go  up  to  town  for  strong  reasons  they 
had ;  and  the  Curranolick  property  is  gone  to  Ned  M'Manus,  and  - 
may  the  devil  do  him  good  with  it !  Peggy  Maher  left  this  on  Tues- 
day;  she  was  complaining  of  a  weakness;  she's  gone  to  consult  the 
doctors.     I'm  sorry  for  poor  Peggy. 

"  Owen  M'Neil  beat  the  Slatterys  out  of  Portumna  on  Saturday, 
and  Jem,  they  say,  is  fractured.  I  trust  it's  true,  for  he  never  was 
good,  root  nor  branch,  and  we've  strong  reasons  to  suspect  him  for 
drawing  the  river  with  a  net  at  night.  Sir  Harry  Boyle  sprained 
his  wrist,  breaking  open  his  bed-room,  that  he  locked  when  he  was 
inside.  The  Count  and  the  master  were  laughing  all  the  evening  at 
him.  Matters  are  going  very  hard  in  the  country ;  the  people  pay- 
ing their  rents  regularly,  and  not  caring  half  as  much  as  they  used 
about  the  real  gentry  and  the  old  families. 

"  We  kept  your  birthday  at  the  Castle  in  great  style,  had  the 
militia  band  from  the  town,  and  all  the  tenants.  Mr.  James  Daly 
danced  with  your  old  friend  Mary  Green,  and  sang  a  beautiful  song, 
and  was  going  to  raise  the  devil,  but  I  interfered  ;  he  burnt  down 
half  the  blue  drawing-room  the  last  night  with  his  tricks;  not  that 
your  uncle  cares, — God  preserve  him  to  us! — it's  little  anything  like 
that  would  fret  him.  The  Count  quarrelled  with  a  young  gentle- 
man in  the  course  of  the  evening,  but  found  out  that  he  was  only  an 
attorney  from  Dublin,  so  he  didn't  shoot  him,  but  he  was  ducked  in 
the  pond  by  the  people,  and  your  uncle  says  he  hopes  they  have  a 
true  copy  of  him  at  home,  as  they'll  never  know  the  original. 

"  Peter  died  soon  after  you  went  away,  but  Tim  hunts  the  dogs 
just  as  well ;  they  had  a  beautiful  run  last  Wednesday,  and  the 
Lord*  sent  for  him  and  gave  him  a  five-pound  note ;  but  he  says 
he'd  rather  see  yourself  back  again  than  twice  as  much.  They  killed 
near  the  big  turnip  field,  and  all  went  down  to  see  where  you  leaped 
Badger  over  the  sunk  fence  ;  they  call  it '  Hammersley's  Nose'  ever 
since.  Bodkin  was  at  Ballinasloe  the  last  fair,  limping  about  with  a 
stick  ;  he's  twice  as  quiet  as  he  used  to  be,  and  never  beat  any  one 
since  that  morning. 

"  Nelly  Guire,  at  the  cross-roads,  wants  to  send  you  four  pair  of 
stockings  she  knitted  for  you  ;  and  I  have  a  keg  of  potteen  of  Bar- 
ney's own  making  this  two  months,  not  knowing  how  to  send  it  ; 
may  be  Sir  Arthur  himself  would  like  a  taste ;  he's  an  Irishman 
himself,  and  one  we're  proud  of  too !  The  Maynooth  chaps  are 
flying  all  about  the  country,  and  making  us  all  uncomfortable — 

*  To  excuse  Father  Rush  for  any  apparent  impiety,  I  must  add,  that  by  the  "Lord," 
he  means  "  Lord  Clanricarde." 


NE  WS  FROM  GAL  WA  Y.  371 

God's  will  be  done,  but  we  used  to  think  ourselves  good  enough  ! 
Your  foster  sister,  Kitty  Doolan,  had  a  fine  boy ;  it's  to  be  called 
after  you,  and  your  uncle's  to  give  a  christening.  He  bids  me  tell 
you  to  draw  on  him  when  you  want  money,  and  that  there's  £400 
ready  for  you  now  somewhere  in  Dublin,  I  forget  the  name,  and  as 
he's  asleep  I  don't  like  asking  him.  There  was  a  droll  devil  down 
here  in  the  summer  that  knew  you  well — a  Mr.  Webber.  The 
master  treated  him  like  the  Lord  Lieutenant ;  had  dinner  parties 
for  him,  and  gave  him  Oliver  Cromwell  to  ride  over  to  Meelish. 
He  is  expected  again  for  the  cock-shooting,  for  the  master  likes 
him  greatly.  I'm  done  at  last,  for  my  paper  is  finished  and  the 
candle  just  out ;  so  with  every  good  wish  and  every  good  thought, 
remember  your  old  friend, 

"Peter  Rush. 

"  P.S. — It's  Smart  and  Sykes,  Fleet  street,  who  has  the  money. 
Father  O'Shaughnessy,  of  Ennis,  bids  me  ask  if  you  ever  met  his 
nephew.  If  you  do,  make  him  sing  '  Larry  M'Hale.'  I  hear  it's  a 
treat. 

"  How  is  Mickey  Free  going  on  ?  There  are  three  decent  young 
women  in  the  parish  he  promised  to  marry,  and  I  suppose  he's  pur- 
suing the  same  game  with  the  Portuguese.  But  he  was  never  re- 
markable for  minding  his  duties.  Tell  him  I  am  keeping  my  eye 
on  him. 

"P.  R." 

Here  concluded  this  long  epistle,  and  though  there  were  many 
parts  I  could  not  help  smiling  at,  yet  upon  the  whole,  I  felt  sad  and 
disappointed.  What  I  had  long  foreseen  and  anticipated  was  gradu- 
ally being  accomplished — the  wreck  of  an  old  and  honored  house — the 
fall  of  a  name  once  the  watchword  for  all  that  was  benevolent  and 
hospitable  in  the  land.  The  termination  of  the  lawsuit  I  knew 
must  have  been  a  heavy  blow  to  my  poor  uncle,  who,  every  consid- 
eration of  money  apart,  felt  in  a  legal  combat  all  the  enthusiasm 
and  excitement  of  a  personal  conflict.  With  him  there  was  less  a 
question  of  to  whom  the  broad  acres  reverted,  so  much  as  whether 
that  "  scoundrel  Tom  Bassett,  the  attorney  at  Athlone,  should  tri- 
umph over  us ;"  or  "  M'Manus  live  in  the  house  as  master,  where 
his  father  had  officiated  as  butler."  It  was  at  this  his  Irish  pride 
took  offence ;  and  straitened  circumstances  and  narrowed  fortunes 
bore  little  upon  him  in  comparison  with  this  feeling. 

I  could  see,  too,  that  with  breaking  fortunes,  bad  health  was  making 
heavy  inroads  upon  him ;  and  while,  with  the  reckless  desperation 
of  ruin,  he  still  kept  open  house,  I  could  picture  to  myself  his  cheer- 


372  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

ful  eye  and  handsome  smile,  but  ill  concealing  the  slow  but  certain 
march  of  a  broken  heart. 

My  position  was  doubly  painful ;  for  my  advice,  had  I  been  cal- 
culated to  give  it,  would  have  seemed  an  act  of  indelicate  interfer- 
ence from  one  who  was  to  benefit  by  his  own  counsel ;  and  although 
I  had  been  reared  and  educated  as  my  uncle's  heir,  I  had  no  title 
nor  pretension  to  succeed  him  other  than  his  kind  feelings  respect- 
ing me.  I  could  therefore  only  look  on  in  silence,  and  watch  the 
painful  progress  of  our  downfall,  without  a  power  to  arrest  it. 

These  were  sad  thoughts,  and  came  when  my  heart  was  already 
bowed  down  with  its  affliction.  That  my  poor  uncle  might  be  spared 
the  misery  which  sooner  or  later  seemed  inevitable,  was  now  my  only 
wish  ;  that  he  might  go  down  to  the  grave  without  the  embittering 
feelings  which  a  ruined  fortune  and  a  fallen  house  bring  home  to 
the  heart,  was  all  my  prayer.  Let  him  but  close  his  eyes  in  the  old 
wainscoted  bedroom,  beneath  the  old  roof  where  his  fathers  and 
grandfathers  have  done  so  for  centuries.  Let  the  faithful  followers 
he  has  known  since  his  childhood  stand  round  his  bed,  while  his 
fast-failing  sight  recognizes  each  old  and  well -remembered  object, 
and  the  same  bell  which  rang  its  farewell  to  the  spirit  of  his  ances- 
tors, toll  for  him,  the  last  of  his  race.  As  for  me,  there  was  the 
wide  world  before  me,  and  a  narrow  resting-place  would  suffice  for 
a  soldier's  sepulchre. 

As  the  mail-cart  was  returning  the  next  day  to  Lisbon,  I  imme- 
diately sat  down  and  replied  to  the  worthy  Father's  letter,  speaking 
as  encouragingly  as  I  could  of  my  own  prospects.  I  dwelt  much 
upon  what  was  nearest  my  heart,  and  begged  of  the  good  priest  to 
watch  over  my  uncle's  health,  to  cheer  his  spirits,  and  support  his 
courage ;  and  that  I  trusted  the  day  was  not  far  distant  when  I 
should  be  once  more  amongst  them,  with  many  a  story  of  fray  and 
battle-field  to  enliven  their  firesides.  Pressing  him  to  write  fre- 
quently to  me,  I  closed  my  hurried  letter ;  and,  having  despatched 
it,  sat  sorrowfully  down  to  muse  over  my  fortunes. 


AN  ADVENTURE  WITH  SIR  ARTHUR.  373 

CHAPTEE    LXIV. 

AN  ADVENTURE  WITH    SIR  ARTHUR. 

THE  events  of  the  last  few  days  had  impressed  me  with  the 
weight  of  years.  The  awful  circumstances  of  that  evening 
lay  heavily  at  my  heart,  and  though  guiltless  of  Trevyllian's 
blood,  the  reproach  that  conscience  ever  carries  when  one  has  been 
involved  in  a  death-scene  never  left  my  thoughts.  For  some  time 
previously  I  had  been  depressed  and  dispirited,  and  the  awful  shock 
I  had  sustained  broke  my  nerve  and  unmanned  me  greatly. 

There  are  times  when  our  sorrows  tinge  all  the  coloring  of  our 
thoughts,  and  one  pervading  hue  of  melancholy  spreads  like  a  pall 
upon  what  we  have  of  fairest  and  brightest  on  earth.  So  was  it  now; 
I  had  lost  hope  and  ambition — a  sad  feeling  that  my  career  was 
destined  to  misfortune  and  mishap  gained  hourly  upon  me ;  and  all 
the  bright  aspirations  of  a  soldier's  glory,  all  my  enthusiasm  for  the 
pomp  and  circumstance  of  glorious  war,  fell  coldly  upon  my  heart ; 
and  I  looked  upon  the  chivalry  of  a  soldier's  life  as  the  empty  pa- 
geant of  a  dream. 

In  this  sad  frame  of  mind  I  avoided  all  intercourse  with  my  brother 
officers  ;  their  gay  and  joyous  spirits  only  jarred  upon  my  brooding 
thoughts,  and,  feigning  illness,  I  kept  almost  entirely  to  my  quar- 
ters. 

The  inactivity  of  our  present  life  weighed  also  heavily  upon  me. 
The  stirring  events  of  a  campaign — the  march,  the  bivouac,  the 
picket — call  forth  a  certain  physical  exertion  that  never  fails  to 
react  upon  the  torpid  mind. 

Forgetting  all  around  me,  I  thought  of  home ;  I  thought  of  those 
whose  hearts  I  felt  were  now  turning  towards  me,  and  considered 
within  myself  how  I  could  have  exchanged  home — the  days  of  peace- 
ful happiness  there — for  the  life  of  misery  and  disappointment  I  now 
endured. 

A  brooding  melancholy  gained  daily  more  and  more  upon  me.  A 
wish  to  return  to  Ireland,  a  vague  and  indistinct  feeling  that  my 
career  was  not  destined  for  aught  of  great  and  good,  crept  upon  me, 
and  I  longed  to  sink  into  oblivion,  forgetting  and  forgot. 

I  record  this  painful  feeling  here,  while  it  is  still  a  painful  mem- 
ory, as  one  of  the  dark  shadows  that  cross  the  bright  sky  of  our 
happiest  days. 

Happy,  indeed,  are  they,  as  we  look  back  to  them,  and  remember 
the  times  we  have  pronounced  ourselves  "  the  most  miserable  of 
mankind."  This  somehow  is  a  confession  we  never  make  later  on 
in  life,  when  real  troubles  and  true  afflictions  assail  us.     Whether 


374  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

we  call  in  moral  philosophy  to  our  aid,  or  that  our  senses  become 
less  acute  and  discerning,  I'm  sure  I  know  not. 

As  for  me,  I  confess  that  by  far  the  greater  portion  of  my  sorrows 
seemed  to  come  in  that  budding  period  of  existence  when  life  is  ever 
fairest  and  most  captivating.  Not,  perhaps,  that  the  fact  was  really 
so,  but  the  spoiled  and  humored  child,  whose  caprices  were  a  law, 
felt  heavily  the  threatening  difficulties  of  his  first  voyage  ;  while,  as 
he  continued  to  sail  over  the  ocean  of  life,  he  braved  the  storm  and 
the  squall,  and  felt  only  gratitude  for  the  favoring  breeze  that  wafted 
him  upon  his  course. 

What  an  admirable  remedy  for  misanthropy  is  the  being  placed 
in  a  subordinate  condition  in  life !  Had  I,  at  the  period  of  which 
I  write,  been  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley — had  I  even  been  Marshal  Ber- 
esford,  to  all  certainty  I'd  have  played  the  very  devil  with  his 
Majesty's  forces.  I'd  have  brought  my  rascals  to  where  they'd  have 
been  well  peppered — that's  certain. 

But  as,  luckily  for  the  sake  of  humanity  in  general  and  the  well- 
being  of  the  service  in  particular,  I  was  merely  Lieutenant  O'Malley, 
14th  Light  Dragoons,  the  case  was  very  different.  With  what  heavy 
censure  did  I  condemn  the  Commander  of  the  Forces  in  my  own 
mind  for  his  want  of  daring  and  enterprise !  Whole  nights  did  I 
pass  in  endeavoring  to  account  for  his  inactivity  and  lethargy.  Why 
he  did  not  seriatim  fall  upon  Soult,  Ney,  and  Victor,  annihilate  the 
French  forces,  and  sack  Madrid,  I  looked  upon  as  little  less  than  a 
riddle ;  and  yet  there  we  waited,  drilling,  exercising,  and  foraging, 
as  if  we  were  at  Hounslow.  Now,  most  fortunately,  here  again  I 
was  not  Sir  Arthur. 

Something  in  this  frame  of  mind,  I  was  one  evening  taking  a 
solitary  ride  some  miles  from  the  camp.  Without  noticing  the  cir- 
cumstance, I  had  entered  a  little  mountain  tract,  when  the  ground 
being  broken  and  uneven,  I  dismounted  and  proceeded  afoot,  with 
the  bridle  within  my  arm.  I  had  not  gone  far  when  the  clatter  of  a 
horse's  hoofs  came  rapidly  towards  me,  and  though  there  was  some- 
thing startling  in  the  pace  over  such  a  piece  of  road,  I  never  lifted 
my  eyes  as  the  horseman  came  up,  but  continued  my  slow  progress 
onward,  my  head  sunk  upon  my  bosom. 

"  Holloa,  sir !"  cried  a  sharp  voice,  whose  tones  seemed  somehow 
not  heard  for  the  first  time.  I  looked  up,  saw  a  slight  figure  closely 
buttoned  up  in  a  blue  horseman's  cloak,  the  collar  of  which  almost 
entirely  hid  his  features ;  he  wore  a  plain  cocked  hat  without  a 
feather,  and  was  mounted  upon  a  sharp,  wiry-looking  hack. 

"  Holloa,  sir  !     What  regiment  do  you  belong  to  ?" 

As  I  had  nothing  of  the  soldier  about  me,  save  a  blue  foraging 
cap,  to  denote  my  corps,  the  tone  of  the  demand  was  little  calcu- 


TALA  VERA.  375 

lated  to  elicit  a  very  polished  reply ;  but  preferring,  as  was  most 
impertinent,  to  make  no  answer,  I  passed  on  without  speaking. 

"  Did  you  hear,  sir?"  cried  the  same  voice,  in  a  still  louder  key. 
"  What's  your  regiment?" 

I  now  turned  round,  resolved  to  question  the  other  in  turn, 
when,  to  my  inexpressible  shame  and  confusion,  he  had  lowered 
the  collar  of  his  cloak,  and  I  saw  the  features  of  Sir  Arthur  Wel- 
lesley. 

"Fourteenth  Light  Dragoons,  sir,"  said  I,  blushing  as  I  spoke. 

"  Have  you  not  read  the  general  order,  sir  ?  Why  have  you  left 
the  camp  ?" 

Now  I  had  not  read  a  general  order,  nor  even  heard  of  one,  for 
above  a  fortnight.     So  I  stammered  out  some  bungling  answer. 

"  To  your  quarters,  sir,  and  report  yourself  under  arrest.  What's 
your  name?" 

"  Lieutenant  O'Malley,  sir." 

"  Well,  sir,  your  passion  for  rambling  shall  be  indulged.  You 
shall  be  sent  to  the  rear  with  despatches ;  and  as  the  army  is  in 
advance,  probably  the  lesson  may  be  serviceable."  So  saying,  he 
pressed  spurs  to  his  horse,  and  was  out  of  sight  in  a  moment. 


CHAPTEE  LXV. 

TALAVERA. 

HAVING  been  despatched  to  the  rear  with  orders  for  General 
Craufurd,  I  did  not  reach  Talavera  till  the  morning  of  the 
28th.  Two  days'  hard  fighting  had  left  the  contending 
armies  still  face  to  face,  and  without  any  decided  advantage  on 
either  side. 

When  I  arrived  upon  the  battle-field,  the  combat  of  the  morning 
was  over.  It  was  then  ten  o'clock,  and  the  troops  were  at  break- 
fast, if  the  few  ounces  of  wheat  sparingly  dealt  out  amongst  them 
could  be  dignified  by  that  name.  All  was,  however,  life  and  anima- 
tion on  every  side.  The  merry  laugh,  the  passing  jest,  the  careless 
look,  bespoke  the  free  and  daring  character  of  the  soldiery,  as  they 
sat  in  groups  upon  the  grass;  and  except  when  a  fatigue  party 
passed  by,  bearing  some  wounded  comrade  to  the  rear,  no  touch  of 
seriousness  rested  upon  their  hardy  features.  The  morning  was  in- 
deed a  glorious  one;  a  sky  of  unclouded  blue  stretched  above  a 
landscape  unsurpassed  in  loveliness.     Far  to  the  right  rolled  on  in 


376  CHARLES  0>M ALLEY. 

placid  stream  the  broad  Tagus,  bathing  in  its  eddies  the  very  walls 
of  Talavera,  the  ground  from  which  to  our  position  gently  undulated 
across  a  plain  of  most  fertile  richness,  and  terminated  on  our  ex- 
treme left  in  a  bold  height,  protected  in  front  by  a  ravine,  and 
flanked  by  a  deep  and  ragged  valley. 

The  Spaniards  occupied  the  right  of  the  line,  connecting  with  our 
troops  at  a  rising  ground,  upon  which  a  strong  redoubt  had  been 
hastily  thrown  up.  The  fourth  division  and  the  Guards  were  sta- 
tioned here,  next  to  whom  came  Cameron's  brigade  and  the  Ger- 
mans. Mackenzie  and  Hill  held  the  extreme  left  of  all,  which 
might  be  called  the  key  of  our  position.  In  the  valley  beneath  the 
latter  were  picketed  three  cavalry  regiments,  among  which  I  was 
not  long  in  detecting  my  gallant  friends  of  the  Twenty-third. 

As  I  rode  rapidly  past,  saluting  some  old  familiar  face  at  each 
moment,  I  could  not  help  feeling  struck  at  the  evidence  of  the  des- 
perate battle  that  so  lately  had  raged  there.  The  whole  surface  of 
the  hill  was  one  mass  of  dead  and  dying,  the  bearskin  of  the  French 
grenadier  lying  side  by  side  with  the  tartan  of  the  Highlander. 
Deep  furrows  in  the  soil  showed  the  track  of  the  furious  cannonade, 
and  the  terrible  evidences  of  a  bayonet  charge  were  written  in  the 
mangled  corpses  around. 

The  fight  had  been  maintained  without  any  intermission  from 
daybreak  till  near  nine  o'clock  that  morning,  and  the  slaughter  on 
both  sides  was  dreadful.  The  mounds  of  fresh  earth  on  every  side 
told  of  the  soldier's  sepulchre,  and  the  unceasing  tramp  of  the 
pioneers  struck  sadly  upon  the  ear,  as  the  groans  of  the  wounded 
blended  with  the  funeral  sounds  around  them. 

In  front  were  drawn  up  the  dark  legions  of  France,  massive  col- 
umns of  infantry,  with  dense  bodies  of  artillery  alternating  along 
the  line.  They,  too,  occupied  a  gently  rising  ground,  the  valley 
between  the  two  armies  being  crossed  halfway  by  a  little  rivulet; 
and  here,  during  the  sultry  heat  of  the  morning,  the  troops  on  both 
sides  met  and  mingled  to  quench  their  thirst  ere  the  trumpet  again 
called  them  to  the  slaughter. 

In  a  small  ravine,  near  the  centre  of  our  line,  was  drawn  up 
Cotton's  brigade,  of  whom  the  Fusiliers  formed  a  part.  Directly  in 
front  of  this  was  Campbell's  brigade,  to  the  left  of  which,  upon  a 
gentle  slope,  the  staff  were  now  assembled.  Thither,  accordingly,  I 
bent  my  steps.  As  I  came  up  the  little  scarp,  I  found  myself  among 
the  generals  of  division,  hastily  summoned  by  Sir  Arthur  to  delibe- 
rate upon  a  forward  movement.  The  council  lasted  scarcely  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  and  when  I  presented  myself  to  deliver  my  re- 
port, all  the  dispositions  for  the  battle  had  been  decided  upon,  and 
the  Commander  of  the  Forces,  seated  on  the  grass  at  his  breakfast, 


TALA  VERA.  377 

looked  by  far  the  most  unconcerned  and  uninterested  man  I  had 
seen  that  morning. 

He  turned  his  head  rapidly  as  I  came  up,  and,  before  the  aide-de- 
camp could  announce  me,  called  out, — 

"  Well,  sir,  what  news  of  the  reinforcements  ?" 
"  They  cannot  reach  Talavera  before  to-morrow,  sir." 
"  Then,  before  that  time  we  shall  not  want  them.     That  will  do, 
sir." 

So  saying,  he  resumed  his  breakfast,  and  I  retired,  more  than 
ever  struck  with  the  surprising  coolness  of  the  man  upon  whom  no 
disappointment  seemed  to  have  the  slightest  influence. 

I  had  scarcely  rejoined  my  regiment,  and  was  giving  an  account 
to  my  brother  officers  of  my  journey,  when  an  aide-de-camp  came 
galloping  at  full  speed  down  the  line,  and  communicated  with  the 
several  commanding  officers  as  he  passed. 

What  might  be  the  nature  of  the  orders  we  could  not  guess  at, 
for  no  word  to  fall  in  followed,  and  yet  it  was  evident  that  some- 
thing of  importance  was  at  hand.  Upon  the  hill  where  the  staff 
were  assembled,  no  unusual  bustle  appeared,  and  we  could  see  the 
bay  cob  of  Sir  Arthur  still  being  led  up  and  down  by  the  groom, 
with  a  dragoon's  mantle  thrown  over  him.  The  soldiers,  completely 
overcome  by  the  heat  and  fatigue  of  the  morning,  lay  stretched 
around  upon  the  grass,  and  everthing  bespoke  a  period  of  rest  and 
refreshment. 

"  We  are  going  to  advance,  depend  upon  it !"  said  a  young  officer 
beside  me ;  "  the  repulse  of  this  morning  has  been  a  smart  lesson  to 
the  French,  and  Sir  Arthur  won't  leave  them  without  impressing  it 
upon  them." 

"Hark!  what's  that ?"  cried  Baker ;  "listen." 
As  he  spoke,  a  strain  of  most  delicious  music  came  wafted  across 
the  plain.  It  was  from  the  band  of  a  French  regiment,  and,  mel- 
lowed by  the  distance,  it  seemed,  in  the  calm  stillness  of  the  morn- 
ing air,  like  something  less  of  earth  than  heaven.  As  we  listened, 
the  notes  swelled  upward  yet  fuller,  and  one  by  one  the  different 
bands  seemed  to  join,  till  at  last  the  whole  air  seemed  full  of  the 
rich  flood  of  melody. 

We  could  now  perceive  that  the  stragglers  were  rapidly  falling 
back,  while  high  above  all  other  sounds  the  clanging  notes  of  the 
trumpet  were  heard  along  the  line.  The  hoarse  drum  now  beat  to 
arms,  and  soon  after  a  brilliant  staff  rode  slowly  from  between  two 
dense  bodies  of  infantry,  and  advancing  some  distance  into  the 
plain,  seemed  to  reconnoitre  us.  A  cloud  of  Polish  cavalry,  distin- 
guished by  their  long  lances  and  floating  banners,  loitered  in  their 


378  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

We  had  not  time  for  further  observation,  when  the  drums  on  our 
side  beat  to  arms,  and  the  hoarse  cry,  "  Fall  in— fall  in  there,  lads !" 
resounded  along  the  line. 

It  was  now  one  o'clock,  and  before  half  an  hour  the  troops  had 
resumed  the  position  of  the  morning,  and  stood  silent  and  anxious 
spectators  of  the  scene  before  them. 

Upon  the  table  land  to  the  rear  of  the  French  position  we  could 
descry  the  gorgeous  tent  of  King  Joseph,  around  which  a  large  and 
splendidly-accoutred  staff  were  seen  standing.  Here,  too,  the  bustle 
and  excitement  seemed  considerable,  for  to  this  point  the  dark 
masses  of  the  infantry  seemed  converging  from  the  extreme  right ; 
and  here  we  could  perceive  the  royal  guards  and  the  reserve  now 
forming  in  column  of  attack. 

From  the  crest  of  the  hill  down  to  the  very  valley,  the  dark, 
dense  ranks  extended,  the  flanks  protected  by  a  powerful  artillery 
and  deep  masses  of  heavy  cavalry.  It  was  evident  that  the  attack 
was  not  to  commence  on  our  side,  and  the  greatest  and  most  intense 
anxiety  pervaded  us  as  to  what  part  of  our  line  was  first  to  be 
assailed. 

Meanwhile,  Sir  Arthur  Wel'lesley,  who  from  the  height  had  been 
patiently  observing  the  field  of  battle,  despatched  an  aide-de-camp 
at  full  gallop  towards  Campbell's  brigade,  posted  directly  in  advance 
of  us.  As  he  passed  swiftly  along,  he  called  out,  "  You're  in  for  it, 
Fourteenth ;  you'll  have  to  open  the  ball  to-day." 

Scarcely  were  the  words  spoken,  when  a  signal  gun  from  the 
French  boomed  heavily  through  the  still  air.  The  last  echo  was 
growing  fainter,  and  the  heavy  smoke  breaking  into  mist,  when  the 
most  deafening  thunder  ever  my  ears  heard  came  pealing  around 
us;  eighty  pieces  of  artillery  had  opened  upon  us,  sending  a  very 
tempest  of  balls  upon  our  line,  while  midst  the  smoke  and  dust  we 
could  see  the  light  troops  advancing  at  a  run,  followed  by  the  broad 
and  massive  columns  in  all  the  terror  and  majesty  of  war. 

"  What  a  splendid  attack  I  How  gallantly  they  come  on !"  cried 
an  old  veteran  officer  beside  me,  forgetting  all  rivalry  in  his  noble 
admiration  of  our  enemy. 

The  intervening  space  was  soon  passed,  and  the  tirailleurs  falling 
back  as  the  columns  came  on,  the  towering  masses  bore  down  u-pon 
Campbell's  division  with  a  loud  cry  of  defiance.  Silently  and  stead- 
ily the  English  infantry  awaited  the  attack,  and  returning  the  fire 
with  one  withering  volley,  were  ordered  to  charge.  Scarcely  were 
the  bayonets  lowered,  when  the  head  of  the  advancing  column  broke 
and  fled,  while  Mackenzie's  brigade,  overlapping  the  flank,  pushed 
boldly  forward,  and  a*  scene  of  frightful  carnage  followed.  For  a 
moment  a  hand-to-hand  combat  was  sustained,  but  the  unbroken 


TALA  VERA.  379 

files  and  impregnable  bayonets  of  the  English  conquered,  and  the 
French  fled,  leaving  six  guns  behind  them. 

The  gallant  enemy  were  troops  of  tried  and  proved  courage,  and 
scarcely  had  they  retreated  when  they  again  formed,  but  just  as  they 
prepared  to  come  forward,  a  tremendous  shower  of  grape  opened  upon 
them  from  our  batteries,  while  a  cloud  of  Spanish  horse  assailed 
them  in  flank,  and  nearly  cut  them  in  pieces. 

While  this  was  passing  on  the  right,  a  tremendous  attack  menaced 
the  hill  upon  which  our  left  was  posted.  Two  powerful  columns  of 
French  infantry,  supported  by  some  regiments  of  light  cavalry,  came 
steadily  forward  to  the  attack ;  Anson's  brigade  were  ordered  to 
charge. 

Away  they  went  at  top  speed,  but  had  not  gone  above  a  hundred 
yards  when  they  were  suddenly  arrested  by  a  deep  chasm ;  here  the 
German  hussars  pulled  short  up,  but  the  23d  dashing  impetuously 
forward,  a  scene  of  terrible  carnage  ensued,  men  and  horses  rolled 
indiscriminately  together  under  a  withering  fire  from  the  French 
squares.  Even  here,  however,  British  valor  quailed  not,  for  Major 
Francis  Ponsonby,  forming  all  who  came  up,  rode  boldly  upon  a 
brigade  of  French  chasseurs  in  the  rear.  Victor,  who  from  the  first 
had  watched  the  movement,  at  once  despatched  a  lancer  regiment 
against  them,  and  then  these  brave  fellows  were  absolutely  cut  to 
atoms,  the  few  who  escaped  having  passed  through  the  French  col- 
umns and  reached  Bassecour's  Spanish  division  on  the  far  right. 

During  this  time  the  hill  was  again  assailed,  and  even  more  des- 
perately than  before,  while  Victor  himself  led  on  the  fourth  corps  to 
an  attack  upon  our  right  and  centre. 

The  Guards  waited  without  flinching  the  impetuous  rush  of  the 
advancing  columns,  and  when  at  length  within  a  short  distance, 
dashed  forward  with  the  bayonet,  driving  everything  before  them. 
The  French  fell  back  upon  their  sustaining  masses,  but,  rallying  in 
an  instant,  again  came  forward,  supported  uf  a  tremendous  fire  from 
their  batteries.  The  Guards  drew  back,  and  the  German  Legion, 
suddenly  thrown  into  confusion,  began  to  retire  in  disorder.  This 
was  the  most  critical  moment  of  the  day,  for  although  successful 
upon  the  extreme  right  and  left  of  our  line,  our  centre  was  absolutely 
broken.  Just  at  this  moment  Gordon  rode  up  to  our  brigade ;  his 
face  was  pale  and  his  look  hurried  and  excited. 

"The  Forty-eighth  are  coming;  here  they  are — support  them, 
Fourteenth." 

These  words  were  all  he  spoke ;  and  the  next  moment  the  meas- 
ured tread  of  a  column  was  heard  behind  us.  On  they  came  like 
one  man,  their  compact  and  dense  formation  looking  like  some  mas- 
sive wall ;  wheeling  by  companies,  they  suffered  the  Guards  and 


380  CHARLES  O'M  ALLEY. 

Germans  to  retire  behind  them,  and  then  re-forming  into  line,  they 
rushed  forward  with  the  bayonet.  Our  artillery  opened  with  a  deaf- 
ening thunder  behind  them,  and  then  we  were  ordered  to  charge. 

We  came  on  at  a  trot.  The  Guards,  who  had  now  recovered  their 
formation,  cheered  us  as  we  proceeded.  The  smoke  of  the  cannon- 
ade obscured  everything  until  we  had  advanced  some  distance,  but 
just  as  we  emerged  beyond  the  line  of  the  gallant  Forty-eighth,  the 
splendid  panorama  of  the  battle-field  broke  suddenly  upon  us. 

"  Charge !  forward !"  cried  the  hoarse  voice  of  our  Colonel ;  and 
we  were  upon  them.  The  French  infantry,  already  broken  by  the 
withering  musketry  of  our  people,  gave  way  before  us,  and,  unable 
to  form  a  square,  retired  fighting,  but  in  confusion,  and  with  tre- 
mendous loss,  to  their  position.  One  glorious  cheer  from  left  to 
right  of  our  line  proclaimed  the  victory,  while  a  deafening  discharge 
of  artillery  from  the  French  replied  to  this  defiance,  and  the  battle 
was  over.  Had  the  Spanish  army  been  capable  of  a  forward  move- 
ment, our  successes  at  this  moment  would  have  been  much  more 
considerable ;  but  they  did  not  dare  to  change  their  position,  and 
the  repulse  of  our  enemy  was  destined  to  be  all  our  glory.  The 
French,  however,  suffered  much  more  severely  than  we  did.  Retir- 
ing during  the  night,  they  fell  back  behind  the  Alberche,  leaving  us 
the  victory  and  the  battle-field. 


CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

THE  IEISH  DEAGOON. 


VOLUME    II. 


CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 


CHAPTER   I. 

NIGHT  AFTER  TALAVERA. 

THE  night  which  followed  the  battle  was  a  sad  one.  Through 
the  darkness,  and  under  a  fast-falling  rain,  the  hours  were 
spent  searching  for  our  wounded  comrades  amid  the  heap  of 
slain  upon  the  field ;  and  the  glimmering  of  the  lanterns,  as  they 
flickered  far  and  near  across  the  wide  plain,  bespoke  the  track  of 
the  fatigue  parties  in  their  mournful  round ;  while  the  groans  of  the 
wounded  rose  amid  the  silence  with  an  accent  of  heartrending  an- 
guish ;  so  true  was  it,  as  our  great  commander  said,  "there  is  nothing 
more  sad  than  a  victory  except  a  defeat !" 

Around  our  bivouac  fires  the  feeling  of  sorrowful  depression  was 
also  evident.  We  had  gained  a  great  victory,  it  was  true ;  we  had 
beaten  the  far-famed  legions  of  France  upon  a  ground  of  their  own 
choosing,  led  by  the  most  celebrated  of  their  Marshals,  and  under 
the  eyes  of  the  Emperor's  own  brother  ;  but  still  we  felt  all  the  haz- 
ardous danger  of  our  position,  and  had  no  confidence  whatever  in 
the  courage  or  discipline  of  our  allies  ;  and  we  saw  that  in  the  very 
meUe  of  the  battle  the  efforts  of  the  enemy  were  directed  almost 
exclusively  against  our  line,  so  confidently  did  they  undervalue  the 
efforts  of  the  Spanish  troops.  Morning  broke  at  length,  and  scarcely 
was  the  heavy  mist  clearing  away  before  the  red  sunlight,  when  the 
sounds  of  fife  and  drum  were  heard  from  a  distant  part  of  the  field. 
The  notes  swelled  or  sank  as  the  breeze  rose  or  fell,  and  many  a  con- 
jecture was  hazarded  as  to  their  meaning,  for  no  object  was  well  visible 
for  more  than  a  few  hundred  yards  off;  gradually,  however,  they 
grew  nearer  and  nearer,  and  at  length,  as  the  air  cleared,  and  the 
hazy  vapor  evaporated,  the  bright  scarlet  uniform  of  a  British  regi- 
ment was  seen  advancing  at  a  quick  step. 

(383) 


384  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

As  they  came  nearer,  the  well-known  march  of  the  gallant  Forty- 
third  was  recognized  by  some  of  our  people,  and  immediately  the 
rumor  flew  like  lightning, — "  It  is  Craufurd's  brigade !"  and  so  it 
was ;  the  noble  fellow  had  marched  his  division  the  unparalleled 
distance  of  sixty  English  miles  in  twenty-seven  hours.  Over  a 
burning  soil,  exposed  to  a  raging  sun,  without  rations,  almost  with- 
out water,  these  gallant  troops  pressed  on  in  the  unwearied  hope  of 
sharing  the  glory  of  the  battle-field.  One  tremendous  cheer  wel- 
comed the  head  of  the  column  as  they  marched  past,  and  continued 
till  the  last  file  had  deployed  before  us. 

As  these  splendid  regiments  moved  by,  we  could  not  help  feeling 
what  signal  service  they  might  have  rendered  us  but  a  few  hours 
before ;  their  soldier-like  bearing,  their  high  and  effective  state  of 
discipline,  their  well-known  reputation,  were  in  every  mouth ;  and 
I  scarcely  think  that  any  corps  who  stood  the  brunt  of  the  mighty 
battle  were  the  subject  of  more  encomiums  than  the  brave  fellows 
who  had  just  joined  us. 

The  mournful  duties  of  the  night  were  soon  forgotten  in  the  gay 
and  buoyant  sounds  on  every  side.  Congratulations,  shaking  of 
hands,  kind  inquiries,  went  round;  and,  as  we  looked  to  the  hilly 
ground  where  so  lately  were  drawn  up  in  battle  array  the  dark 
columns  of  our  enemy,  and  where  not  one  sentinel  now  remained, 
the  proud  feeling  of  our  victory  came  home  to  our  hearts  with  the 
ever-thrilling  thought,  "What  will  they  say  at  home?" 

I  was  standing  amid  a  group  of  my  brother  officers,  when  I  received 
an  order  from  the  Colonel  to  ride  down  to  Talavera  for  the  return  of 
our  wounded,  as  the  arrival  of  the  Commander-in-Chief  was  momen- 
tarily looked  for.  I  threw  myself  upon  my  horse,  and  setting  out  at 
a  brisk  pace,  soon  reached  the  gates. 

On  entering  the  town,  I  was  obliged  to  dismount  and  proceed  on 
foot.  The  streets  were  completely  filled  with  people,  treading  their 
way  among  wagons,  forage-carts,  and  sick-litters.  Here  was  a  booth 
filled  with  all  imaginable  wares  for  sale ;  there  a  temporary  gin-shop 
established  beneath  a  broken  baggage-wagon ;  here  might  be  seen  a 
merry  party  throwing  dice  for  a  turkey  or  a  kid — there,  a  wounded 
man,  with  bloodless  cheek  and  tottering  step,  inquiring  the  road  to 
the  hospital ;  the  accents  of  agony  mingled  with  the  drunken  chorus, 
and  the  sharp  crack  of  the  Provost-Marshal's  whip  was  heard  above 
the  boisterous  revelling  of  the  debauchee.  All  was  confusion,  bustle, 
and  excitement.  The  staff-officer,  with  his  flowing  plume  and  glit- 
tering epaulettes,  wended  his  way  on  foot  amid  the  din  and  bustle, 
unnoticed  and  uncared  for ;  while  the  little  drummer  amused  an  ad- 
miring audience  of  simple  country-folk  by  some  wondrous  tale  of 
the  great  victory. 


NIGHT  AFTER  TALA  VERA.  885 

My  passage  through  this  dense  mass  was  necessarily  a  slow  one. 
No  one  made  way  for  another ;  discipline  for  the  time  was  at  an 
end,  and  with  it  all  respect  for  rank  or  position.  It  was  what  nothing 
of  mere  vicissitude  in  the  fortune  of  war  can  equal — the  wild  orgies 
of  an  army  the  day  after  a  battle. 

On  turning  the  corner  of  a  narrow  street,  my  attention  was 
attracted  by  a  crowd  which,  gathered  round  a  small  fountain, 
seemed,  as  well  as  I  could  perceive,  to  witness  some  proceeding  with 
more  than  ordinary  interest.  Exclamations  in  Portuguese,  expres- 
sive of  surprise  and  admiration,  were  mingled  with  English  oaths 
and  Irish  ejaculations,  while  high  above  all  rose  other  sounds — the 
cries  of  some  one  in  pain  and  suffering.  Forcing  my  way  through 
the  dense  group,  I  at  length  reached  the  interior  of  the  crowd,  when, 
to  my  astonishment,  I  perceived  a  short,  fat,  punchy-looking  man, 
stripped  of  his  coat  and  waistcoat,  and  with  his  shirt  sleeves  rolled 
up  to  his  shoulders,  busily  employed  in  operating  upon  a  wounded 
soldier.  Amputation  knives,  tourniquets,  bandages,  and  all  other 
imaginable  instruments  for  giving  or  alleviating  torture,  were  strewed 
about  him,  and,  from  the  arrangement  and  preparation,  it  was  clear 
that  he  had  pitched  upon  this  spot  as  a  hospital  for  his  patients. 
While  he  continued  to  perform  his  functions  with  a  singular  speed 
and  dexterity,  he  never  for  a  moment  ceased  a  running  fire  of  small 
talk,  now  addressed  to  the  patient  in  particular,  now  to  the  crowd  at 
large — sometimes  a  soliloquy  to  himself,  and  not  unfrequently,  ab- 
stractedly, upon  things  in  general.  These  little  specimens  of  ora- 
tory, delivered  in  such  a  place  at  such  a  time,  and,  not  least  of  all, 
in  the  richest  imaginable  Cork  accent,  were  sufficient  to  arrest  my 
steps,  and  I  stopped  for  some  time  to  observe  him. 

The  patient,  who  was  a  large,  powerfully -built  fellow,  had  been 
wounded  in  both  legs  by  the  explosion  of  a  shell,  but  yet  not  so 
severely  as  to  require  amputation. 

"  Does  that  plaze  you,  then  ?"  said  the  doctor,  as  he  applied  some 
powerful  caustic  to  a  wounded  vessel ;  "  there's  no  satisfying  the  like 
of  you.  Quite  warm  and  comfortable  ye'll  be  this  morning  after 
that.  I  saw  that  same  shell  coming,  and  I  called  out  to  Maurice 
Blake,  '  By  your  leave,  Maurice,  let  that  fellow  pass,  he's  in  a  hurry !' 
and  faith,  I  said  to  myself,  '  there's  more  where  you  came  from — 
you're  not  an  only  child,  and  I  never  liked  the  family.'  What  are 
ye  grinning  for,  ye  brown  thieves?"  This  was  addressed  to  the 
Portuguese.  "  There,  now,  keep  the  limb  quiet  and  easy.  Upon 
my  conscience,  if  that  shell  fell  into  ould  Lundy  Foot's  shop  this 
morning,  there'd  be  plenty  of  sneezing  in  Sackville  street.  Who's 
next?"  said  he,  looking  round  with  an  expression  that  seemed  to 
threaten  that,  if  no  wounded  man  was  ready,  he  was  quite  prepared 
25 


386  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

to  carve  out  a  patient  for  himself.  Not  exactly  relishing  the  invi- 
tation in  the  searching  that  accompanied  it,  I  backed  my  way  through 
the  crowd,  and  continued  my  path  towards  the  hospital. 

Here  the  scene  which  presented  itself  was  shocking  beyond 
belief — frightful  and  ghastly  wounds  from  shells  and  cannon-shot 
were  seen  on  all  sides,  every  imaginable  species  of  suffering  that  man 
is  capable  of  was  presented  to  view,  while  amid  the  dead  and  dying, 
operations  the  most  painful  were  proceeding  with  a  haste  and  bustle 
that  plainly  showed  how  many  more  waited  their  turn  for  similar 
offices.  The  stairs  were  blocked  up  with  fresh  arrivals  of  wounded 
men,  and  even  upon  the  corridors  and  landing-places  the  sick  were 
strewn  on  all  sides. 

I  hurried  to  that  part  of  the  building  where  my  own  people  were, 
and  soon  learned  that  our  loss  was  confined  to  about  fourteen 
wounded,  five  of  whom  were  officers ;  but,  fortunately,  we  lost  not 
a  man  of  our  gallant  fellows,  and  Talavera  brought  us  no  mourn- 
ing for  a  comrade,  to  damp  the  exultation  we  felt  in  our  victory, 


CHAPTER   II. 

THE   OUTPOST. 

DURING  the  three  days  which  succeeded  the  battle,  all  things 
remained  as  they  were  before.  The  enemy  had  gradually 
withdrawn  all  his  forces,  and  our  most  advanced  pickets 
never  came  in  sight  of  a  French  detachment.  Still,  although  we 
had  gained  a  great  victory,  our  situation  was  anything  but  flatter- 
ing. The  most  strenuous  exertions  of  the  commissariat  were  barely 
sufficient  to  provision  the  troops,  and  we  had  even  already  but  too 
much  experience  of  how  little  trust  or  reliance  could  be  reposed  in 
the  most  lavish  promises  of  our  allies.  It  was  true  our  spirits  failed 
us  not,  but  it  was  rather  from  an  implicit  and  never-failing  confi- 
dence in  the  resources  of  our  great  leader,  than  that  any  amongst  us 
could  see  his  way  through  the  dense  cloud  of  difficulty  and  danger 
that  seemed  to  envelope  us  on  every  side. 

To  add  to  the  pressing  emergencies  of  our  position,  we  learned  on 
the  evening  of  the  31st  that  Soult  was  advancing  from  the  north, 
and,  at  the  head  of  fourteen  thousand  chosen  troops,  in  full  march 
upon  Placentia,  thus  threatening  our  rear,  at  the  very  moment,  too, 
when  any  further  advance  was  evidently  impossible. 

On  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  August,  I  was  ordered  with  a  small 


THE  OUTPOST.  387 

party  to  push  forward  in  the  direction  of  the  Alberche,  upon  the 
left  bank  of  which  it  was  reported  that  the  French  were  again  con- 
centrating their  forces,  and,  if  possible,  to  obtain  information  as  to 
their  future  movements.  Meanwhile,  the  army  was  about  to  fall 
back  upon  Oropesa,  there  to  await  Soult's  advance,  and,  if  neces- 
sary, to  give  him  battle — Cuesta  engaging  with  his  Spaniards  to 
secure  Talavera,  with  its  stores  and  hospitals,  against  any  present 
movement  from  Victor. 

After  a  hearty  breakfast,  and  a  kind  "Good-bye!"  from  my 
brother  officers,  I  set  out.  My  road  along  the  Tagus,  for  several 
miles  of  the  way,  was  a  narrow  path  scarped  from  the  rocky  ledge 
of  the  river,  shaded  by  rich  olive  plantations,  that  threw  a  friendly 
shade  over  us  during  the  noonday  heat. 

We  travelled  along  silently,  sparing  our  cattle  from  time  to  time, 
but  endeavoring  ere  nightfall  to  reach  Torrijos,  in  which  village  we 
had  heard  several  French  soldiers  were  in  hospital.  Our  information 
leading  us  to  believe  them  very  inadequately  guarded,  we  hoped  to 
make  some  prisoners,  from  whom  the  information  we  sought  could 
in  all  likelihood  be  obtained.  More  than  once  during  the  day  our 
road  was  crossed  by  parties  similar  to  our  own,  sent  forward  to  re- 
connoitre ;  and  towards  evening  a  party  of  the  Twenty-third  Light 
Dragoons,  returning  towards  Talavera,  informed  us  that  the  French 
had  retired  from  Torrijos,  which  was  now  occupied  by  an  English 
detachment,  under  my  old  friend  O'Shaughnessy. 

I  need  not  say  with  what  pleasure  I  heard  this  piece  of  news,  and 
eagerly  pressed  forward,  preferring  the  warm  shelter  and  hospitable 
board  the  Major  was  certain  of  possessing,  to  the  cold  blast  and 
dripping  grass  of  a  bivouac.  Night,  however,  fell  fast ;  darkness, 
without  an  intervening  twilight,  set  in,  and  we  lost  our  way.  A  bleak 
table-land,  with  here  and  there  a  stunted,  leafless  tree,  was^-all  that 
we  could  discern  by  the  pale  light  of  a  new  moon.  An  apparently 
interminable  heath,  uncrossed  by  path  or  foot-track,  was  before  us, 
and  our  jaded  cattle  seemed  to  feel  the  dreary  uncertainty  of  the 
prospect  as  sensitively  as  ourselves,  stumbling  and  overreaching  at 
every  step. 

Cursing  my  ill-luck  for  such  a  misadventnre,  and  once  more  pic- 
turing to  my  mind  the  bright  blazing  hearth  and  smoking  supper  I 
had  hoped  to  partake  of,  I  concluded  to  call  a  halt,  and  prepared 
to  pass  the  night.  My  decision  was  hastened  by  finding  myself 
suddenly  in  a  little  grove  of  pine-trees,  whose  shelter  was  not  to  be 
despised ;  besides  that,  our  bivouac  fires  were  now  sure  of  being 
supplied. 

It  was  fortunate  the  night  was  fine,  though  dark.  In  a  calm,  still 
atmosphere,  when  not  a  leaf  moved  nor  a  branch  stirred,  we  picketed 


388  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

our  tired  horses,  and,  shaking  out  their  forage,  heaped  up  in  the 
midst  a  blazing  fire  of  the  fir-tree.  Our  humble  supper  was  pro- 
duced, and  even  with  the  still  lingering  reverie  of  the  Major  and  his 
happier  destiny,  I  began  to  feel  comfortable. 

My  troopers,  who  probably  had  not  been  flattering  their  imagina- 
tions with  such  gourmand  reflections  and  views,  sat  happily  around 
their  cheerful  blaze,  chatting  over  the  great  battle  they  had  so  lately 
witnessed,  and  mingling  their  stories  of  some  comrade's  prowess 
with  sorrows  for  the  dead  and  proud  hopes  for  the  future.  In  the 
midst,  upon  his  knees  beside  the  flame,  was  Mike,  disputing,  detail- 
ing, guessing,  and  occasionally  inventing,  all  his  arguments  only 
tending  to  one  view  of  the  late  victory, — "  that  it  was  the  Lord's 
mercy  the  most  of  the  Forty-eighth  was  Irish,  or  we  wouldn't  be 
sitting  there  now I" 

Despite  Mr.  Free's  conversational  gifts,  however,  his  audience 
one  by  one  dropped  off  in  sleep,  leaving  him  sole  monarch  of  the 
watch-fire,  and — what  he  thought  more  of — a  small  brass  kettle 
nearly  full  of  brandy  and  water.  This  latter,  I  perceived,  he  pro- 
duced when  all  was  tranquil,  and  seemed,  as  he  cast  a  furtive 
glance  around,  to  assure  himself  that  he  was  the  only  company 
present. 

Lying  some  yards  off,  I  watched  him  for  about  an  hour,  as  he  sat 
rubbing  his  hands  before  the  blaze,  or  lifting  the  little  vessel  to  his 
lips,  his  droll  features  ever  and  anon  seeming  acted  upon  by  some 
passing  dream  of  former  devilment,  as  he  smiled  and  muttered 
some  sentences  in  an  under- voice.  Sleep  at  length  overpowered  me ; 
but  my  last  waking  thoughts  were  haunted  with  a  single  ditty  by 
which  Mike  accompanied  himself  as  he  kept  burnishing  the  buttons 
of  my  jacket  before  the  fire,  now  and  then  interrupting  the  melody 
by  a  recourse  to  the  copper. 

"Well,  well,  you're  clean  enough  now;  and  sure  it's  little  good 
brightening  you  up,  when  you'll  be  as  bad  to-morrow.  Like  his 
father's  son,  devil  a  lie  in  it!  Nothing  would  serve  him  but  his 
best  blue  jacket  to  fight  in,  as  if  the  French  was  particular  what 
they  killed  us  in.  Pleasant  trade,  upon  my  conscience !  Well, 
never  mind.  That's  beautiful  sperets  anyhow.  Your  health,  Mickey 
Free ;  it's  yourself  that  stands  to  me. 

'It's  little  for  glory  I  care; 

Sure  ambition  is  only  a  fable ; 
I'd  as  soon  be  myself  as  Lord  Mayor, 

With  lashings  of  drink  on  the  table. 
I  like  to  lie  down  in  the  sun, 

And  drame,  when  my  Jaytures  is  scorchin', 
That  when  I'm  too  ould  for  more  fun, 

Why,  I'll  marry  a  wife  with  a  fortune. 


THE  OUTPOST.  389 

1  And  in  winter,  with  bacon  and  eggs, 

And  a  place  at  the  turf-fire  basking, 
Sip  my  punch  as  I  roasted  my  legs, 

Oh  !  the  devil  a  more  I'd  be  asking ! 
For  I  haven't  ajanius  for  work, — 

It  was  never  a  gift  of  the  Bradies, — 
But  I'd  make  a  most  illigant  Turk, 

For  I'm  fond  of  tobacco  and  ladies.'  " 

This  confounded  refrain  kept  ringing  through  my  dream,  and 
"tobacco  and  ladies"  mingled  with  my  thoughts  of  storm  and 
battle-field,  long  after  their  very  gifted  author  had  composed  him- 
self to  slumber. 

Sleep,  and  sound  sleep,  came  at  length,  and  many  hours  elapsed 
ere  I  awoke.  When  I  did  so,  my  fire  was  reduced  to  its  last  embers. 
Mike,  like  the  others,  had  sunk  in  slumber,  and  mid  the  gray  dawn 
that  precedes  the  morning,  I  could  just  perceive  the  dark  shadows 
of  my  troopers  as  they  lay  in  groups  around. 

The  fatigues  of  the  previous  day  had  so  completely  overcome  me, 
that  it  was  with  difficulty  I  could  arouse  myself  so  far  as  to  heap 
fresh  logs  upon  the  fire.  This  I  did  with  my  eyes  half  closed,  and 
in  that  listless,  dreamy  state  which  seems  the  twilight  of  sleep. 

I  managed  so  much,  however,  and  was  returning  to  my  couch 
beneath  a  tree,  when  suddenly  an  object  presented  itself  to  my 
eyes  that  absolutely  rooted  me  to  the  spot.  At  about  twenty  or 
thirty  yards  distant,  where  but  the  moment  before  the  long  line  of 
horizon  terminated  the  view,  there  now  stood  a  huge  figure  of  some 
ten  or  twelve  in  height ;  two  heads — which  surmounted  this  colossal 
personage — moved  alternately  from  side  to  side,  while  several  arms 
waved  loosely  to  and  fro  in  the  most  strange  and  uncouth  manner. 
My  first  impression  was  that  a  dream  had  conjured  up  this  dis- 
torted image  ;  but  when  I  had  assured  myself  by  repeated  pinchings 
and  shakings  that  I  was  really  awake,  still  it  remained  there.  I  was 
never  much  given  to  believe  in  ghosts ;  but  even  had  I  been  so,  this 
strange  apparition  must  have  puzzled  me  as  much  as  ever,  for  it 
could  not  have  been  the  representative  of  anything  I  ever  heard  of 
before. 

A  vague  suspicion  that  some  French  trickery  was  concerned,  in- 
duced me  to  challenge  it  in  French,  so  without  advancing  a  step,  I 
halloed  out,  "  Qui  va  Id  f" 

My  voice  aroused  a  sleeping  soldier,  who,  springing  up  beside  me, 
had  his  carbine  at  the  cock;  while,  equally  thunderstruck  with 
myself,  he  gazed  at  the  monster. 

"Qui  va  Id  f"  shouted  I  again,  and  no  answer  was  returned,  when 
suddenly  the  huge  object  wheeled  rapidly  around,  and  without  wait- 
ing for  any  further  parley,  made  for  the  thicket. 


390  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

The  tramp  of  a  horse's  feet  now  assured  me  as  to  the  nature  of  at 
least  part  of  the  spectacle,  when  click  went  the  trigger  behind  me, 
and  the  trooper's  ball  rushed  whistling  through  the  brushwood.  In 
a  moment  the  whole  party  were  up  and  stirring. 

"  This  way,  lads !"  cried  I,  as,  drawing  my  sabre,  I  dashed  into  the 
pine  wood. 

For  a  few  moments  all  was  as  dark  as  midnight ;  but  as  we  pro- 
ceeded farther,  we  came  out  upon  a  little  open  space  which  com- 
manded the  plain  beneath  for  a  great  extent. 

"There  it  goes!"  said  one  of  the  men,  pointing  to  a  narrow, 
beaten  path,  in  which  the  tall  figure  moved  at  a  slow  and  stately 
pace,  while  still  the  same  wild  gestures  of  heads  and  limbs  con- 
tinued. 

"  Don't  fire,  men!  don't  fire!"  I  cried,  "but  follow  me,"  as' I  set 
forward  as  hard  as  I  could. 

As  we  neared  it,  the  frantic  gesticulations  grew  more  and  more 
remarkable,  while  some  stray  words  which  we  half  caught,  sounded 
like  English  in  our  ears.  We  were  now  within  pistol-shot  distance, 
when  suddenly  the  horse — for  that  much  at  least  we  were  assured  of 
— stumbled  and  fell  forward,  precipitating  the  remainder  of  the  ob- 
ject headlong  into  the  road. 

In  a  second  we  were  upon  the  spot,  when  the  first  sounds  which 
greeted  me  were  the  following,  uttered  in  an  accent  by  no  means 
new  to  me : — 

"  Oh,  blessed  Virgin !  Wasn't  it  yourself  that  threw  me  in  the 
mud,  or  my  nose  was  done  for?  Shaugh,  Shaugh,  my  boy!  since 
we  are  taken,  tip  them  the  blarney,  and  say  we're  generals  of  divi- 
sion !" 

I  need  not  say  with  what  a*burst  of  laughter  I  received  this  very 
original  declaration. 

"  I  ought  to  know  that  laugh,"  cried  a  voice  I  at  once  knew  to  be 
that  of  my  friend  O'Shaughnessy.  "Are  you  Charles  O'Malley,  by 
any  chance  in  life?" 

"  The  same,  Major,  and  delighted  to  meet  you ;  though^  faith,  we 
were  near  giving  you  a  rather  warm  reception.  What  in  the  devil's 
name  did  you  represent  just  now?" 

"Ask  Maurice,  there,  bad  luck  to  him !  I  wish  the  devil  had  him 
when  he  persuaded  me  into  it." 

"  Introduce  me  to  your  friend,"  replied  the  other,  rubbing  his 
shins  as  he  spoke.  "  Mr.  O'Mealey,"— so  he  called  me—"  I  think. 
Happy  to  meet  you.  My  mother  was  a  Ryan  of  Killdooley,  married 
to  a  first  cousin  of  your  father's,  before  she  took  Mr.  Quill,  my  re- 
spected progenitor.  I'm  Dr.  Quill,  of  the  48th,  more  commonly 
called  Maurice  Quill.    Tear  and  ages !  how  sore  my  back  is !   It  was 


THE  OUTPOST.  391 

all  the  fault  of  the  baste,  Mr.  O'Mealey.  We  set  out  in  search  of 
you  this  morning,  to  bring  you  back  with  us  to  Torrijos,  but  we  fell 
in  with  a  very  pleasant  funeral  at  Barcaventer,  and  joined  them  ; 
they  invited  us,  I  may  say,  to  spend  the  day ;  and  a  very  jovial  day 
it  was.  I  was  the  chief  mourner,  and  carried  a  very  big  candle 
through  the  village,  in  consideration  of  as  fine  a  meat-pie  and  as 
much  lush  as  my  grief  permitted  me  to  indulge  in  afterwards.  But, 
my  dear  sir,  when  it  was  all  finished,  we  found  ourselves  nine  miles 
from  our  quarters,  and  as  neither  of  us  was  in  a  very  befitting  con- 
dition for  pedestrian  exercise,  we  stole  one  of  the  leaders  out  of  the 
hearse — velvet,  plumes,  and  all — and  set  off  home. 

"  When  we  came  upon  your  party,  we  were  not  over  clear  whether 
you  were  English,  Portuguese,  or  French,  and  that  was  the  reason  I 
called  out  to  you, '  God  save  all  here  !'  in  Irish.  Your  polite  answer 
was  a  shot,  which  struck  the  old  horse  in  the  knee,  and  although  we 
wheeled  about  in  double  quick,  we  never  could  get  him  out  of  his 
professional  habits  on  the  road.  He  had  a  strong  notion  he  was  en- 
gaged in  another  funeral — as  he  was  very  likely  to  be — and  the  devil 
a  bit  faster  than  a  dead  march  could  we  get  him  to,  with  all  our 
thrashing.  Orderly  time,  for  men  in  a  hurry,  with  a  whole  platoon 
blazing  away  behind  them !  But  long  life  to  the  cavalry,  they  never 
hit  anything !" 

While  he  continued  to  run  on  in  this  manner,  we  reached  our 
watch-fire,  when  what  was  my  surprise  to  discover,  in  my  newly- 
made  acquaintance,  the  worthy  Doctor  I  had  seen  a  day  or  two  before, 
operating  at  the  fountain  at  Talavera  ! 

"  Well,  Mr.  O'Mealey,"  said  he,  as  he  seated  himself  before  the 
blaze,  "  what  is  the  state  of  the  larder  ?  Anything  savory — anything 
drink-inspiring  to  be  had?" 

"  I  fear,  Doctor,  my  fare  is  of  the  very  humblest ;  but  still " 

"  What  are  the  fluids,  Charley?"  cried  the  Major  ;  "the  cruel  per- 
formance I  have  been  enacting  on  that  cursed  beast  has  left  me  in  a 
fever." 

"  This  was  a  pigeon-pie  formerly,"  said  Dr.  Quill,  investigating 
the  ruined  walls  of  a  pastry  ;  "  and — but  come,  here's  a  duck  ;  and 
if  my  nose  deceive  me  not,  a  very  tolerable  ham.  Peter — Larry — 
Patsy — What's  the  name  of  your  familiar  there  ?" 

"  Mickey — Mickey  Free." 

"  Mickey  Free,  then  ;  come  here,  avick !  Devise  a  little  drink,  my 
son — none  of  the  weakest — no  lemon— hot !  You  understand,  hot ! 
That  chap  has  an  eye  for  punch ;  there's  no  mistaking  an  Irish 
fellow ;  nature  has  endowed  them  richly — fine  features,  and  a  beau- 
tiful absorbent  system  !  That's  the  gift!  Just  look  at  him,  blowing 
up  the  fire — isn't  he  a  picture  ?   Well,  O'Mealey,  I  was  fretting  that 


392  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

we  hadn't  you  up  at  Torrijos ;  we  were  enjoying  life  very  respect- 
ably; we  established  a  little  system  of  small  tithes  upon  fowl,  sheep, 
pigs'  heads  and  wine  skins,  that  throve  remarkably  for  the  time. 
Here's  the  lush  !  Put  it  down  there,  Mickey,  in  the  middle ;  that's 
right.  Your  health,  Shaugh.  O'Mealey,  here's  a  troop  to  you;  and 
in  the  meantime  I'll  give  you  a  chant : 

'  Come,  ye  jovial  souls,  don't  o'er  the  bowl  be  sleeping, 
Nor  let  the  grog  go  round  like  a  cripple  creeping ; 
If  your  care  comes  up — in  the  liquor  sink  it, 
Pass  along  the  lush — I'm  the  boy  can  drink  it. 

Isn't  that  so,  Mrs.  Mary  Callaghan? 

Isn't  that  so,  Mrs.  Mary  Callaghan?' 

"  Shaugh,  my  hearty,  this  begins  to  feel  comfortable." 

"  Your  man,  O'Mealey,  has  a  most  judicious  notion  of  punch  for 
a  small  party  ;  and  though  one  has  prejudices  about  a  table,  chairs, 
and  that  sort  of  thing,  take  my  word  for  it,  it's  better  than  fighting 
the  French  any  day  !" 

"  Well,  Charley,  it  certainly  did  look  quite  awkward  enough  the 
other  day  towards  three  o'clock,  when  the  Legion  fell  back  before 
that  French  column,  and  broke  the  Guards  behind  them." 

"  Yes,  you're  quite  right ;  but  I  think  every  one  felt  that  the  con- 
fusion was  but  momentary ;  the  gallant  48th  was  up  in  an  instant." 

"  Faith  !  I  can  answer  for  their  alacrity,"  said  the  Doctor;  "I  was 
making  my  way  to  the  rear  with  all  convenient  despatch,  when  an 
aide-de-camp  called  out, — 

"'Cavalry  coming  !  take  care, 48th/ 

" '  Left  face,  wheel !  Fall  in  there,  fall  in  there !'  I  heard  on 
every  side,  and  soon  found  myself  standing  in  a  square,  with  Sir 
Arthur  himself,  and  Hill,  and  the  rest  of  them,  all  around  me. 

"  '  Steady,  men !  Steady,  now !'  said  Hill,  as  he  rode  around  the 
ranks,  while  we  saw  an  awful  column  of  cuirassiers  forming  on  the 
rising  ground  to  our  left. 

"  '  Here  they  come  !'  said  Sir  Arthur,  as  the  French  came  powder- 
ing along,  making  the  very  earth  tremble  beneath  them. 

"My  first  thought  was,  'The  devils  are  mad!  and  they'll  ride 
down  into  us,  before  they  know  they're  kilt !'  And  sure  enough, 
smash  into  our  first  rank  they  pitched,  sabring  and  cutting  all 
before  them !  when  at  last  the  word  '  Fire  !'  was  given,  and  the  whole 
head  of  the  column  broke  like  a  shell,  and  rolled  horse  over  man  on 
the  earth. 

"  *  Very  well  done !  very  well,  indeed !'  said  Sir  Arthur,  turning 
as  coolly  round  to  mo  as  if  he  were  asking  for  more  gravy. 

'"Mighty  well  done!'  said  I  in  reply;  and  resolving  not  to  be 
ou  lone  in  coolness,  I  pulled  out  my  snuff-box  and  offered  him  a 


THE  OUTPOST.  393 

pinch,  saying,  'The  real  thing,  Sir  Arthur;  our  own  countryman — 
blackguard.' 

"  He  gave  a  little  grim  kind  of  a  smile,  took  a  pinch,  and  then 
called  out, — 

"  '  Let  Sherbroke  advance !'  while  turning  again  towards  me,  he 
said,  '  Where  are  your  people,  Colonel  ?' 

"  *  Colonel !'  thought  I ;  '  is  it  possible  he's  going  to  promote  me?' 
But  before  I  could  answer,  he  was  talking  to  another.  Meanwhile, 
Hill  came  up,  and,  looking  at  me  steadily,  burst  out  with, — 

"  '  Why  the  devil  are  you  here,  sir?     Why  ain't  you  at  the  rear?' 

"  '  Upon  my  conscience,'  said  I,  '  that's  the  very  thing  I'm  puz- 
zling myself  about  this  minute !  but  if  you  think  it's  pride  in  me, 
you're  greatly  mistaken,  for  I'd  rather  the  greatest  scoundrel  in 
Dublin  was  kicking  me  down  Sackville  street  than  be  here  now !' 

"  You'd  think  it  was  fun  I  was  making,  if  you  heard  how  they  all 
laughed,  Hill  and  Cameron  and  the  others  louder  than  any. 

" '  Who  is  he?'  said  Sir  Arthur,  quickly. 

"  '  Dr.  Quill,  surgeon  of  the  33d,  where  I  exchanged,  to  be  near 
my  brother,  sir,  in  the  34th.' 

"  'A  doctor, — a  surgeon  !  That  fellow  a  surgeon  !  D —  him,  I 
took  him  for  Colonel  Grosvenor!  I  say,  Gordon,  these  medical 
officers  must  be  docked  of  their  fine  feathers,  there's  no  knowing 
them  from  the  staff;  look  to  that  in  the  next  general  order.' 

"And  sure  enough  they  left  us  bare  and  naked  the  next  morning ; 
and  if  the  French  sharpshooters  pick  us  down  now,  devil  mend  them 
for  wasting  powder,  for  if  they  look  in  the  orderly  books,  they'll  find 
their  mistake." 

"Ah,  Maurice,  Maurice  !"  said  Shaugh,  with  a  sigh,  "  you'll  never 
improve — you'll  never  improve !" 

"  Why  the  devil  would  I  ?"  said  he ;  "  ain't  I  at  the  top  of  my 
profession — full  surgeon — with  nothing  to  expect — nothing  to  hope 
for?  Oh,  if  I  only  remained  in  the  light  company,  what  wouldn't 
I  be  now?" 

"  Then  you  were  not  always  a  doctor  ?"  said  I. 

"  Upon  my  conscience  I  wasn't,"  said  he.  "When  Shaugh  knew 
me  first,  I  was  the  Adonis  of  the  Roscommon  militia,  with  more 
heiresses  in  my  list  than  any  man  in  the  regiment;  but  Shaugh  and 
myself  were  always  unlucky." 

"  Poor  Mrs.  Rogers  !"  said  the  Major,  pathetically,  drinking  off  his 
glass  and  heaving  a  profound  sigh. 

"Ah,  the  darling !"  said  the  Doctor ;  "  if  it  wasn't  for  a  jug  of 
punch  that  lay  on  the  hall  table,  our  fortune  in  life  would  be  very 
different." 

"  True  for  you,  Maurice !"  quoth  O'Shaughnessy. 


394  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  I  should  like  much  to  hear  that  story,"  said  I,  pushing  the  jug 
briskly  round. 

"  He'll  tell  it  you,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  lighting  his  cigar,  and 
leaning  pensively  back  against  a  tree, — "  he'll  tell  it  you." 

"  I  will  with  pleasure,"  said  Maurice.  "  Let  Mr.  Free  meantime 
amuse  himself  with  the  punch-bowl,  and  I'll  relate  it." 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE   DOCTOR'S  TALE.* 

IT  is  now  some  fifteen  years  since — if  it  wasn't  for  O'Shaugh- 
nessy's  wrinkles,  I  could  not  believe  it  five — we  were  quartered 
in  Loughrea.  There  were  besides  our  regiment  the  50th,  the 
73d,  and  a  troop  or  two  of  horse  artillery ;  the  whole  town  was  liter- 
ally a  barrack,  and,  as  you  may  suppose,  the  pleasantest  place  imag- 
inable. All  the  young  ladies,  and  indeed  all  those  that  had  got 
their  brevet  some  years  before,  came  flocking  into  the  town,  not 
knowing  but  the  devil  might  persuade  a  raw  ensign  or  so  to  marry 
some  of  them. 

"  Such  dinner  parties — such  routs  and  balls — never  were  heard  of 
west  of  Athlone.  The  gayeties  were  incessant ;  and  if  good  feeding, 
plenty  of  claret,  short  whist,  country-dances,  and  kissing,  could 
have  done  the  thing,  there  wouldn't  have  been  a  bachelor  with  a  red 
coat  for  six  miles  around. 

"  You  know  the  west,  O'Malley ;  so  I  needn't  tell  you  what  the 
Galway  girls  are  like — fine,  hearty,  free-and-easy,  talking,  laughing 
devils ;  but  as  deep  and  as  'cute  as  a  Master  in  Chancery— ready  for 
any  fun  or  merriment ;  but  always  keeping  a  sly  look-out  for  a  pro- 
posal or  a  tender  acknowledgment,  which — what  between  the  heat 
of  a  ball-room,  whisky-negus,  white  satin  shoes,  and  a  quarrel  with 
your  guardian — it's  ten  to  one  you  fall  into  before  you're  a  week  in 
the  same  town  with  them. 

"As  for  the  men,  I  don't  admire  them  so  much ;  pleasant  and 
cheerful  enough,  when  they're  handicapping  the  coat  off  your  back, 

*  T  cannot  permit  the  reader  to  fall  into  the  same  blunder  with  regard  to  the  worthy 
"Maurice"  as  my  friend  Charles  O'Malley  has  done.  It  is  only  fair  to  state  that  the 
Doctor  in  the  following  tale  was  hoaxing  the  "  Dragoon."  A  braver  and  abetter  fellow 
than  Quill  never  existed,  equally  beloved  by  his  brother  otlieers  as  delighted  in  for  his 
convivial  talents.  His  favorite  amusement  was  to  invent  some  story  or  adventure,  in 
which,  mixing  up  his  own  name  with  that  of  some  friend  or  companion,  the  veracity 
of  the  whole  was  never  questioned.  Of  this  nature  was  the  pedigree  he  devised  in  the 
last  chapter  to  impose  upon  O'Malley,  who  believed  implicitly  all  he  told  him. 


THE  DOCTOR'S  TALE.  395 

and  your  new  tilbury  for  a  spavined  pony  and  a  cotton  umbrella; 
but  regular  devils  if  you  come  to  cross  them  the  least  in  life ;  nothing 
but  ten  paces — three  shots  a  piece — to  begin  and  end  with  some- 
thing like  Sir  Roger  de  Coverley,  when  every  one  has  a  pull  at  his 
neighbor.  I'm  not  saying  they're  not  agreeable,  well-informed,  and 
mild  in  their  habits ;  but  they  lean  over-much  to  corduroys  and 
coroners'  inquests  for  one's  taste  farther  south.  However,  they're  a 
fine  people,  take  them  all  in  all ;  and,  if  they  were  not  interfered 
with,  and  their  national  customs  invaded  with  road  making,  petty 
sessions,  grand  jury  laws,  and  a  stray  commission  now  and  then, 
they  are  undoubtedly  capable  of  great  things,  and  would  astonish 
the  world. 

"  But,  as  I  was  saying,  we  were  ordered  to  Loughrea,  after  being 
fifteen  months  in  detachments  about  Birr,  Tullamore,  Kilbeggan, 
and  all  that  country ;  the  change  was  indeed  a  delightful  one,  and 
we  soon  found  ourselves  the  centre  of  the  most  marked  and  deter- 
mined civilities.  I  told  you  they  were  wise  people  in  the  west ;  this 
was  their  calculation :  the  line — ours  was  the  Roscommon  militia — 
are  here  to-day,  there  to-morrow ;  they  may  be  flirting  in  Tralee 
this  week,  and  fighting  on  the  Tagus  the  next ;  not  that  there  was 
any  fighting  there  in  those  times,  but  then  there  was  always  Nova 
Scotia  and  St.  John's,  and  a  hundred  other  places  that  a  Galway 
young  lady  knew  nothing  about,  except  that  people  never  came 
back  from  them.  Now,  what  good,  what  use  was  there  in  falling  in 
love  with  them  ?  mere  transitory  and  passing  pleasure  that  was. 
But  as  for  us  :  there  we  were  ;  if  not  in  Kilkenny,  we  were  in  Cork. 
Safe  cut  and  come  again  ;  no  getting  away  under  pretence  of  foreign 
service ;  no  excuse  for  not  marrying  by  any  cruel  pictures  of  the 
colonies,  where  they  make  spatchcocks  of  the  officers'  wives,  and 
scrape  their  infant  families  to  death  with  a  small  tooth-comb.  In  a 
word,  my  dear  O'Mealey,  we  were  at  a  high  premium ;  and  even 
O'Shaughnessy,  with  his  red  head  and  the  legs  you  see,  had  his  ad- 
mirers— there  now,  don't  be  angry,  Dan — the  men,  at  least,  were 
mighty  partial  to  you. 

"  Loughrea,  if  it  was  a  pleasant,  was  a  very  expensive  place. 
White  gloves  and  car-hire — there  wasn't  a  chaise  in  the  town — 
short  whist,  too  (God  forgive  me  if  I  wrong  them,  but  I  wonder 
were  they  honest?),  cost  money;  and  as  our  popularity  rose,  our 
purses  fell,  till  at  length,  when  the  one  was  at  the  flood,  the  other 
was  something  very  like  low  water. 

"  Now,  the  Roscommon  was  a  beautiful  corps — no  petty  jealousies, 
no  little  squabbling  among  the  officers,  no  small  spleen  between  the 
Major's  wife  and  the  Paymaster's  sister, — all  was  amiable,  kind, 
brotherly,  and  affectionate.    To  proceed,  I  need  only  mention  one 


396  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

fine  trait  of  them — no  man  ever  refused  to  endorse  a  brother  offi- 
cer's bill.  To  think  of  asking  the  amount,  or  even  the  date,  would 
be  taken  personally ;  and  thus  we  went  on  mutually  aiding  and 
assisting  each  other — the  Colonel  drawing  on  me,  I  on  the  Major, 
the  senior  Captain  on  the  Surgeon,  and  so  on, — a  regular  cross-fire 
of '  promises  to  pay,'  all  stamped  and  regular. 

"Not  but  the  system  had  its  inconveniences,  for  sometimes  an 
obstinate  tailor  or  bootmaker  would  make  a  row  for  his  money,  and 
then  we'd  be  obliged  to  get  up  a  little  quarrel  between  the  drawer 
and  the  acceptor  of  the  bill ;  they  couldn't  speak  for  some  days, 
and  a  mutual  friend  to  both  would  tell  the  creditor  that  the  slight- 
est imprudence  on  his  part  would  lead  to  bloodshed ;  -  and  the  Lord 
help  him !  if  there  was  a  duel,  he'd  prove  the  whole  cause  of  it.' 
This  and  twenty  other  plans  were  employed,  and  finally  the  matter 
would  be  left  to  arbitration  among  our  brother  officers,  and  I  need 
not  say  they  behaved  like  trumps.  But  notwithstanding  all  this,  we 
were  frequently  hard  pressed  for  cash ;  as  the  Colonel  said,  '  It's  a 
mighty  expensive  corps.'  Our  dress  was  costly — not  that  it  had 
much  lace  and  gold  on  it,  but  that,  what  between  falling  on  the  road 
at  night,  shindies  at  mess,  and  other  devilment,  a  coat  lasted  no 
time.  Wine,  too,  was  heavy  on  us,  for  though  we  often  changed 
our  wine  merchant,  and  rarely  paid  him,  there  was  an  awful  con- 
sumption at  the  mess. 

"  Now,  what  I  have  mentioned  may  prepare  you  for  the  fact  that, 
before  we  were  eight  weeks  in  garrison,  Shaugh  and  myself,  upon 
an  accurate  calculation  of  our  joint  finances,  discovered  that,  except 
some  vague  promises  of  discounting  here  and  there  through  the 
town,  and  seven  and  fourpence  in  specie,  we  were  innocent  of  any 
pecuniary  treasures.  This  was  embarrassing.  We  had  both  em- 
barked in  several  small  schemes  of  pleasurable  amusement ;  had  a 
couple  of  hunters  each,  a  tandem,  and  a  running  account — I  think 
it  galloped — at  every  shop  in  the  town. 

"  Let  me  pause  for  a  moment  here,  O'Mealey,  while  I  moralize  a 
little  in  a  strain  which  I  hope  may  benefit  you.  Have  you  ever 
considered — of  course  you  have  not:  you're  too  young  and  unre- 
flecting— how  beautifully  every  climate  and  every  soil  possesses  some 
one  antidote  or  another  to  its  own  noxious  influences?  The  tropics 
have  their  succulent  and  juicy  fruits,  cooling  and  refreshing ;  the 
northern  latitudes  have  their  beasts  with  fur  and  warm  skin  to  keep 
out  the  frost-bites.  And  so  it  is  in  Ireland  ;  nowhere  on  the  face  of 
the  habitable  globe  does  a  man  contract  such  habits  of  small  debt, 
and  nowhere,  I'll  be  sworn,  'can  he  so  easily  get  out  of  any  scrape 
concerning  them.  They  have  their  tigers  in  the  east,  their  ante- 
lopes in  the  south,  their  white  bears  in  Norway,  their  buffaloes  in 


THE  DOCTOR'S  TALE.  397 

America;  but  we  have  an  animal  in  Ireland  that  beats  them  all 
hollow — a  country  attorney! 

"  Now,  let  me  introduce  you  to  Mr.  Matthew  Donevan.  Mat,  as 
he  was  familiarly  called  by  his  numerous  acquaintances,  was  a  short, 
florid,  rosy  little  gentleman,  of  some  four  or  five-and-forty,  with  a 
well-curled  wig  of  the  fairest  imaginable  auburn,  the  gentle  wave 
of  the  front  locks,  which  played  in  infantine  loveliness  upon  his 
little  bullet  forehead,  contrasting  strongly  enough  with  a  cunning 
leer  of  his  eye,  and  a  certain  nisi  prius  laugh  that,  however  it  might 
please  a  client,  rarely  brought  pleasurable  feelings  to  his  opponent 
in  a  cause. 

"  Mat  was  a  character  in  his  way.  Deep,  double,  and  tricky  in 
everything  that  concerned  his  profession,  he  affected  the  gay  fellow ; 
liked  a  jolly  dinner  at  Brown's  Hotel — would  go  twenty  miles  to  see 
a  steeple-chase  and  a  coursing  match — bet  with  any  one,  when  the 
odds  were  strong  in  his  favor,  with  an  easy  indifference  about  money 
that  made  him  seem,  when  winning,  rather  the  victim  of  good  luck 
than  anything  else.  As  he  kept  a  rather  pleasant  bachelor's  house, 
and  liked  the  military  much,  we  soon  became  acquainted.  Upon 
him,  therefore,  for  reasons  I  can't  explain,  both  our  hopes  reposed, 
and  Shaugh  and  myself  agreed  that  if  Mat  could  not  assist  us  in  our 
distresses,  the  case  was  a  bad  one. 

"  A  pretty  little  epistle  was  accordingly  concocted,  inviting  the 
worthy  attorney  to  a  small  dinner  at  five  o'clock  the  next  day,  inti- 
mating that  we  were  to  be  perfectly  alone,  and  had  a  little  business 
to  discuss.  True  to  the  hour,  Mat  was  there ;  and,  as  if  instantly 
guessing  that  ours  was  no  regular  party  of  pleasure,  his  look,  dress, 
and  manner  were  all  in  keeping  with  the  occasion — quiet,  subdued, 
and  searching. 

"  When  the  claret  had  been  superseded  by  the  whisky,  and  the 
confidential  hours  were  approaching,  by  an  adroit  allusion  to  some 
heavy  wager  then  pending,  we  brought  our  finances  upon  the  tapis. 
The  thing  was  done  beautifully — an  easy  adagio  movement — no  vio- 
lent transition ;  but  hang  me  if  old  Mat  didn't  catch  the  matter  at 
once. 

"  '  Oh  !  it's  there  ye  are,  Captain,'  said  he,  with  his  peculiar  grin. 
'  Two-and-sixpence  in  the  pound,  and  no  assets.' 

"  'The  last  is  nearer  the  mark,  my  old  boy,'  said  Shaugh,  blurt- 
ing out  the  whole  truth  at  once.  The  wily  attorney  finished  his 
tumbler  slowly,  as  if  giving  himself  time  for  reflection,  and  then, 
smacking  his  lips  in  a  preparatory  manner,  took  a  quick  survey 
of  the  room  with  his  piercing  green  eye. 

"  '  A  very  sweet  mare  of  yours  that  little  mouse-colored  one  is, 
with  the  dip  in  the  back ;  and  she  has  a  trifling  curb — maybe  it's  a 


398  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

spavin,  indeed — in  the  near  hind  leg.    You  gave  five-and-twenty  for 
her,  now,  I'll  be  bound?' 

"  'Sixty  guineas,  as  sure  as  my  name's  Dan/  said  Shaugh,  not  at 
all  pleased  at  the  value  put  upon  his  hackney ;  '  and  as  to  the  spa- 
vin and  curb,  I'll  wager  double  the  sum  she  has  neither  the  slight- 
est trace  of  one  nor  the  other.' 

" '  I'll  not  take  the  bet,'  said  Mat,  dryly ;  '  money's  scarce  in  these 
parts.' 

"  This  hit  silenced  us  both,  and  our  friend  continued  : — 

Then  there's  the  bay  horse— a  great  strapping,  leggy  beast  he 
is  for  a  tilbury  ;  and  the  hunters— worth  nothing  here ;  they  don't 
know  this  country.  Them's  neat  pistols  ;  and  the  tilbury  is  not 
bad ' 

"  '  Confound  you  !'  said  I,  losing  all  patience ;  '  we  didn't  ask  you 
here  to  praise  our  movables ;  we  want  to  raise  the  wind  without 
that/ 

"  '  I  see — I  perceive,'  said  Mat,  taking  a  pinch  of  snuff  very  lei- 
surely as  he  spoke ;  *  I  see.  Well,  that  is  difficult— very  difficult, 
just  now.  I've  mortgaged  every  acre  of  ground  in  the  two  counties 
near  us,  and  a  sixpence  more  is  not  to  be  had  that  way.  Are  you 
lucky  at  the  races  ?' 

"  '  Never  win  a  sixpence/ 

"  '  What  can  you  do  at  whist  V 

"  '  Why,  I  revoke,  and  get  cursed  by  my  partner — the  devil  a  bit 
more.' 

"  '  That's  mighty  bad,  for  otherwise  we  might  arrange  something 
for  you.  Well,  I  only  see  one  thing  for  it — you  must  marry.  A  wife 
with  some  money  will  get  you  out  of  your  present  difficulties,  and 
we'll  manage  that  easily  enough.' 

"'Come, Dan/ said  I — for  Shaugh  was  dropping  asleep — 'cheer 
up,  old  fellow.  Donevan  has  found  the  way  to  pull  us  through  our 
misfortunes — a  girl  with  forty  thousand  pounds,  the  best  cock-shoot- 
ing in  Ireland ;  an  old  family,  a  capital  cellar — all  awaits  ye.  Rouse 
up,  there !' 

"  '  I'm  convanient/  said  Shaugh,  with  a  look  intended  to  be  know- 
ing, but  really  very  tipsy. 

"  'I  didn't  say  much  for  her  personal  attractions,  Captain/  said 
Mat ;  '  nor,  indeed,  did  t  specify  the  exact  sum ;  but  Mrs.  Rogers 
Dooley,  of  Clonakilty,  might  be  a  princess ' 

"'And  so  she  shall  be,  Mat ;  the  O'Shaughnessys  were  kings  of 
Ennis  in  the  time  of  Nero ;  and  I'm  only  waiting  for  a  trifle  of 
money  to  revive  the  title.     What's  her  name  ?' 

"  '  Mrs.  Rogers  Dooley.' 

"  '  Here's  her  health,  and  long  life  to  her, — 


THE  DOCTOR'S  TALE.  399 

'  And  may  the  devil  cut  the  toes 
Of  all  her  foes, 
That  we  may  know  them  by  their  limping.' " 

"  This  benevolent  wish  uttered,  Dan  fell  flat  upon  the  hearth-rug, 
and  was  soon  sound  asleep.  I  must  hasten  on,  so  need  only  say  that 
before  we  parted  that  night  Mat  and  myself  had  finished  the  half- 
gallon  bottle  of  Loughrea  whisky,  and  concluded  a  treaty  for  the  hand 
and  fortune  of  Mrs.  Rogers  Dooley,  he  being  guaranteed  a  very  hand- 
some percentage  on  the  property,  and  the  lady  being  reserved  for 
choice  between  Dan  and  myself,  which,  however,  I  was  determined 
should  fall  upon  my  more  fortunate  friend. 

"  The  first  object  which  presented  itself  to  my  aching  senses  the 
following  morning  was  a  very  spacious  card  of  invitation  from  Mr. 
Jonas  Malone,  requesting  me  to  favor  him  with  the  seductions  of  my 
society  the  next  evening  to  a  ball ;  at  the  bottom  of  which,  in  Mr. 
Donevan's  hand,  I  read, — 

"'  Don't  fail ;  you  know  who  is  to  be  there.  I've  not  been  idle 
since  I  saw  you.  Would  the  Captain  take  twenty-five  for  the 
mare  ?' 

"  '  So  far  so  good/  thought  I,  as  entering  O'Shaughnessy's  quar- 
ters, I  discovered  him  endeavoring  to  spell  out  his  card,  which, 
however,  had  no  postscript.  We  soon  agreed  that  Mat  should  have 
his  price ;  so,  sending  a  polite  answer  to  the  invitation,  we  des- 
patched a  still  more  civil  note  to  the  attorney,  and  begged  of  him, 
as  a  weak  mark  of  esteem,  to  accept  the  mouse-colored  mare  as  a 
present. 

Here  O'Shaughnessy  sighed  deeply,  and  even  seemed  affected  by 
the  souvenir. 

"  Come,  Dan,  we  did  it  all  for  the  best.  Oh !  O'Mealey,  he  was 
a  cunning  fellow ;  but  no  matter.  We  went  to  the  ball,  and,  to  be 
sure,  it  was  a  great  sight.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  souls,  where  there 
was  not  good  room  for  the  odd  fifty ;  such  laughing,  such  squeezing, 
such  pressing  of  hands  and  waists  in  the  staircase !  and  then  such  a 
row  and  riot  at  the  top, — four  fiddles,  a  key  bugle,  and  a  bagpipe, 
playing  '  Haste  to  the  Wedding/  amid  the  crash  of  refreshment 
trays,  the  tramp  of  feet,  and  the  sounds  of  merriment  on  all  sides ! 

"  It's  only  in  Ireland,  after  all,  people  have  fun  ;  old  and  young, 
merry  and  morose,  the  gay  and  cross-grained,  are  crammed  into  a 
lively  country  dance ;  and,  ill-matched,  ill-suited,  go  jigging  away 
together  to  the  blast  of  a  bad  band,  till  their  heads,  half  turned  by 
the  noise,  the  heat,  the  novelty,  and  the  hubbub,  they  all  get  as 
tipsy  as  if  they  were  really  deep  in  liquor. 

"Then  there  is  that  particularly  free-and-easy  tone  in  every  one 
about ;  there  go  a  couple  capering  daintily  out  of  the  ball-room  to 


400  CHARLES  0>M ALLEY. 

take  a  little  fresh  air  on  the  stairs,  where  every  step  has  its  own  sep- 
arate flirtation  party;  there,  a  riotous  old  gentleman,  with  a  board- 
ing-school girl  for  his  partner,  has  plunged  smack  into  a  party  at 
loo,  upsetting  cards  and  counters,  and  drawing  down  curses  innu- 
merable. Here  are  a  merry  knot  round  the  refreshments,  and  well 
they  may  be ;  for  the  negus  is  strong  punch,  and  the  biscuit  tipsy 
cake, — and  all  this  with  a  running  fire  of  good  stories,  jokes,  and 
witticisms  on  all  sides,  in  the  laughter  for  which  even 'the  droll- 
looking  servants  join  as  heartily  as  the  rest. 

"  We  were  not  long  in  finding  out  Mrs.  Eogers,  who  sat  in  the 
middle  of  a  very  high  sofa,  with  her  feet  just  touching  the  floor. 
She  was  short,  fat,  wore  her  hair  in  a  crop,  had  a  species  of  shining 
yellow  skin,  and  a  turned-up  nose,  all  of  which  w^re  by  no  means 
prepossessing.  Shaugh  and  myself  were  too  hard-up  to  be  partic- 
ular, and  so  we  invited  her  to  dance  alternately  for  two  consecutive 
hours,  plying  her  assiduously  with  negus  during  the  lulls  in  the 
music. 

"  Supper  was  at  last  announced,  and  enabled  us  to  recruit  for  new 
efforts ;  and  so,  after  an  awful  consumption  of  fowl,  pigeon-pie,  ham, 
and  brandy  cherries,  Mrs.  Rogers  brightened  up  considerably,  and 
professed  her  willingness  to  join  the  dancers.  As  for  us,  partly  from 
exhaustion,  partly  to  stimulate  our  energies,  and  in  some  degree  to 
drown  reflection,  we  drank  deep,  and  when  we  reached  the  drawing- 
room,  not  only  the  agreeable  guests  themselves,  but  even  the  furni- 
ture, the  venerable  chairs  and  the  stiff  old  sofa,  seemed  performing 
*  Sir  Roger  de  Coverley.'  How  we  conducted  ourselves  till  five  in  the 
morning,  let  our  cramps  confess,  for  we  were  both  bedridden  for  ten 
days  after.  However,  at  last,  Mrs.  Rogers  gave  in;  and,  reclining 
gracefully  upon  a  window-seat,  pronounced  it  a  most  elegant  party, 
and  asked  me  to  look  for  her  shawl.  While  I  perambulated  the 
staircase  with  her  bonnet  on  my  head,  and  more  wearing-apparel 
than  would  stock  a  magazine,  Shaugh  was  roaring  himself  hoarse  in 
the  street,  calling  for  Mrs.  Rogers's  coach. 

"  '  Sure,  Captain,'  said  the  lady,  with  a  tender  leer,  '  it's  only  a 
chair.' 

"'And  here  it  is,'  said  I,  surveying  a  very  portly-looking  old 
sedan,  newly  painted  and  varnished,  that  blocked  up  half  the  hall. 

" '  You'll  catch  cold,  my  angel,'  said  Shaugh,  in  a  whisper,  for  he 
was  coming  it  very  strong  by  this ;  '  get  into  the  chair.  Maurice, 
can't  you  find  those  fellows?'  said  he  to  me;  for  the  chairmen  had 
gone  down  stairs,  and  were  making  very  merry  among  the  servants. 

"  '  She's  fast  now,'  said  I,  shutting  the  door  to.  '  Let  us  do  the 
gallant  thing,  and  carry  her  home  ourselves.'  Shaugh  thought  this 
a  great  notion  ;  and  in  a  minute  we  mounted  the  poles  and  sallied 


THE  DOCTOR'S  TALE.  401 

forth,  amid  a  great  chorus  of  laughing  from  all  the  footmen,  maids, 
and  teaboys  that  filled  the  passage. 

"  'The  big  house,  with  the  bow-window  and  the  pillars,  Captain,' 
said  a  fellow,  as  we  issued  upon  our  journey. 

"  '  I  know  it,'  said  I.  '  Turn  to  your  left  after  you  pass  the  square.' 

" '  Isn't  she  heavy  ?'  said  Shaugh,  as  he  meandered  across  the 
narrow  streets  with  a  sidelong  motion,  that  must  have  suggested  to 
our  fair  inside  passenger  some  notions  of  a  sea  voyage.  In  truth,  I 
must  confess  our  progress  was  rather  a  devious  one ;  now  zig-zag- 
ging  from  side  to  side,  now  getting  into  a  sharp  trot,  and  then  sud- 
denly pulling  up  at  a  dead  stop,  or  running  the  machine  chuck 
against  a  wall,  to  enable  us  to  stand  still  and  gain  breath. 

"'Which  way  now.?'  cried  he,  as  we  swung  round  the  angle  of 
a  street,  and  entered  the  large  market-place ;  '  I'm  getting  terribly 
tired.' 

" '  Never  give  in,  Dan ;  think  of  Clonakilty,  and  the  old  lady 
herself;'  and  here  I  gave  the  chair  a  hoist  that  evidently  aston- 
ished our  fair  friend,  for  a  very  imploring  cry  issued  forth  immedi- 
ately after. 

"  '  To  the  right,  quick  step,  forward — charge  !'  cried  I ;  and  we  set 
off  at  a  brisk  trot  down  a  steep  narrow  lane. 

"  '  Here  it  is  now  :  the  light  in  the  window ;  cheer  up  !' 

"As  I  said  this,  we  came  short  up  to  a  fine  portly-looking  door- 
way, with  great  stone  pillars  and  cornice. 

"  '  Make  yourself  at  home,  Maurice,'  said  he ;  '  bring  her  in ;'  and 
so  saying  we  pushed  forward — for  the  door  was  open — and  passed 
boldly  into  a  great  flagged  hall,  silent  and  cold,  and  dark  as  the 
night  itself. 

"  'Are  you  sure  we're  right  ?'  said  he. 

"  'All  right,'  said  I ;  'go  ahead.' 

"And  so  we  did,  till  We  came  in  sight  of  a  small  candle  that 
burned  dimly  at  a  distance  from  us. 

" '  Make  for  the  light/  said  I ;  but  just  as  I  said  so,  Shaugh 
slipped  and  fell  flat  on  the  flagway.  The  noise  of  his  fall  sent  up  a 
hundred  echoes  in  the  silent  building,  and  terrified  us  both  dread- 
fully ;  after  a  minute's  pause,  by  one  consent  we  turned  and  made 
for  the  door,  falling  almost  at  every  step  ;  and  frightened  out  of  our 
senses,  we  came  tumbling  together  into  the  porch,  and  out  in  the 
street,  and  never  drew  breath  till  we  reached  the  barracks.  Mean- 
while, let  me  return  to  Mrs.  Rogers."  The  dear  old  lady,  who  had 
passed  an  awful  time  since  she  left  the  ball,  had  just  rallied  out  of  a 
fainting  fit  when  we  took  to  our  heels ;  so,  after  screaming  and  cry- 
ing her  best,  she  at  last  managed  to  open  the  top  of  the  chair,  and 
by  dint  of  great  exertions  succeeded  in  forcing  the  door,  and  at 
26 


402  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

length  freed  herself  from  bondage.  She  was  leisurely  groping  her 
way  round  it  in  the  dark,  when  her  lamentations  being  heard  without, 
woke  up  the  old  sexton  of  the  chapel — for  it  was  there  we  placed 
her — who,  entering  cautiously  with  a  light,  no  sooner  caught  a 
glimpse  of  the  great  black  sedan  and  the  figure  beside  it,  than  he 
also  took  to  his  heels,  and  ran  like  a  madman  to  the  priest's  bouse. 

"  'Come,  your  reverence,  come,  for  the  love^of  marcy  1  Sure  didn't 
I  see  him  myself!     0  wirra,  wirra !' 

" '  What  is  it,  ye  old  fool  ?'  said  M'Kenny. 

" '  It's  Father  Con  Doran,  your  reverence,  that  was  buried  last 
week,  and  there  he  is  up  now,  coffin  and  all !  saying  a  midnight  mass 
as  lively  as  ever.' 

"  Poor  Mrs.  Rogers,  God  help  her  !  It  was  a  trying  sight  for  her, 
when  the  priest  and  the  two  coadjutors,  and  three  little  boys  and  the 
sexton,  all  came  in  to  lay  her  spirit ;  and  the  shock  she  received 
that  night,  they  say,  she  never  got  over. 

"Need  I  say,  my  dear  O'Mealey,  that  our  acquaintance  with  Mrs. 
Rogers  was  closed  ?  The  $ear  woman  had  a  hard  struggle  for  it 
afterwards.  Her  character  was  assailed  by  all  the  elderly  ladies  in 
Loughrea  for  going  off  in  our  company,  and  her  blue  satin,  piped 
with  scarlet,  utterly  ruined  by  a  deluge  of  holy  water  bestowed  on 
her  by  the  pious  sexton.  It  was  in  vain  that  she  originated  twenty 
different  reports  to  mystify  the  world ;  and  even  ten  pounds  spent  in 
masses  for  the  eternal  repose  of  Father  Con  Doran  only  increased 
the  laughter  this  unfortunate  affair  gave  rise  to.  As  for  us,  we  ex- 
changed into  the. Line,  and  foreign  service  took  us  out  of  the  road  of 
duns,  debts,  and  devilment,  and  we  soon  reformed,  and  eschewed 
such  low  company." 

******** 

The  day  was  breaking  ere  we  separated,  and  amid  the  rich  and 
fragrant  vapors  that  exhaled  from  the  earth,  the  faint  traces  of  sun- 
light dimly  stealing,  told  of  the  morning.  My  two  friends  set  out 
for  Torrijos,  and  I  pushed  forward  in  the  direction  of  the  Alberche. 

It  was  a  strange  thing,  that  although  but  two  days  before  the 
roads  we  were  then  travelling  had  been  the  line  of  retreat  of  the 
whole  French  army,  not  a  vestige  of  their  equipment,  nor  a  trace  of 
their  materiel,  had  been  left  behind.  In  vain  we  searched  each 
thicket  by  the  wayside  for  some  straggling  soldier,  some  wounded 
or  wearied  man — nothing  of  the  kind  was  to  be  seen.  Except  the 
deeply-rutted  road,  torn  by  the  heavy  wheels  of  the  artillery,  and 
the  white  ashes  of  a  wood  fire,  nothing  marked  their  progress. 

Our  journey  was  a  lonely  one.  Not  a  man  was  to  be  met  with. 
The  houses  stood  untenanted  ;  the  doors  lay  open ;  no  smoke 
wreathed  from  their  deserted  hearths ;  the  peasantry  had  taken  to 


THE  DOCTOR'S  TALE.  403 

the  mountains,  and  although  the  plains  were  yellow  with  the  ripe 
harvest,  and  the  peaches  hung  temptingly  upon  the  trees,  all  was  de- 
serted and  forsaken.  I  had  often  seen  the  blackened  walls  and 
broken  rafters,  the  traces  of  the  wild  revenge  and  reckless  pillage  of 
a  retiring  army — the  ruined  castle  and  the  desecrated  altar  are  sad 
things  to  look  upon  ;  but,  somehow,  a  far  heavier  depression  sunk 
into  my  heart  as  my  eye  ranged  over  the  wide  valleys  and  broad 
hills,  all  redolent  of  comfort,  of  beauty,  and  of  happiness,  and  yet 
not  one  man  to  say,  "  This  is  my  home  ;  these  are  my  household 
gods  !"  The  birds  carolled  gayly  in  each  leafy  thicket,  the  bright 
stream  sung  merrily  as  it  rippled  through  the  rocks,  the  tall  corn, 
gently  stirred  by  the  breeze,  seemed  to  swell  the  concert  of  sweet 
sounds ;  but  no  human  voice  awoke  the  echoes  there.  It  was  as  if 
the  earth  was  speaking  in  thankfulness  to  its  Maker;  while  man, 
ungrateful  and  unworthy  man,  pursuing  his  ruthless  path  of  devas- 
tation and  destruction,  had  left  no  being  to  say,  "  I  thank  Thee  for 
all  these." 

The  day  was  closing  as  we  drew  near  the  Alberche,  and  came  in 
sight  of  the  watch-fires  of  the  enemy.  Far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
their  column  extended  ;  but  in  the  dim  twilight  nothing  could  be 
seen  with  accuracy.  Yet  from  the  position  their  artillery  occupied, 
and  the  unceasing  din  of  baggage  wagons  and  heavy  carriages 
towards  the  rear,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  a  still  further  re- 
treat was  meditated.  A  picket  of  light  cavalry  was  posted  upon  the 
river's  bank,  and  seemed  to  watch  with  vigilance  the  approaches  to 
the  stream. 

Our  bivouac  was  a  dense  copse  of  pine  trees,  exactly  opposite  to 
the  French  advanced  posts,  and  there  we  passed  the  night — fortun- 
ately, a  calm  and  starlight  one — for  we  dared  not  light  fires,  fearful 
of  attracting  attention. 

During  the  long  hours,  I  lay  patiently  watching  the  movements 
of  the  enemy  till  the  dark  shadows  hid  all  from  my  sight ;  even  then, 
as  my  ears  caught  the  challenge  of  a  sentry,  or  the  footsteps  of  some 
officer  on  his  round,  my  thoughts  were  riveted  upon  them,  and  a  hun- 
dred fancies  as  to  the  future  were  based  upon  no  stronger  foundation 
than  the  click  of  a  firelock  or  the  low-muttered  song  of  a  patrol. 

Towards  morning  I  slept,  and  when  day  broke,  my  first  glance 
was  towards  the  river-side  ;  but  the  French  were  gone — noiselessly 
— rapidly.  Like  one  man,  that  vast  army  had  departed  ;  and  a  dense 
column  of  dust  towards  the  horizon  alone  marked  the  long  line  of 
march  where  the  martial  legions  were  retreating. 

My  mission  was  thus  ended.  Hastily  partaking  of  the  humble 
breakfast  my  friend  Mike  provided  for  me,  I  once  more  set  out,  and 
took  the  road  towards  head-quarters. 


404  CHARLES  0>M ALLEY. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


THE   SKIRMISH. 


FOE  several  months  after  the  battle  of  Talavera,  my  life  pre- 
sented nothing  which  I  feel  worth  recording.  Our  good  for- 
tune seemed  to  have  deserted  us  when  our  hopes  were  high- 
est ;  for  from  the  day  of  that  splendid  victory  we  began  our  retro- 
grade movement  upon  Portugal.  Pressed  hard  by  overwhelming 
masses  of  the  enemy,  we  saw  the  fortresses  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  and 
Almeida  fall  successively  into  their  hands.  The  Spaniards  were  de- 
feated wherever  they  ventured  upon  a  battle ;  and  our  own  troops, 
thinned  by  sickness  and  desertion,  presented  but  a  shadow  of  that 
brilliant  army  which  only  a  few  months  previous  had  followed  the 
retiring  French  beyond  the  frontiers  of  Portugal. 

However  willing  I  now  am — and  who  is  not? — to  recognize  the 
genius  and  foresight  of  that  great  man  who  then  held  the  destinies 
of  the  Peninsula  within  his  hands,  I  confess,  at  the  time  I  speak  of, 
I  could  ill  comprehend,  and  still  less  feel  contented  with,  the  suc- 
cessive retreats  our  forces  made ;  and  while  the  words  Torres  Vedras 
brought  nothing  to  my  mind  but  the  last  resting-place  before  em- 
barkation, the  sad  fortunes  of  Corunna  were  now  before  me,  and  it 
was  with  a  gloomy  and  desponding  spirit  I  followed  the  routine  of 
my  daily  duty. 

During  these  weary  months,  if  my  life  was  devoid  of  stirring  in- 
terest or  adventure,  it  was  not  profitless.  Constantly  employed  at 
the  outposts,  I  became  thoroughly  inured  to  all  the  roughing  of  a 
soldier's  life,  and  learned  in  the  best  of  schools  that  tacit  obedience 
which  alone  can  form  the  subordinate,  or  ultimately  fit  its  possessor 
for  command  himself. 

Humble  and  unobtrusive  as  such  a  career  must  ever  be,  it  was  not 
without  its  occasional  rewards.  From  General  Craufurd  I  more 
than  once  obtained  most  kind  mention  in  his  despatches,  and  felt 
that  I  was  not  unknown  or  unnoticed  by  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley  him- 
self. At  that  time  these  testimonies,  slight  and  passing  as  they 
were,  contributed  to  the  pride  and  glory  of  my  existence ;  and  even 
now — shall  I  confess  it  ? — when  some  gray  hairs  are  mingling  with 
the  brown,  and  when  my  old  dragoon  swagger  is  taming  down  into 
a  kind  of  half-pay  shamble,  I  feel  my  heart  warm  at  the  recollection 
of  them. 

Be  it  so.  I  care  not  who  smiles  at  the  avowal.  I  know  of  little 
better  worth  remembering  as  we  grow  old  than  what  pleased  us  while 
we  were  young.  With  the  memory  of  the  kind  words  once  spoken, 
come  back  the  still  kinder  looks  of  those  who  spoke  them,  and, 


THE  SKIRMISH.  405 

better  than  all,  that  early  feeling  of  budding  manhood  when  there 
was  neither  fear  nor  distrust.  Alas !  these  are  the  things,  and  not 
weak  eyes  and  tottering  limbs,  which  form  the  burden  of  old  age. 
Oh !  if  we  could  only  go  on  believing,  go  on  trusting,  go  on  hoping 
to  the  last,  who  would  shed  tears  for  the  bygone  feats  of  his  youth- 
ful days,  when  the  spirit  that  evoked  them  lived  young  and  vivid  as 
before  ? 

But  to  my  story.  While  Ciudad  Kodrigo  still  held  out  against 
the  besieging  French,  its  battered  walls  and  breached  ramparts  sadly 
foretelling  the  fate  inevitably  impending,  we  were  ordered,  together 
with  the  16th  Light  Dragoons,  to  proceed  to  Gallegos,  to  reinforce 
Craufurd's  division,  then  forming  a  corps  of  observation  upon  Mas- 
sena's  movements. 

The  position  he  occupied  was  a  most  commanding  one — the  crown 
of  a  long  mountain  ridge,  studded  with  pine  copse  and  cork  trees, 
presenting  every  facility  for  light  infantry  movements;  and  here  and 
there,  gently  sloping  towards  the  plain,  offering  a  field  for  cavalry 
manoeuvres.  Beneath,  in  the  vast  plain,  were  encamped  the  dark 
legions  of  France,  their  heavy  siege  artillery  planted  against  the 
doomed  fortress,  while  clouds  of  their  cavalry  caracoled  proudly 
before  us,  as  if  in  taunting  sarcasm  at  our  inactivity. 

Every  artifice  which  his  natural  cunning  could  suggest,  every 
taunt  a  Frenchman's  vocabulary  contains,  had  been  used  by  Mas- 
sena  to  induce  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley  to  come  to  the  assistance  of  the 
beleaguered  fortress ;  but  in  vain.  In  vain  he  relaxed  the  energy 
of  the  siege,  and  affected  carelessness.  In  vain  he  asserted  that  the 
English  were  either  afraid,  or  else  traitors  to  their  allies.  The  mind 
of  him  he  thus  assailed  was  neither  accessible  to  menace  nor  to  sar- 
casm. Patiently  abiding  his  time,  he  watched  the  progress  of  events, 
and  provided  for  that  future  which  was  to  crown  his  country's  arms 
with  success,  and  himself  with  undying  glory. 

Of  a  far  different  mettle  was  the  general  formed  under  whose 
orders  we  were  now  placed.  Hot,  passionate,  and  impetuous,  relying 
upon  bold  and  headlong  heroism,  rather  than  upon  cool  judgment  and 
well-matured  plans,  Craufurd  felt  in  war  all  the  asperity  and  bitter- 
ness of  a  personal  conflict.  Ill  brooking  the  insulting  tone  of  the 
wily  Frenchman,  he  thirsted  for  any  occasion  of  a  battle ;  and  his 
proud  spirit  chafed  against  the  colder  counsels  of  his  superior. 

On  the  very  morning  we  joined,  the  pickets  brought  in  the  intel- 
ligence that  the  French  patrols  were  nightly  in  the  habit  of  visiting 
the  villages  of  the  outposts,  and  committing  every  species  of  cruel 
indignity  upon  the  wretched  inhabitants.  Fired  at  this  daring 
insult,  our  General  resolved  to  cut  them  off,  and  formed  two  ambus- 
cades for  that  purpose. 


406  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Six  squadrons  of  the  14th  were  despatched  to  Villa  del  Puerco, 
three  of  the  16th  to  Baguetto,  while  some  companies  of  the  95th, 
and  the  cacadores,  supported  by  artillery,  were  ordered  to  hold 
themselves  in  reserve,  for  the  enemy  were  in  force  at  no  great  dis- 
tance from  us. 

The  morning  was  just  breaking  as  an  aide-de-camp  galloped  up 
with  the  intelligence  that  the  French  had  been  seen  near  the  Villa 
del  Puerco,  a  body  of  infantry  and  some  cavalry  having  crossed  the 
plain,  and  disappeared  in  that  direction.  While  our  Colonel  was 
forming  us,  with  the  intention  of  getting  between  them  and  their 
main  body,  the  tramp  of  horses  was  heard  in  the  wood  behind,  and 
in  a  few  moments  two  officers  rode  up.  The  foremost,  who  was  a 
short,  stoutly-built  man  of  about  forty,  with  a  bronzed  face  and 
eye  of  piercing  black,  shouted  out  as  we  wheeled  into  column, — 

"  Halt,  there  !  Why,  where  the  devil  are  you  going?  That's  your 
ground !"  So  saying,  and  pointing  straight  towards  the  village  with 
his  hand,  he  would  not  listen  to  our  Colonel's  explanation  that  sev- 
eral stone  fences  and  enclosures  would  interfere  with  cavalry  move- 
ments, but  added,  "  Forward,  I  say  !     Proceed  !" 

Unfortunately,  the  nature  of  the  ground  separated  our  squadron, 
as  the  Colonel  anticipated  ;  and  although  we  came  on  at  a  topping 
pace,  the  French  had  time  to  form  in  square  upon  a  hill  to  await  us, 
and  when  we  charged,  they  stood  firmly,  and  firing  with  a  low  and 
steady  aim,  several  of  our  troopers  fell.  As  we  wheeled  round,  we 
found  ourselves  exactly  in  front  of  their  cavalry  coming  out  of 
Baguilles ;  so,  dashing  straight  at  them,  we  revenged  ourselves  for 
our  first  repulse  by  capturing  twenty-nine  prisoners  and  wounding 
several  others. 

The  French  infantry  were,  however,  still  unbroken  ;  and  Colonel 
Talbot  rode  boldly  up  with  five  squadrons  of  the  14th ;  but  the 
charge,  pressed  home  with  all  its  gallantry,  failed  also,  and  the 
Colonel  fell  mortally  wounded,  and  fourteen  of  his  troopers  around 
him.  Twice  we  rode  round  the  square  seeking  for  a  weak  point, 
but  in  vain  ;  the  gallant  Frenchman  who  commanded,  Captain 
Guache,  stood  fearlessly  amid  his  brave  followers,  and  we  could  hear 
him,  as  he  called  out  from  time  to  time, 

"  C'est  Qa,  mes  enfans !  tr£s  bien  fait,  mes  braves !" 

And  at  length  they  made  good  their  retreat,  while  we  returned  to 
the  camp,  leaving  thirty-two  troopers  and  our  brave  Colonel  dead 
upon  the  field  in  this  disastrous  affair. 

The  repulse  we  had  met  with,  so  contrary  to  all  our  hopes  and 
expectations,  made  that  a  most  gloomy  day  to  all  of  us.  The  brave 
fellows   we  had  left  behind  us,  the  taunting  cheer  of  the  French 


THE  SKIRMISH.  407 

infantry,  the  unbroken  ranks  against  which  we  rode  time  after  time 
in  vain,  never  left  our  minds ;  and  a  sense  of  shame  of  what  might 
be  thought  of  us  at  head-quarters  rendered  the  reflection  still  more 
painful. 

Our  bivouac,  notwithstanding  all  our  efforts,  was  a  sad  one,  and 
when  the  moon  rose,  some  drops  of  heavy  rain  falling  at  intervals 
in  the  still,  unruffled  air,  threatened  a  night  of  storm  ;  gradually  the 
sky  grew  darker  and  darker,  the  clouds  hung  nearer  to  the  earth,  and 
a  dense,  thick  mass  of  dark  mist  shrouded  every  object.  The  heavy 
cannonade  of  the  siege  was  stilled ;  nothing  betrayed  that  a  vast 
army  was  encamped  near  us  ;  their  bivouac  fires  were  even  imper- 
ceptible, and  the  only  sound  we  heard  was  the  great  bell  of  Ciudad 
Rodrigo  as  it  struck  the  hour,  and  seemed,  in  the  mournful  cadence 
of  its  chime,  like  the  knell  of  the  doomed  citadel. 

The  patrol  which  I  commanded  had  to  visit  on  its  rounds  the  most 
advanced  post  of  our  position.  This  was  a  small  farm-house,  which, 
standing  upon  a  little  rising  ledge  of  ground,  was  separated  from 
the  French  lines  by  a  small  tributary  stream  to  the  Aguda.  A  party 
of  the  14th  were  picketed  here,  and  beneath  them,  in  the  valley, 
scarce  five  hundred  yards  distant,  was  a  detachment  of  cuirassiers 
which  formed  the  French  outpost.  As  we  neared  our  picket,  the 
deep  voice  of  the  sentry  challenged  us,  and,  while  all  else  was  silent 
as  the  grave,  we  could  hear  from  the  opposite  side  the  merry  chorus 
of  a  French  chanson  a  boire,  with  its  clattering  accompaniment  of 
glasses,  as  some  gay  companions  were  making  merry  together. 

Within  the  little  hut  which  contained  our  fellows,  the  scene  was  a 
different  one.  The  three  officers  who  commanded  sat  moodily  over 
a  wretched  fire  of  wet  wood ;  a  solitary  candle  dimly  lighted  the  dis- 
mantled room,  where  a  table  but  ill-supplied  with  cheer  stood  un- 
minded  and  uncared  for. 

"  Well,  O'Malley,"  cried  Baker,  as  I  came  in,  "what  is  the  night 
about?  and  what's  Craufurd  for  next?" 

"  We  hear,"  cried  another,  "that  he  means  to  give  battle  to-mor- 
row ;  but  surely  Sir  Arthur's  orders  are  positive  enough.  Gordon 
himself  told  me  that  he  was  forbid  to  fight  beyond  the  Coa,  but  to 
retreat  at  the  first  advance  of  the  enemy." 

"  I'm  afraid,"  replied  I,  "  that  retreating  is  his  last  thought  just 
now.  Ammunition  has  just  been  served  out,  and  I  know  the  horse 
artillery  have  orders  to  be  in  readiness  by  daybreak." 

"All  right,"  said  Hampden,  with  a  half-bitter  tone.  "  Nothing 
like  going  through  with  it.  If  he  is  to  be  brought  to  court-mar- 
tial for  disobedience,  he'll  take  good  care  we  shan't  be  there  to 
see  it." 

"Why,   the   French   are   fifty  thousand   strong!"    said    Baker. 


408  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Look  there !  What  does  that  mean,  now  ?  That's  a  signal  from 
the  town." 

As  he  spoke,  a  rocket  of  great  brilliancy  shot  up  into  the  sky,  and 
bursting,  at  length  fell  in  millions  of  red  lustrous  sparks  on  every 
side,  showing  forth  the  tall  fortress,  and  the  encamped  army  around 
it,  with  all  the  clearness  of  noonday.  It  was  a  most  splendid  sight ; 
and  though  the  next  moment  all  was  dark  as  before,  we  gazed  still 
fixedly  into  the  gloomy  distance,  straining  our  eyes  to  observe  what 
was  hid  from  our  view  forever. 

"That  must  be  a  signal,"  repeated  Baker. 

"  Begad !  if  Craufurd  sees  it,  he'll  interpret  it  as  a  reason  for 
fighting.  I  trust  he's  asleep  by  this  time,"  said  Hampden.  "  By 
the  bye,  O'Malley,  did  you  see  the  fellows  at  work  in  the  trenches  ? 
How  beautifully  clear  it  was  towards  the  southward !" 

"  Yes,  I  remarked  that ;  and  what  surprised  me  was  the  openness 
of  their  position  in  that  direction.  Towards  the  San  Benito  mole  I 
could  not  see  a  man." 

"Ah !  they'll  not  attack  on  that  side :  but  if  we  really  are " 

"  Stay,  Hampden  !"  said  I,  interrupting  him ;  "  a  thought  has  just 
struck  me.  At  sunset  I  saw,  through  my  telescope,  the  French  en- 
gineers marking  with  their  white  tape  the  line  of  a  new  entrench- 
ment in  that  quarter.  Would  it  not  be  a  glorious  thing  to  move 
the  tape,  and  bring  the  fellows  under  the  fire  of  San  Benito  ?" 

"  By  Jove!  O'Malley,  that  is  a  thought  worth  a  troop  to  you." 

"  Far  more  likely  to  forward  his  promotion  in  the  next  world  than 
in  this,"  said  Baker,  smiling. 

"  By  no  means,"  added  I ;  "  I  marked  the  ground  this  evening, 
and  have  it  perfectly  in  my  mind.  If  we  were  to  follow  the  bend 
of  the  river,  I'll  be  bound  we'd  come  right  upon  the  spot ;  by  near- 
ing  the  fortress  we'll  escape  the  sentries ;  and  all  this  portion  is  open 
to  us." 

The  project  thus  loosely  thrown  out  was  now  discussed  in  all  its 
bearings.  Whatever  difficulties  it  presented  were  combated  so  much 
to  our  own  satisfaction,  that  at  last  its  very  facility  damped  our 
ardor.  Meanwhile,  the  night  wore  on,  and  the  storm  of  rain  so  long 
impending  began  to  descend  in  very  torrents ;  hissing  along  the 
parched  ground,  it  rose  in  a  mist,  while  overhead  the  heavy  thunder 
rolled  in  long  unbroken  peals,  the  crazy  door  threatened  to  give 
way  at  each  moment,  and  the  whole  building  trembled  to  its  foun- 
dation. 

"Pass  the  brandy  down  here,  Hampden,  and  thank  your  stars 
you're  where  you  are.  Eh,  O'Malley?  You'll  defer  your  trip  to  San 
Benito  for  finer  weather." 

"Well,  to  come  to  the  point,"  said  Hampden,  "I'd  rather  begin 


THE  SKIRMISH.  409 

my  engineering  at  a  more  favorable  season;  but  if  O'Malley's 
for  it " 

"  And  O'Malley  is  for  it,"  said  I,  suddenly. 

"  Then,  faith,  I'm  not  the  man  to  baulk  his  fancy ;  and  as  Crau- 
furd  is  so  bent  upon  fighting  to-morrow,  it  don't  make  much  differ- 
ence.    Is  it  a  bargain  ?" 

"  It  is  ;  here's  my  hand  on  it." 

"  Come,  come,  boys,"  said  Baker,  "  I'll  have  none  of  this ;  we've 
been  prettily  cut  up  this  morning  already.  You  shall  not  go  upon 
this  foolish  excursion." 

"  Confound  it,  old  fellow  !  it's  all  very  well  for  you  to  talk,  with 
the  majority  before  you  next  step ;  but  here  we  are,  if  peace  came 
to-morrow,   scarcely  better  than  we  left   England.      No,   no ;    if 

O'Malley's  ready — and  I  see  he  is  so  before  me What  have  you 

got  there  ?  Oh  !  I  see  ;  that's  our  tape  line ;  capital  fun,  by  George ! 
The  worst  of  it  is,  they'll  make  us  colonels  of  engineers.  Now,  then, 
what's  your  plan — on  foot  or  mounted  ?" 

"  Mounted,  and  for  this  reason,  the  country  is  all  open ;  if  we 
are  to  have  a  run  for  it,  our  thorough-breds  ought  to  distance  them  ; 
and  as  we  must  expect  to  pass  some  of  their  sentries,  our  only 
chance  is  on  horseback." 

"  My  mind  is  relieved  of  a  great  load,"  said  Hampden.  "  I  was 
trembling  in  my  skin  lest  you  should  make  it  a  walking  party.  I'll 
do  anything  you  like  in  the  saddle,  from  robbing  the  mail  to  cutting 
out  a  frigate ;  but  I  never  was  much  of  a  footpad." 

"  Well,  Mike,"  said  I,  as  I  returned  to  the  room  with  my  trusty 
follower,  "  are  the  cattle  to  be  depended  on  ?" 

"If  we  had  a  snaffle  in  Malachi  Daly's  mouth"  (my  brown  horse), 
"  I'd  be  afeared  of  nothing,  sir;  but  if  it  comes  to  fencing,  with  that 

cruel  bit but  sure,  you've  a  light  hand,  and  let  him  have  his 

head,  if  it's  wall." 

"  By  Jove,  he  thinks  it  a  fox-chase  !"  said  Hampden. 

"  Isn't  it  the  same,  sir  ?"  said  Mike,  with  a  seriousness  that  made 
the  whole  party  smile. 

•  "Well,  I  hope  we  shall  not  be  earthed,  anyway,"  said  I.  "Now, 
the  next  thing  is,  who  has  a  lantern? — ah!  the  very  thing — nothing 
better.  Look  to  your  pistols,  Hampden ;  and,  Mike,  here's  a  glass 
of  grog  for  you ;  we'll  want  you.  And  now,  one  bumper  for  good 
luck.     Eh,  Baker,  won't  you  pledge  us  ?" 

"And  spare  a  little  for  me,"  said  Hampden.  "How  it  does  rain  ! 
If  one  didn't  expect  to  be  waterproofed  before  morning,  one  really 
wouldn't  go  out  in  such  weather." 

While  I  busied  myself  in  making  my  few  preparations,  Hamp- 
den proceeded  gravely  to  inform  Mike  that  we  were  going  to  the 


410  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

assistance  of  the  besieged  fortress,  which  could  not  possibly  go  on 
without  us. 

"  Tare  and  ages  !"  said  Mike,  "  that's  mighty  quare ;  and  the  blue 
rocket  was  a  letter  of  invitation,  I  suppose  ?" 

"Exactly,"  said  Hampden;  "and  you  see  there's  no  ceremony 
between  us.    We'll  just  drop  in,  in  the  evening,  in  a  friendly  way." 

"  Well,  then,  upon  my  conscience,  I'd  wait,  if  I  was  you,  till  the 
family  wasn't  in  confusion.  They  have  enough  on  their  hands  just 
now." 

"  So  you'll  not  be  persuaded  ?"  said  Baker.  "  Well,  I  frankly 
tell  you  that,  come  what  will  of  it,  as  your  senior  officer,  I'll  report 
you  to-morrow.  I'll  not  risk  myself  for  any  such  hare-brained  expe- 
ditions." 

"A  mighty  pleasant  lookout  for  me,"  said  Mike;  "if  I'm  not  shot 
to-night,  I  may  be  flogged  in  the  morning."    . 

This  speech  once  more  threw  us  into  a  hearty  fit  of  laughter,  amid 
which  we  took  leave  of  our  friends,  and  set  forth  upon  our  way. 


CHAPTEE  V. 

THE  LINES   OF   CIUDAD  RODRIGO. 

THE  small  twinkling  lights  which  shone  from  the  ramparts  of 
Ciudad  Eodrigo  were  our  only  guide  as  we  issued  forth  upon 
our  perilous  expedition.  The  storm  raged,  if  possible,  even 
more  violently  than  before,  and  gusts  of  wind  swept  along  the 
ground  with  the  force  of  a  hurricane,  so  that  at  first  our  horses 
could  scarcely  face  the  tempest.  Our  path  lay  along  the  little  stream 
for  a  considerable  way,  after  which,  fording  the  rivulet,  we  entered 
upon  the  open  plain,  taking  care  to  avoid  the  French  outpost  on  the 
extreme  left,  which  was  marked  by  a  bivouac  fire,  burning  under 
the  heavy  down-pour  of  rain,  and  looking  larger  through  the  dim 
atmosphere  around  it. 

I  rode  foremost,  followed  closely  by  Hampden  and  Mike.  Not  a 
word  was  spoken  after  we  crossed  the  stream.  Our  plan  was,  if 
challenged  by  a  patrol,  to  reply  in  French  and  press  on  ;  so  small  a 
party  could  never  suggest  the  idea  of  attack,  and  we  hoped  in  this 
manner  to  escape. 

The  violence  of  the  storm  was  such,  that  many  of  our  precautions 
as  to  silence  were  quite  unnecessary;  and  we  had  advanced  to  a 
considerable  extent  into  the  plain  before  any  appearance  of  the 


THE  LINES  OF  CIUDAD  RODRIGO.  411 

encampment  struck  us.  At  length,  on  mounting  a  little  rising 
ground,  we  perceived  several  fires  stretching  far  away  to  the  north- 
ward, while  still  to  our  left  there  blazed  one  larger  and  brighter 
than  the  others.  We  now  found  that  we  had  not  outflanked  their 
position  as  we  intended,  and  learning,  from  the  situation  of  the 
fires,  that  we  were  still  only  at  the  outposts,  we  pressed  sharply 
forward,  directing  our  course  by  the  twin  stars  that  shone  from  the 
fortress. 

"  How  heavy  the  ground  is  here !"  whispered  Hampden,  as  our 
horses  sunk  above  the  fetlocks  ;  "  we  had  better  stretch  away  to  the 
right ;  the  rise  of  the  hill  will  favor  us." 

"  Hark  !"  said  I ;  "  did  you  not  hear  something  ?  Pull  up. 
Silence  now.  Yes,  there  they  come.  It's  a  patrol ;  I  hear  their 
tramp."  As  I  spoke,  the  measured  tread  of  infantry  was  heard  above 
the  storm,  and  soon  after  a  lantern  was  seen  coming  along  the 
causeway  near  us.  The  column  passed  within  a  few  yards  of  where 
we  stood.  I  could  even  recognize  the  black  covering  of  the  shakos 
as  the  light  fell  on  them.  "  Let  us  follow  them,"  whispered  I,  and 
the  next  moment  we  fell  in  upon  their  track,  holding  our  cattle  well 
in  hand,  and  ready  to  start  at  a  moment. 

"  Qui  va  la  ?"  a  sentry  demanded. 

"  La  deuxieme  division,"  cried  a  hoarse  voice. 

"Halte  la !  la  consigne  ?" 

"  Wagram !"  repeated  the  same  voice  as  before,  while  his  party 
resumed  their  march ;  and  the  next  moment  the  patrol  was  again 
upon  his  post,  silent  and  motionless  as  before. 

"  En  avant,  messieurs  !"  said  I  aloud,  as  soon  as  the  infantry  had 
proceeded  some  distance ;  "  en  avant !" 

"  Qui  va  la  ?"  demanded  the  sentry,  as  we  came  along  at  a  sharp 
trot. 

"  L'6tat-major,  Wagram  !"  responded  I,  pressing  on  without  draw- 
ing rein ;  and  in  a  moment  we  had  regained  our  former  position  be- 
hind the  infantry.  We  had  scarcely  time  to  congratulate  ourselves 
upon  the  success  of  our  scheme,  when  a  tremendous  clattering  noise 
in  front,  mingled  with  the  galloping  of  horses  and  the  cracking  of 
whips,  announced  the  approach  of  the  artillery  as  they  came  along 
by  a  narrow  road  which  bisected  our  path.  As  they  passed  between 
us  and  the  column,  we  could  hear  the  muttered  sentences  of  the 
drivers,  cursing  the  Unseasonable  time  for  an  attack,  and  swearing 
at  their  cattle  in  no  measured  tones. 

"  Did  you  hear  that  ?"  whispered  Hampden ;  "  the  battery  is 
about  to  be  directed  against  the  San  Benito,  which  must  be  far  away 
to  the  left.  I  heard  one  of  the  troop  saying  that  they  were  to  open 
their  fire  at  daybreak." 


412  CHARLES  0>M ALLEY. 

"  All  right,  now,"  said  I ;  "  look  there  !" 

From  the  hill  we  now  stood  upon,  a  range  of  lanterns  was  dis- 
tinctly visible,  stretching  away  for  nearly  half  a  mile. 

"There  are  the  trenches;  they  must  be  at  work,  too;  see  how 
the  lights  are  moving  from  place  to  place !  Straight,  now.  For- 
ward I" 

So  saying,  I  pressed  my  horse  boldly  on. 

We  had  not  proceeded  many  minutes,  when  the  sounds  of  gallop- 
ing were  heard  coming  along  behind  us. 

" To  the  right,  in  the  hollow,"  cried  I ;  "be  still." 

Scarcely  had  we  moved  off  when  several  horsemen  galloped  up, 
and,  drawing  their  reins  to  breathe  their  horses  up  the  hill,  we  could 
hear  their  voices  as  they  conversed  together. 

In  the  few  broken  words  we  could  catch,  we  guessed  that  the 
attack  upon  San  Benito  was  only  a  feint  to  induce  Craufurd  to  hold 
his  position,  while  the  French,  marching  upon  his  flank  and  front, 
were  to  attack  him  with  overwhelming  masses  and  crush  him. 

"  You  hear  what's  in  store  for  us,  O'Malley,"  whispered  Hampden. 
"  I  think  we  could  not  possibly  do  better  than  hasten  back  with  the 
intelligence." 

"  We  must  not  forget  what  we  came  for,  first,"  said  I ;  and  the 
next  moment  we  were  following  the  horsemen,  who,  from  their  hel- 
mets, seemed  horse-artillery  officers. 

The  pace  our  guides  rode  at  showed  us  that  they  knew  their 
ground.  We  passed  several  sentries,  muttering  something  at  each 
time,  and  seeming  as  if  only  anxious  to  keep  up  with  our  party. 

"  They've  halted,"  said  I.  "  Now  to  the  left  there  ;  gently  here, 
for  we  must  be  in  the  midst  of  their  lines.  Ha !  I  knew  we  were 
right;  see  there!" 

Before  us,  now,  at  a  few  hundred  yards,  we  could  perceive  a  num- 
ber of  men  engaged  upon  the  field.  Lights  were  moving  from  place 
to  place  rapidly,  while  immediately  in  front  a  strong  picket  of  cav- 
alry were  halted. 

"  By  Jove,  there's  sharp  work  of  it  to-night !"  whispered  Hamp- 
den ;  "  they  do  intend  to  surprise  us  to-morrow." 

"  Gently  now,  to  the  left,"  said  I,  as,  cautiously  skirting  the  little 
hill,  I  kept  my  eye  firmly  fixed  upon  the  watch-fire. 

The  storm,  which  for  some  time  had  abated  considerably,  was  now 
nearly  quelled,  and  the  moon  again  peeped  forth  amid  masses  of 
black  and  watery  clouds. 

"  What  good  fortune  for  us !"  thought  I,  at  this  moment,  as  I  sur- 
veyed the  plain  before  me. 

"  I  say,  O'Malley,  what  are  those  fellows  at,  yonder,  where  the 
blue  light  is  burning?" 


THE  LINES  OF  CIUDAD  RODRIGO.  413 

"Ah !  the  very  people  we  want ;  these  are  the  sappers.  Now  for 
it,  that's  our  ground  ;  we'll  soon  come  upon  their  track  now." 

We  pressed  rapidly  forward,  passing  an  infantry  party  as  we  went. 
The  blue  light  was  scarcely  one  hundred  yards  off;  we  could  even 
hear  the  shouting  of  the  officers  to  their  men  in  the  trenches,  when 
suddenly  my  horse  came  down  upon  his  head,  and  rolling  over, 
crushed  me  to  the  earth. 

"  Not  hurt,  my  boy,"  cried  I,  in  a  subdued  tone,  as  Hampden 
jumped  down  beside  me. 

It  was  the  angle  of  a  trench  I  had  fallen  into  ;  and  though  both 
my  horse  and  myself  felt  stunned  for  the  moment,  we  rallied  the 
next  minute. 

"  Here  is  the  very  spot,"  said  I.  "  Now,  Mike,  catch  the  bridles 
and  follow  us  closely." 

Guiding  ourselves  along  the  edge  of  the  trench,  we  crept  stealthily 
forward ;  the  only  watch-fire  near  was  where  the  engineer  party  was 
halted,  and  our  object  was  to  get  outside  of  this. 

"  My  turn  this  time,"  said  Hampden,  as  he  tripped  suddenly,  and 
fell  head  foremost  upon  the  grass. 

As  I  assisted  him  to  rise,  something  caught  my  ankle ;  and,  on 
stooping,  I  found  it  was  a  cord  pegged  fast  into  the  ground,  and 
lying  only  a  few  inches  above  it. 

"  Now,  steady !  see  here ;  this  is  their  working  line ;  pass  your 
hand  along  it  there,  and  let  us  follow  it  out." 

While  Hampden  accordingly  crept  along  on  one  side,  I  tracked 
the  cord  upon  the  other ;  here  I  found  it  terminating  upon  a  small 
mound,  where  probably  some  battery  was  to  be  erected.  I  accord- 
ingly gathered  it  carefully  up,  and  was  returning  towards  my  friend, 
when  what  was  my  horror  to  hear  Mike's  voice,  conversing,  as  it 
seemed  to  me,  with  some  one  in  French. 

I  stood  fixed  to  the  spot,  my  very  heart  beating  almost  in  my 
mouth  as  I  listened. 

"  Qui  etes  vous  done,  mon  ami  ?"  inquired  a  hoarse,  deep  voice,  a 
few  yards  off. 

"  Bon  cheval,  non  beast,  sacre  nom  de  Dieu !"  A  hearty  burst  of 
laughter  prevented  my  hearing  the  conclusion  of  Mike's  French. 

I  now  crept  forward  upon  my  hands  and  knees,  till  I  could  catch 
the  dark  outline  of  the  horses,  one  hand  fixed  upon  my  pistol 
trigger,  and  my  sword  drawn  in  the  other.  Meanwhile  the  dialogue 
continued. 

"  Vous  etes  d'Alsace,  n'est-ce-pas  ?"  asked  the  Frenchman,  kindly 
supposing  that  Mike's  French  savored  of  Strasburg. 

"  Oh,  blessed  Virgin  !  av  I  might  shoot  him,"  was  the  muttered 
reply. 


414  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Before  I  had  time  to  see  the  effect  of  the  last  speech,  I  pressed 
forward  with  a  bold  spring,  and  felled  the  Frenchman  to  the  earth ; 
my  hand  had  scarcely  pressed  upon  his  mouth,  when  Hampden  was 
beside  me.  Snatching  up  the  pistol  I  let  fall,  he  held  it  to  the  man's 
chest,  and  commanded  him  to  be  silent.  To  unfasten  his  girdle, 
and  bind  the  Frenchman's  hands  behind  him,  was  the  work  of  a 
moment;  and,  as  the  sharp  click  of  the  pistol-cock  seemed  to  calm 
his  efforts  to  escape,  we  soon  succeeded  in  fastening  his  handkerchief 
tight  across  his  mouth,  and  the  next  minute  he  was  placed  behind 
Mike's  saddle,  firmly  attached  to  this  worthy  individual  by  his 
sword-belt. 

"  Now,  a  clear  run  home  for  it,  and  a  fair  start,"  said  Hampden, 
as  he  sprang  into  the  saddle. 

"Now,  then,  for  it,"  I  replied,  as,  turning  my  horse's  head 
towards  our  lines,  I  dashed  madly  forward. 

The  moon  was  again  obscured,  but  still  the  dark  outline  of  the 
hill  which  formed  our  encampment  was  discernible  on  the  horizon. 
Eiding  side  by  side,  on  we  hurried ;  now  splashing  through  the  deep 
and  wet  marshes,  now  plunging  through  small  streams.  Our  horses 
were  high  in  mettle,  and  we  spared  them  not ;  by  taking  a  wide 
detour  we  had  outflanked  the  French  pickets,  and  were  almost  out  of 
all  risk,  when  suddenly,  on  coming  to  the  verge  of  a  rather  steep 
hill,  we  perceived  beneath  us  a  strong  cavalry  picket  standing 
around  a  watch-fire ;  their  horses  were  ready  saddled,  the  men  ac- 
coutred, and  quite  prepared  for  the  field.  While  we  conversed 
together  in  whispers  as  to  the  course  to  follow,  our  deliberations 
were  very  rapidly  cut  short.  The  French  prisoner,  who  hitherto 
had  given  neither  trouble  nor  resistance,  had  managed  to  free  his 
mouth  from  the  encumbrance  of  the  handkerchief;  and,  as  we  stood 
quietly  discussing  our  plans,  with  one  tremendous  effort  he  endeav- 
ored to  hurl  himself  and  Mike  from  the  saddle,  shouting  out,  as  he 
did  so, 

"A  moi  camarades !  a  moi !" 

Hampden's  pistol  leaped  from  the  holster  as  he  spoke,  and,  level- 
ing it  with  a  deadly  aim,  he  pulled  the  trigger ;  but  I  threw  up  his 
arm,  and  the  ball  passed  high  above  his  head,  To  have  killed  the 
Frenchman  would  have  been  to  lose  my  faithful  follower,  who 
struggled  manfully  with  his  adversary,  and,  at  length,  by  throwing 
himself  flatly  forward  upon  the  mane  of  his  horse,  completely  dis- 
abled him.  Meanwhile,  the  picket  had  sprung  to  their  saddles,  and 
looked  wildly  about  on  every  side. 

Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost;  so,  turning  our  horse's  heads 
towards  the  plain,  away  we  went.  One  loud  cheer  announced  to  us 
that  we  had  been  seen,  and  the  next  instant  the  clash  of  the  pur- 


THE  LINES  OF  CIUDAD  RODRIGO.  415 

suing  cavalry  was  heard  behind  us.  It  was  now  entirely  a  question 
of  speed,  and  little  need  we  have  feared  had  Mike's  horse  not  been 
doubly  weighted.  However,  as  we  still  had  considerably  the  start, 
and  the  gray  dawn  of  day  enabled  us  to  see  the  ground,  the  odds 
were  in  our  favor.  "  Never  let  your  horse's  head  go,"  was  my  often- 
repeated  direction  to  Mike,  as  he  spurred  with  all  the  desperation  of 
madness.  Already  the  low  meadow-land  was  in  sight  which  flanked 
the  stream  we  had  crossed  in  the  morning ;  but,  unfortunately,  the 
heavy  rains  had  swollen  it  now  to  a  considerable  depth,  and  the 
muddy  current,  choked  with  branches  of  trees  and  great  stones,  was 
hurrying  down,  like  a  torrent.  "  Take  the  river :  never  flinch  it !" 
was  my  cry  to  my  companions,  as  I  turned  my  head  and  saw  a 
French  dragoon,  followed  by  two  others,  gaining  rapidly  upon  us. 
As  I  spoke,  Mike  dashed  in,  followed  by  Hampden,  and  the  same 
moment  the  sharp  ring  of  a  carbine  whizzed  past  me.  To  take  off" 
the  pursuit  from  the  others,  I  wheeled  my  horse  suddenly  round,  as 
if  I  feared  to  take  the  stream,  and  dashed  along  by  the  river's  bank. 

Beneath  me,  in  the  foaming  current,  the  two  horsemen  labored  ; 
now  stemming  the  rush  of  water,  now  reeling  almost  beneath.  A 
sharp  cry  burst  from  Mike  as  I  looked ;  and  I  saw  the  poor 
fellow  bend  nearly  to  his  saddle.  I  could  see  no  more,  for  the  chase 
was  now  hot  upon  myself;  behind  me  rode  a  French  dragoon,  his  car- 
bine pressed  tightly  to  his  side,  ready  to  fire  as  he  pressed  on  in 
pursuit.  I  had  but  one  chance  ;  so,  drawing  my  pistol,  I  wheeled 
suddenly  in  my  saddle,  and  fired  straight  at  him.  The  Frenchman 
fell,  while  a  regular  volley  from  his  party  rung  around  me  ;  one  ball 
striking  my  horse,  and  another  lodging  in  the  pommel  of  my  saddle. 
The  noble  animal  reeled  nearly  to  the  earth,  but  as  if  rallying  for  a 
last  effort,  sprang  forward  with  renewed  energy  and  plunged  boldly 
into  the  river. 

For  a  moment,  so  sudden  was  my  leap,  my  pursuers  lost  sight  of 
me ;  but  the  bank  being  somewhat  steep,  the  efforts  of  my  horse  to 
climb  again  discovered  me,  and  before  I  reached  the  field,  two  pistol- 
balls  took  effect  upon  me :  one  slightly  grazed  my  side,  but  my 
bridle-arm  was  broken  by  the  other,  and  my  hand  fell  motionless  to 
my  side.  A  cheer  of  defiance  was,  however,  my  reply,  as  I  turned 
round  in  my  saddle,  and  the  next  moment  I  was  far  beyond  the 
range  of  their  fire. 

Not  a  man  durst  follow,  and  the  last  sight  I  had  of  them  was  the 
dismounted  group  who  stood  around  their  dead  comrade ;  before  me 
rode  Hampden  and  Mike,  still  at  top  speed,  and  never  turning  their 
heads  backward.  I  hastened  after  them ;  but  my  poor  wounded 
horse,  nearly  hamstrung  by  the  shot,  became  dead  lame,  and  it  was 
past  daybreak  ere  I  reached  the  first  outposts  of  our  lines. 


416  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   DOCTOR. 

AND  his  wound?    Is  it  a  serious  one?"  said  a  round  full  voice 
as  the  Doctor  left  my  room  at  the  conclusion  of  his  visit. 
"  No,  sir ;  a  fractured  bone  is  the  worst  of  it ;  the  bullet 
grazed,  but  did  not  cut  the  artery ;  and,  as " 

"  Well,  how  soon  will  he  be  about  again?" 

"  In  a  few  weeks,  if  no  fever  sets  in." 

"There  is  no  objection  to  my  seeing  him? — a  few  minutes  only — 
I'll  be  cautious."  So  saying,  and,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  without  wait- 
ing for  a  reply,  the  door  was  opened  by  an  aide-de-camp,  who  an- 
nouncing General  Craufurd,  closed  it  again  and  withdrew. 

The  first  glance  I  threw  upon  the  General  enabled  me  to  recog- 
nize the  officer  who  on  the  previous  morning  had  ridden  up  to  the 
picket  and  given  us  the  orders  to  charge.  I  essayed  to  rise  a  little 
as  he  came  forward,  but  he  motioned  me  with  his  hand  to  lie  still, 
while,  placing  a  chair  close  beside  my  bed,  he  sat  down. 

"  Very  sorry  for  your  mishap,  sir,  but  glad  it  is  no  worse.  More- 
ton  says  that  nothing  of  consequence  is  injured.  There,  you  mustn't 
speak,  except  I  ask  you.  Hampden  has  told  me  everything  neces- 
sary ;  at  least,  as  far  as  he  knew.  Is  it  your  opinion,  also,  that  any 
movement  is  in  contemplation?  and  from  what  circumstance?" 

I  immediately  explained,  and  as  briefly  as  I  was  able,  the  reasons 
for  suspecting  such,  with  which  he  seemed  quite  satisfied.  I  detailed 
the  various  changes  in  the  positions  of  the  troops  that  were  taking 
place  during  the  night,  the  march  of  the  artillery,  and  the  strong 
bodies  of  cavalry  that  were  posted  in  reserve  along  the  river. 

"  Very  well,  sir ;  they'll  not  move ;  your  prisoner,  a  quarter- 
master of  an  infantry  battalion,  says  not,  also.  Yours  was  a  bold 
stroke,  but  could  not  possibly  have  been  of  service,  and  the  best 
thing  I  can  do  for  you  is  not  to  mention  it ;  a  court- martial's  but  a 
poor  recompense  for  a  gun-shot  wound.  Meanwhile,  when  this  blows 
over,  I'll  appoint  you  on  my  personal  staff.  There,  not  a  word,  I 
beg ;  and  now,  good-bye." 

So  saying,  and  waving  me  an  adieu  with  his  hand,  the  gallant 
veteran  withdrew  before  I  could  express  my  gratitude  for  his  kind- 


I  had  little  time  for  reflecting  over  my  past  adventure,  such 
numbers  of  my  brother  officers  poured  in  upon  me.  All  the 
Doctor's  cautions  respecting  quietness  and  rest  were  disregarded, 
and  a  perfect  levee  sat  the  entire  morning  in  my  bedroom.  I  was 
delighted  to  learn  that  Mike's  wound,  though  painful  at  the  moment, 


THE  DOCTOR.  417 

was  of  no  consequence ;  and,  indeed,  Hampden,  who  escaped  botli 
steel  and  shot,  was  the  worst  off  amongst  us,  his  plunge  in  the  river 
having  brought  on  an  ague  he  had  labored  under  years  before. 

"  The  illustrious  Maurice  has  been  twice  here  this  morning,  but 
they  wouldn't  admit  him.  Your  Scotch  physician  is  afraid  of  his 
Irish  confrere,  and  they  had  a  rare  set-to  about  Galen  and  Hippo- 
crates outside,"  said  Baker. 

"  By  the  bye,7'  said  another,  "  did  you  see  how  Sparks  looked  when 
Quill  joined  us?  Egad,  I  never  saw  a  fellow  in  such  a  fright;  he 
reddened  up,  then  grew  pale,  turned  his  back,  and  slunk  away  at  the 
very  first  moment." 

"  Yes,  I  remember  it.  We  must  find  out  the  reason ;  for  Maurice, 
depend  upon  it,  has  been  hoaxing  the  poor  fellow." 

"  Well,  O'Malley/'  growled  out  the  senior  Major,  "  you  certainly 
did  give  Hampden  a  benefit.  He'll  not  trust  himself  in  such  com- 
pany again ;  and,  begad,  he  says  the  man  is  as  bad  as  the  master. 
That  fellow  of  yours  never  let  go  his  prisoner  till  he  reached  the 
Quartermaster-General,  and  they  were  both  bathed  in  blood  by  that 
time." 

"  Poor  Mike  !  we  must  do  something  for  him." 

"  Oh !  he's  as  happy  as  a  king.  Maurice  has  been  in  to  see  him, 
and  they've  had  a  long  chat  about  Ireland,  and  all  the  national  pas- 
times of  whisky-drinking  and  smashing  skulls.  My  very  temples 
ache  at  the  recollection." 

"Is  Mister  O'Mealey  at  home?"  said  a  very  rich  Cork  accent,  as 
the  well-known  and  most  droll  features  of  Dr.  Maurice  Quill  ap- 
peared at  the  door. 

"  Come  in,  Maurice,"  said  the  Major  ;  "  and,  for  Heaven's  sake, 
behave  properly.  The  poor  fellow  must  not  have  a  row  about  his 
bedside." 

"  A  row — a  row  !  Upon  my  conscience,  it  is  little  you  know  about 
a  row,  and  there's  worse  things  going  than  a  row." 

"  Which  leg  is  it  ?" 

"  It's  an  arm,  Doctor,  I'm  happy  to  say." 

"Not  your  punch  hand,  I  hope.  No;  all's  right.  A  neat  fellow 
you  have  for  a  servant,  that  Mickey  Free.  I  was  asking  him  about 
a  townsman  of  his  own,  one  Tim  Delany — the  very  cut  of  himself; 
the  best  servant  I  ever  had.  I  never  could  make  out  what  became 
of  him,  Old  Hobson,  of  the  95th,  gave  him  to  me,  saying,  'There 
he  is  for  you,  Maurice,  and  a  bigger  thief  and  a  greater  blackguard 
there's  not  in  the  60th.' 

"  '  Strong  words,'  said  I. 

" '  And  true,'  said  he ;  '  he'd  steal  your  molar  tooth  while  you  were 
laughing  at  him,' 
27 


418  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  i  Let  me  have  him,  and  try  my  hand  on  him,  anyway.  I've  got 
no  one  just  now.     Anything  is  better  than  nothing.' 

"Well,  I  took  Tim,  and  sending  for  him  to  my  room,  I  locked  the 
door,  and  sitting  down  gravely  before  him,  explained  in  a  few  words 
that  I  was  quite  aware  of  his  little  propensities. 

" '  Now/  said  I,  '  if  you  like  to  behave  well,  I'll  think  you  as 
honest  as  the  Chief  Justice ;  but  if  I  catch  you  stealing,  if  it  be  only 
the  value  of  a  brass  snuff-box,  I'll  have  you  flogged  before  the  regi- 
ment, as  sure  as  my  name's  Maurice.' 

"  Oh !  I  wish  you  heard  the  volley  of  protestations  that  fell  from 
him  fast  as  hail.  He  was  a  calumniated  man ;  the  world  conspired 
to  wrong  him  ;  he  was  never  a  thief  nor  a  rogue  in  his  life.  He  had 
a  weakness,  he  confessed,  for  the  ladies ;  but,  except  that,  he  hoped 
he  might  die  so  thin  that  he  could  shave  himself  with  his  shin-bone 
if  he  ever  so  much  as  took  a  pinch  of  salt  that  wasn't  his  own. 

"  However  this  might  be,  nothing  could  be  better  than  the  way 
Tim  and  I  got  on  together.  Everything  was  in  its  place — nothing 
missing ;  and,  in  fact,  for  upwards  of  a  year,  I  went  on  wondering 
when  he  was  to  show  out  in  his  true  colors — for  hitherto  he  had  been 
a  phoenix. 

"At  last — we  were  quartered  at  Limerick  at  the  time — every 
morning  used  to  bring  accounts  of  all  manner  of  petty  thefts  in  the 
barrack.  One  fellow  had  lost  his  belt,  another  his  shoes,  a  third 
had  three-and-sixpence  in  his  pocket  when  he  went  to  bed,  and 
woke  without  a  farthing,  and  so  on.  Everybody  save  myself  was 
mulcted  of  something.  At  length  some  rumors  of  Tim's  former 
propensities  got  abroad  ;  suspicion  was  excited ;  my  friend  Delany 
was  rigidly  watched,  and  some  very  dubious  circumstances  attached 
to  the  way  he  spent  his  evenings. 

"My  brother  officers  called  upon  me  about  the  matter,  and 
although  nothing  had  transpired  like  proof,  I  sent  for  Tim,  and 
opened  my  mind  on  the  subject. 

"  You  may  talk  of  the  look  of  conscious  innocence,  but  I  defy  you 
to  conceive  of  anything  finer  than  the  stare  of  offended  honor  Tim 
gave  me  as  I  began. 

"  'They  say  it's  me,  Doctor,  do  they?'  said  he.  'And  you — you 
believe  them.  You  allow  them  to  revile  me  that  way  ?  Well,  well, 
the  world  is  come  to  a  pretty  pass,  anyhow !  Now,  let  me  ask  your 
honor  a  few  questions.  How  many  shirts  had  yourself  when  I 
entered  your  service?  Two,  and  one  was  more  like  a  fishing-net! 
And  how  many  have  ye  now  ?  Eighteen ;  ay,  eighteen  bran  new 
cambric  ones— devil  a  hole  in  one  of  them !  How  many  pair  of 
stockings  had  you  ?  Three  and  an  odd  one.  You  have  two  dozen 
this  minute.      How  many  pocket-handkerchiefs?     One — devil   a 


THE  COA.  419 

more  I  You  could  only  blow  your  nose  two  days  in  the  week,  and 
now  may  every  hour  of  the  twenty-four !  And  as  to  the  trifling 
articles  of  small  value,  snuff-boxes,  gloves,  boot-jacks,  night-caps, 
and ' 

"  '  Stop,  Tim,  that's  enough ! 

" '  No,  sir,  it  is  not/  said  Tim,  drawing  himself  up  to  his  full 
height ;  '  you  have  wounded  my  feelings  in  a  way  I  can't  forget.  It 
is  impossible  we  can  have  that  mutual  respect  our  position  demands. 
Farewell,  farewell,  Doctor,  and  forever  !' 

"  Before  I  could  say  another  word,  the  fellow  had  left  the  room, 
and  closed  the  door  after  him ;  and  from  that  hour  to  this  I  never 
set  eyes  on  him." 

In  this  vein  did  the  worthy  Doctor  run  on,  till  some  more  dis- 
creet friend  suggested  that  however  well-intentioned  the  visit,  I  did 
not  seem  to  be  fully  equal  to  it — my  flushed  cheek  and  anxious  eye 
betrayed  that  the  fever  of  my  wound  had  commenced  ;  they  left  me, 
therefore,  once  more  alone,  and  to  my  solitary  musings  over  the 
vicissitudes  of  my  fortune. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

THE  COA. 

WITHIN  a  week  from  the  occurrence  of  the  events  just  men- 
tioned, Ciudad  Rodrigo  surrendered,  and  Craufurd  assumed 
another  position  beneath  the  walls  of  Almeida.  The 
Spanish  contingent  having  left  us,  we  were  reinforced  by  the  arrival 
of  two  battalions,  renewed  orders  having  been  sent  not  to  risk  a 
battle,  but  if  the  French  should  advance,  to  retire  beyond  the  Coa. 

On  the  evening  of  the  21st  of  July,  a  strong  body  of  French 
cavalry  advanced  into  the  plain,  supported  by  some  heavy  guns, 
upon  which  Craufurd  retired  upon  the  Coa,  intending,  as  we  sup- 
posed, to  place  that  river  between  himself  and  the  enemy.  Three 
days,  however,  passed  over  without  any  movement  upon  either  side, 
and  we  still  continued,  with  a  force  of  scarcely  four  thousand 
infantry  and  a  thousand  dragoons,  to  stand  opposite  to  an  army  of 
nearly  fifty  thousand  men.  Such  was  our  position  as  the  night  of 
the  24th  set  in.  I  was  sitting  alone  in  my  quarters.  Mike,  whose 
wound  had  been  severer  than  at  first  was  supposed,  had  been  sent 
to  Almeida,  and  I  was  musing  in  solitude  upon  the  events  of  the 
campaign,  when  the  noise  and  bustle  without  excited  my  attention. 


420  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

The  roll  of  artillery  wagons,  the  clash  of  musketry,  and  the  distant 
sound  of  marching,  all  proved  that  the  troops  were  effecting  some 
new  movement,  and  I  burned  with  anxiety  to  learn  what  it  was. 
My  brother  officers,  however,  came  not  as  usual  to  my  quarters,  and 
although  I  waited  with  impatience  while  the  hours  rolled  by,  no  one 
appeared. 

Long,  low,  moaning  gusts  of  wind  swept  along  the  earth,  carrying 
the  leaves  as  they  tore  them  from  the  trees,  and  mingling  their  sad 
sounds  with  the  noises  of  the  retiring  troops ;  for  I  could  perceive 
that  gradually  the  sounds  grew  more  and  more  remote,  and  only 
now  and  then  could  I  trace  their  position  as  the  roll  of  a  distant 
drum  swelled  upon  the  breeze,  or  the  more  shrill  cry  of  a  pibroch 
broke  upon  my  ear.  A  heavy  down-pour  of  rain  followed  soon  after, 
and  its  unceasing  plash  drowned  all  other  sounds. 

As  the  little  building  shook  beneath  the  peals  of  loud  thunder, 
the  lightning  flashed  in  broad  sheets  upon  the  rapid  river,  which, 
swollen  and  foaming,  dashed  impetuously  beside  my  window.  By 
the  uncertain  but  vivid  glare  of  the  flashes,  I  endeavored  to  ascertain 
where  our  force  was  posted,  but  in  vain.  Never  did  I  witness  such 
a  night  of  storm.  The  deep  booming  of  the  thunder  seemed  never 
for  a  moment  to  cease,  while  the  rush  of  the  torrent  grew  gradually 
louder,  till  at  length  it  swelled  into  one  deep  and  sullen  roar  like 
that  of  distant  artillery. 

Weak  and  nervous  as  I  felt  from  the  effects  of  my  wound,  feverish 
and  exhausted  by  days  of  suffering  and  sleepless  nights,  I  paced 
my  little  room  with  tottering  but  impatient  steps.  The  sense  of  my 
sad  and  imprisoned  state  impressed  me  deeply;  and  while  from 
time  to  time  I  replenished  my  fire,  and  hoped  to  hear  some  friendly 
step  upon  the  stair,  my  heart  grew  gradually  heavier,  and  every 
gloomy  and  depressing  thought  suggested  itself  to  my  imagination. 
My  most  constant  impression  was  that  the  troops  were  retiring 
beyond  the  Coa,  and  that,  forgotten  in  the  haste  and  confusion  of 
a  night  march,  I  had  been  left  behind  to  fall  a  prisoner  to  the 
enemy. 

The  sounds  of  the  troops  retiring  gradually  farther  and  farther 
favored  the  idea,  in  which  I  was  still  more  strengthened  on  finding 
that  the  peasants  who  inhabited  the  little  hut  had  departed,  leaving 
me  utterly  alone.  From  the  moment  I  ascertained  this  fact,  my 
impatience  knew  no  bounds ;  and  in  proportion  as  I  began  to  feel 
some  exertion  necessary  on  my  part,  so  much  more  did  my  nervous- 
ness increase  my  debility,  and  at  last  I  sank  exhausted  upon  my 
bed,  while  a  cold  perspiration  broke  out  upon  my  temples. 

I  have  mentioned  that  the  Coa  was  immediately  beneath  the 
house ;  I  must  also  add,  that  the  little  building  occupied  the  angle 


THE  COA.  421 

of  a  steep  but  narrow  gorge  which  descended  from  the  plain  to  the 
bridge  across  the  stream.  This,  as  far  as  I  knew,  was  the  only- 
means  we  possessed  of  passing  the  river,  so  that, when  the  last  retir- 
ing sounds  of  the  troops  were  heard  by  me,  I  began  to  suspect  that 
Craufurd,  in  compliance  with  his  orders,  was  making  a  backward 
movement,  leaving  the  bridge  open  to  the  French,  to  draw  them  on 
to  his  line  of  march,  while  he  should  cross  over  at  some  more  dis- 
tant point. 

As  the  night  grew  later,  the  storm  seemed  to  increase ;  the  waves 
of  the  foaming  river  dashed  against  the  frail  walls  of  the  hut,  while 
its  roof,  rent  by  the  blast,  fell  in  fragments  upon  the  stream,  and  all 
threatened  a  speedy  and  perfect  ruin. 

How  I  longed  for  morning !  The  doubt  and  uncertainty  I  suf- 
fered nearly  drove  me  distracted.  Of  all  the  casualties  my  career 
as  a  soldier  opened,  none  had  such  horrors  for  me  as  imprisonment ; 
the  very  thought  of  the  long  years  of  inaction  and  inglorious  idle- 
ness was  worse  than  any  death.  My  wounds,  and  the  state  of  fever 
I  was  in,  increased  the  morbid  dread  upon  me,  and  had  the  French 
captured  me  at  the  time,  I  know  not  that  madness  of  which  I  was 
not  capable.  Day  broke  at  last,  but  slowly  and  sullenly.  The  gray 
clouds  hurried  past  upon  the  storm,  pouring  down  the  rain  in  tor- 
rents as  they  went,  and  the  desolation  and  dreariness  on  all  sides 
was  scarcely  preferable  to  the  darkness  and  glocm  of  night.  My 
eyes  were  turned  ever  towards  the  plain,  across  which  the  winter 
wind  bore  the  plashing  rain  in  vast  sheets  of  water ;  the  thunder 
crashed  louder  and  louder;  but  except  the  sounds  of  the  storm,  none 
others  met  my  ear.  Not  a  man,  not  a  human  figure,  could  I  see,  as 
I  strained  my  sight  towards  the  distant  horizon. 

The  morning  crept  over,  but  the  storm  abated  not,  and  the  same 
unchanged  aspect  of  dreary  desolation  prevailed  without.  At  times 
I  thought  I  could  hear,  amidst  the  noises  of  the  tempest,  something 
like  the  roll  of  distant  artillery ;  but  the  thunder  swelled  in  sullen 
roar  above  all,  and  left  me  uncertain  as  before. 

At  last,  in  a  momentary  pause  of  the  storm,  a  tremendous  peal  of 
heavy  guns  caught  my  ear,  followed  by  a  long  rattling  of  small-arms. 
My  heart  bounded  with  ecstasy.  The  thought  of  the  battle-field, 
with  all  its  changing  fortunes,  was  better,  a  thousand  times  better, 
than  the  despairing  sense  of  desertion  I  labored  under.  I  listened 
now  with  eagerness,  but  the  rain  bore  down  again  in  torrents,  and 
the  crumbling  walls  and  falling  timbers  left  no  other  sounds  to  be 
heard.  Far  as  my  eye  could  reach,  nothing  could  still  be  seen  save 
the  dreary  monotony  of  the  vast  plain,  undulating  slightly  here  and 
there,  but  unmarked  by  a  sign  of  man. 

Far  away  towards  the  horizon  I  had  remarked  for  some  time  pa*t 


422  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

that  the  clouds  resting  upon  the  earth  grew  blacker  and  blacker, 
spreading  out  to  either  side  in  vast  masses,  and  not  broken  or  wafted 
along  like  the  rest.  As  I  watched  the  phenomenon  with  an  anxious 
eye,  I  perceived  the  dense  mass  suddenly  appear,  as  it  were  rent 
asunder,  while  a  volume  of  liquid  flame  rushed  wildly  out,  throwing 
a  lurid  glare  on  every  side.  One  terrific  clap,  louder  than  any  thun- 
der, shook  the  air  at  this  moment,  while  the  very  earth  trembled 
beneath  the  shock. 

As  I  hesitated  what  it  might  be,  the  heavy  din  of  great  guns 
again  was  heard,  and  from  the  midst  of  the  black  smoke  rode  forth 
a  dark  mass,  which  I  soon  recognized  as  the  horse-artillery  at  full 
gallop.     They  were  directing  their  course  towards  the  bridge. 

As  they  mounted  the  little  rising  ground,  they  wheeled  and  un- 
limbered  with  the  speed  of  lightning,  just  as  a  strong  column  of 
cavalry  showed  above  the  ridge.  One  tremendous  discharge  again 
shook  the  field,  and  ere  the  smoke  cleared  away  they  were  again  far 
in  retreat. 

So  much  was  my  attention  occupied  with  this  movement,  that  I 
had  not  perceived  the  long  line  of  infantry  that  came  from  the 
extreme  left,  and  were  now  advancing  also  towards  the  bridge  at  a 
brisk,  quick  step  ;  scattered  bodies  of  cavalry  came  up  from  different 
parts,  while  from  the  little  valley,  every  now  and  then,  a  rifleman 
would  mount  the  rising  ground,  turning  to  fire  as  he  retreated.  All 
this  boded  a  rapid  and  disorderly  retreat ;  and  although  as  yet  I 
could  see  nothing  of  the  pursuing  enemy,  I  knew  too  well  the  rela- 
tive forces  of  each  to  have  a  doubt  for  the  result. 

At  last  the  head  of  a  French  column  appeared  above  the  mist,  and 
I  could  plainly  distinguish  the  gestures  of  the  officers  as  they  hurried 
their  men  onwards.  Meanwhile,  a  loud  hurrah  attracted  my  atten- 
tion, and  I  turned  my  eyes  towards  the  road  which  led  to  the  river. 
Here  a  small  body  of  the  95th  had  hurriedly  assembled  ;  and,  formed 
again,  were  standing  to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  broken  infantry  as 
they  pressed  on  eagerly  to  the  bridge ;  in  a  second  after  the  French 
cuirassiers  appeared.  Little  anticipating  resistance  from  a  flying 
and  disordered  mass,  they  rode  headlong  forward,  and  although  the 
firm  attitude  and  steady  bearing  of  the  Highlanders  might  have 
appalled  them,  they  rode  heedlessly  down  upon  the  square,  sabring 
the  very  men  in  the  front  rank.  Till  now  not  a  trigger  had  been 
pulled,  when  suddenly  the  word  "  Fire  !"  was  given,  and  a  withering 
volley  of  balls  sent  the  cavalry  column  in  shivers.  One  hearty 
cheer  broke  from  the  infantry  in  the  rear,  and  I  could  hear  "Gal- 
lant 95th  !"  shouted  on  every  side  along  the  plain. 

The  whole  vast  space  before  me  was  now  one  animated  battle- 
ground.    Our  own  troops  retiring  in  haste  before  the  overwhelming 


THE  COA.  423 

forces  of  the  French,  occupied  every  little  vantage  ground  with  their 
guns  and  light  infantry,  charges  of  cavalry  coursing  hither  and 
thither ;  while,  as  the  French  pressed  forward,  the  retreating  col- 
umns again  formed  into  squares  to  permit  stragglers  to  come  up. 
The  rattle  of  small-arms,  the  heavy  peal  of  artillery,  the  earthquake 
crash  of  cavalry,  rose  on  every  side,  while  the  cheers  which  alter- 
nately told  of  the  vacillating  fortune  of  the  fight  rose  amidst  the  wild 
pibroch  of  the  Highlanders.  « 

A  tremendous  noise  now  took  place  on  the  floor  beneath  me ;  and, 
looking  down,  I  perceived  that  a  sergeant  and  party  of  the  Sappers 
had  taken  possession  of  the  little  hut,  and  were  busily  engaged 
piercing  the  walls  for  musketry;  and  before  many  minutes  had 
elapsed,  a  company  of  the  Rifles  were  thrown  into  the  building, 
which,  from  its  commanding  position  above,  enfiladed  the  whole 
line  of  march.  The  officer  in  command  briefly  informed  me  that 
we  had  been  attacked  that  morning  by  the  French  in  force,  and 
"  devilishly  well  thrashed ;"  that  we  were  now  in  retreat  beyond  the 
Coa,  where  we  ought  to  have  been  three  days  previously,  and  de- 
sired me  to  cross  the  bridge  and  get  myself  out  of  the  way  as  soon 
as  I  possibly  could. 

A  twenty-four  pounder  from  the  French  lines  struck  the  angle  of 
the  house  as  he  spoke,  scattering  the  mortar  and  broken  bricks  about 
us  on  all  sides.  This  was  a  warning  sufficient  for  me,  wounded  and 
disabled  as  I  was ;  so,  taking  the  few  things  I  could  save  in  my 
haste,  I  hurried  from  the  hut,  and  descending  the  path,  now  slip- 
pery by  the  heavy  rain,  I  took  my  way  across  the  bridge,  and  estab- 
lished myself  on  a  little  rising  knoll  of  ground  beyond,  from  which 
a  clear  view  could  be  obtained  of  the  whole  field. 

I  had  not  been  many  minutes  in  my  present  position  ere  the  pass 
which  led  down  to  the  bridge  became  thronged  with  troops,  wagons, 
ammunition  carts,  and  hospital  stores,  pressing  thickly  forward  amid 
shouting  and  uproar ;  the  hills  on  either  side  of  the  way  were 
crowded  with  troops,  who  formed  as  they  came  up,  the  artillery 
taking  up  their  position  on  every  rising  ground.  The  firing  had 
already  begun,  aud  the  heavy  booming  of  the  large  guns  was  heard 
at  intervals  amid  the  rattling  crash  of  musketry.  Except  the  nar- 
row road  before  me,  and  the  high  bank  of  the  stream,  I  could  see 
nothing;  but  the  tumult  and  din,  which  grew  momentarily  louder, 
told  that  the  tide  of  battle  raged  nearer  and  nearer.  Still  the  retreat 
continued  ;  and  at  length  the  heavy  artillery  came  thundering  across 
the  narrow  bridge,  followed  by  stragglers  of  all  arms,  and  wounded, 
hurrying  to  the  rear.  The  sharpshooters  and  the  Highlanders  held 
the  heights  above  the  stream,  thus  covering  the  retiring  columns ; 
but  I  could  plainly  perceive  that  their  fire  was  gradually  slackening, 


424  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

and  that  the  guns  which  flanked  their  position  were  withdrawn,  and 
everything  bespoke  a  speedy  retreat.  A  tremendous  discharge  of 
musketry  at  this  moment,  accompanied  by  a  deafening  cheer,  an- 
nounced the  advance  of  the  French,  and  soon  the  head  of  the  High- 
land brigade  was  seen  descending  towards  the  bridge,  followed  by 
the  Kifles  and  the  95th  ;  the  cavalry,  consisting  of  th£  11th  and  14th 
•Light  Dragoons,  were  now  formed  in  column  of  attack,  and  the 
infantry  deployed  into  line;  in  an  instant  after,  high  above  the  din 
and  crash  of  battle,  I  heard  the  word  "  Charge  !"  The  rising  crest 
of  the  hill  hid  them  from  my  sight,  but  my  heart  bounded  with 
ecstasy  as  I  listened  to  the  clanging  sound  of  the  cavalry  advance. 
Meanwhile,  the  infantry  pressed  on,  and  forming  upon  the  bank, 
took  up  a  strong  position  in  front  of  the  bridge ;  the  heavy  guns 
were  also  unlimbered,  riflemen  scattered  through  the  low  copse- 
wood,  and  every  precaution  taken  to  defend  the  pass  to  the  last. 
For  a  moment  all  my  attention  was  riveted  to  the  movements  upon 
our  own  side  of  the  stream,  when  suddenly  the  cavalry  bugle 
sounded  the  recall,  and  the  same  moment  the  staff  came  galloping 
across  the  bridge.  One  officer  I  could  perceive,  covered  with  orders 
and  trappings;  his  head  was  bare,  and  his  horse,  splashed  with 
blood  and  foam,  moved  lamely  and  with  difficulty ;  he  turned  in  the 
middle  of  the  bridge,  as  if  irresolute  whether  to  retreat  farther. 
One  glance  at  him  showed  me  the  bronzed,  manly  features  of  our 
leader.  Whatever  his  resolve,  the  matter  was  soon  decided  for  him, 
for  the  cavalry  came  galloping  swiftly  down  the  slope,  and  in  an 
instant  the  bridge  was  blocked  up  by  the  retreating  forces,  while  the 
French,  as  suddenly  appearing  above  the  height,  opened  a  plunging 
fire  upon  their  defenceless  enemies.  Their  cheer  of  triumph  was 
answered  by  our  fellows  from  the  opposite  bank,  and  a  heavy  can- 
nonade thundered  along  the  rocky  valley,  sending  up  a  hundred 
echoes  as  it  went. 

The  scene  now  became  one  of  overwhelming  interest.  The  French, 
posting  their  guns  upon  the  height,  replied  to  our  fire,  while  their 
line,  breaking  into  skirmishers,  descended  the  banks  to  the  river 
edge,  and  poured  in  one  sheet  of  galling  musketry.  The  road  to  the 
bridge,  swept  by  our  artillery,  presented  not  a  single  file;  and 
although  a  movement  among  the  French  announced  the  threat  of 
an  attack,  the  deadly  service  of  the  artillery  seemed  to  pronounce 
it  hopeless. 

A  strong  cavalry  force  stood  inactively,  spectators  of  the  combat, 
on  the  French  side,  among  whom  I  now  remarked  some  bustle 
and  preparation.  As  I  looked,  an  officer  rode  boldly  to  the  river 
edge,  and  spurring  his  horse  forward,  plunged  into  the  stream. 
The  swollen  and  angry  torrent,  increased  by  the  late  rains,  boiled 


THE  COA.  425 

like  barm  and  foamed  around  him  as  he  advanced  ;  when  suddenly 
his  horse  appeared  to  have  lost  its  footing,  and  the  rapid  current, 
circling  around  him,  bore  him  along  with  it.  He  labored  madly, 
but  in  vain,  to  retrace  his  steps  ;  the  rolling  torrent  rose  above  his 
saddle,  and  all  that  his  gallant  steed  could  do  was  barely  sufficient 
to  keep  afloat ;  both  man  and  horse  were  carried  down  between  the 
contending  armies.  I  could  see  him  wave  his  hand  to  his  comrades 
as  if  in  adieu.  One  deafening  cheer  of  admiration  rose  from  the 
French  lines,  and  the  next  moment  he  was  seen  to  fall  from  his  seat, 
and  his  body,  shattered  with  balls,  floated  mournfully  upon  the 
stream. 

This  little  incident,  to  which  both  armies  were  witnesses,  seemed 
to  have  called  forth  all  the  fiercer  passions  of  the  contending  forces. 
A  loud  yell  of  taunting  triumph  rose  from  the  Highlanders,  re- 
sponded to  by  a  cry  of  vengeance  from  the  French,  and  the  same 
moment  the  head  of  a  column  was  seen  descending  the  narrow  cause- 
way to  the  bridge,  while  an  officer,  with  a  whole  blaze  of  decora- 
tions and  crosses,  sprang  from  his  horse  and  took  the  lead.  The 
little  drummer,  a  child  scarcely  ten  years  old,  tripped  gayly  on, 
beating  his  little  pas  de  charge,  seeming  rather  like  the  play  of  in- 
fancy than  the  summons  to  death  and  carnage,  as  the  heavy  guns  of 
the  French  opened  a  volume  of  fire  and  flame  to  cover  the  attacking 
column.  For  a  moment  all  was  hid  from  our  eyes ;  the  moment 
after  the  grapeshot  swept  along  the  narrow  causeway;  and  the 
bridge,  which  but  a  second  before  was  crowded  with  the  life  and 
courage  of  a  noble  column,  was  now  one  heap  of  dead  and  dying. 
The  gallant  fellow  who  led  them  on  fell  among  the  first  rank,  and 
the  little  child,  as  if  kneeling,  was  struck  dead  beside  the  parapet; 
his  fair  hair  floated  across  his  cold  features,  and  seemed  in  its  motion 
to  lend  a  look  of  life  where  the  heart  throb  had  ceased  forever.  The 
artillery  again  reopened  upon  us  ;  and  when  the  smoke  had  cleared 
away,  we  discovered  that  the  French  had  advanced  to  the  middle  of 
the  bridge  and  carried  off  the  body  of  their  general.  Twice  they 
essayed  to  cross,  and  twice  the  death-dealing  fire  of  our  guns  covered 
the  narrow  bridge  with  slain,  while  by  the  wild  pibroch  of  the  42d, 
swelling  madly  into  notes  of  exultation  and  triumph,  the  High- 
landers could  scarcely  be  prevented  from  advancing  hand  to  hand 
with  the  foe.  Gradually  the  French  slackened  their  fire,  their  great 
guns  were  one  by  one  withdrawn  from  the  heights,  and  a  dropping, 
irregular  musketry  at  intervals  sustained  the  fight,  which,  ere  sunset, 
ceased  altogether ;  and  thus  ended  "  The  Battle  of  the  Coa  I" 


426  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

THE  NIGHT   MARCH. 

SCARCELY  had  the  night  fallen  when  our  retreat  commenced. 
Tired  and  weary  as  our  brave  fellows  felt,  but  little  repose  was 
allowed  them ;  their  bivouac  fires  were  blazing  brightly,  and 
they  had  just  thrown  themselves  in  groups  around  them,  when  the 
word  to  fall  in  was  passed  from  troop  to  troop,  and  from  battalion 
to  battalion — no  trumpet,  no  bugle,  called  them  to  their  ranks.  It 
was  necessary  that  all  should  be  done  noiselessly  and  speedily; 
while,  therefore,  the  wounded  were  marched  to  the  front,  and  the 
heavy  artillery  with  them,  a  brigade  of  light  four-pounders,  and  two 
squadrons  of  cavalry,  held  the  heights  above  the  bridge,  and  the  in- 
fantry, forming  into  three  columns,  began  their  march. 

My  wound,  forgotten  in  the  heat  and  excitement  of  the  conflict, 
was  now  becoming  excessively  painful,  and  I  gladly  availed  myself 
of  a  place  in  a  wagon,  where,  stretched  upon  some  fresh  straw,  with 
no  other  covering  save  the  starry  sky,  I  soon  fell  sound  asleep,  and 
neither  the  heavy  jolting  of  the  rough  conveyance  nor  the  deep  and 
rutty  road  was  able  to  disturb  my  slumbers.  Still  through  my  sleep 
I  heard  the  sounds  around  me,  the  heavy  tramp  of  infantry,  the 
clash  of  the  moving  squadrons,  and  the  dull  roll  of  artillery ;  and 
ever  and  anon  the  half-stifled  cry  of  pain,  mingling  with  the  reck- 
less carol  of  some  drinking  song,  all  flitted  through  my  dreams, 
lending  to  my  thoughts  of  home  and  friends  a  memory  of  glorious 
war. 

All  the  vicissitudes  of  a  soldier's  life  passed  then  in  review  before 
me,  elicited  in  some  measure  by  the  things  about.  The  pomp  and 
grandeur,  the  misery  and  meanness,  the  triumph,  the  defeat,  the 
moment  of  victory,  and  the  hour  of  death,  were  there,  and  in  that 
vivid  dream  I  lived  a  long  life. 

I  awoke  at  length.  The  cold  and  chilling  air  which  follows  mid- 
night blew  around  me,  and  my  wounded  arm  felt  as  though  it  were 
frozen.  I  tried  to  cover  myself  beneath  the  straw,  but  in  vain,  and 
as  my  limbs  trembled  and  my  teeth  chattered,  I  thought  again  of 
home,  where,  at  that  moment,  the  poorest  menial  of  my  uncle's 
house  was  better  lodged  than  I,  and,  strange,  to  say,  something  of 
pride  mingled  with  the  thought,  and  in  my  lonely  heart  a  feeling  of 
elation  cheered  me. 

These  reflections  were  interrupted  by  the  sound  of  a  voice  near  me, 
which  I  at  once  knew  to  be  O'Shaughnessy's ;  he  was  on  foot,  and 
speaking  evidently  in  some  excitement. 

"  I  tell  you,  Maurice,  some  confounded  blunder  there  must  be ; 


THE  NIGHT  MARCH  427 

sure  he  was  left  in  that  cottage  near  the  bridge,  and  no  one  saw  him 
after." 

"  The  French  took  it  from  the  Rifles  before  we  crossed  the  river. 
By  Jove !  I'll  wager  my  chance  of  promotion  against  a  pint  of  sherry 
he'll  turn  up  somewhere  in  the  morning ;  those  Galway  chaps  have 
as  many  lives  as  a  cat." 

"See,  now,  Maurice,  I  wouldn't  for  a  full  colonelcy  anything 
would  happen  to  him — I  like  the  boy." 

,      "So  do  I  myself;  but  I  tell  you  there's  no  danger  of  him.     Did 
you  ask  Sparks  anything  ?" 

"  Ask  Sparks !  God  help  you  !  Sparks  would  go  off  in  a  fit  at  the 
sight  of  me.  No,  no,  poor  creature !  it's  little  use  it  would  be  my 
speaking  to  him." 

"  Why  so,  Doctor?"  cried  I,  from  my  straw  couch. 

"  May  I  never,  if  it's  not  him !  Charley,  my  son,  I'm  glad  you're 
safe.  'Faith,  I  thought  you  were  on  your  way  to  Yerdun  by  this 
time." 

"  Sure,  I  told  you  he'd  find  his  way  here ;  but,  O'Mealey,  dear, 
you're  mighty  could — a  rigor,  as  old  M'Lauchlan  would  call  it." 

"  E'en  sae,  Maister  Quill,"  said  a  broad  Scotch  accent  behind 
him ;  "  and  I  canna  see  ony  objection  to  giein'  things  their  right 
names." 

"  The  top  of  the  morning  to  you  !"  said  Quill,  familiarly  patting 
him  on  the  back  ;  "  how  goes  it,  old  Brimstone  ?" 

The  conversation  might  not  have  taken  a  very  amicable  turn  had 
M'Lauchlan  heard  the  latter  part  of  this  speech  ;  but  as,  happily,  he 
was  engaged  unpacking  a  small  canteen  which  he  had  placed  in  the 
wagon,  it  passed  unnoticed. 

"  Ye'll  no'  dislike  a  toothfu'  o'  something  warm,  Major,"  said  he, 
presenting  a  glass  to  O'Shaughnessy ;  "  and  if  ye'll  permit  me,  Mr. 
O'Mealey,  to  help  you " 

"A  thousand  thanks,  Doctor ;  but  I  fear  a  broken  arm." 

*  There's  naething  in  the  whisky  to  prevent  the  proper  formation 
of  callus." 

*  By  the  rock  of  Cashel,  it  never  made  any  one  callous,"  said 
O'Shaughnessy,  mistaking  the  import  of  the  phrase. 

"  Ye  are  nae  drinking  frae  the  flask  ?"  said  the  Doctor,  turning  in 
some  agitation  towards  Quill. 

"  Devil  a  bit,  my  darling.  I've  a  little  horn  convaniency  here, 
that  holds  half  a  pint,  nice  measure." 

I  don't  imagine  that  our  worthy  friend  participated  in  Quill's  ad- 
miration of  the  "  convaniency,"  for  he  added,  in  a  dry  tone, 

"  Ye  may  as  weel  tak'  your  liquor  frae  a  glass,  like  a  Christian,  as 
stick  your  nose  in  a  coo's  horn." 


428  CHARLES  0>M ALLEY. 

"  By  my  conscience,  you're  no  small  judge  of  spirits,  wherever  you 
learned  it,"  said  the  Major;  "  it's  like  Islay  malt!" 

"  I  was  aye  reckoned  a  gude  ane,"  said  the  Doctor,  w  and  my 
mifher's  brither,  Caimbogie,  hadna  his  like  in  the  north  country.  Ye 
maybe  heerd  tell  what  he  aince  said  to  the  Duchess  of  Argyle,  when 
she  sent  for  him  to  taste  her  claret." 

*"  Never  heard  of  it,"  quoth  Quill  j  "  let's  have  it  by  all  means.  I'd 
like  to  hear  what  the  Duchess  said  to  him." 

"  It  wasna  what  the  Duchess  said  to  him,  but  what  he  said  to  the 
Duchess,  ye  ken.  The  way  of  it  was  this :— My  uncle,  Caimbogie, 
was  aye  up  at  the  castle,  for,  besides  his  knowledge  of  liquor,  there 
wasna  his  match  for  deer-stalking,  or  spearing  a  salmon,  in  those 
parts.  He  was  a  great,  rough  carle,  it's  true,  but  ane  ye'd  rather 
crack  wi'  than  fight  wi'. 

"  Weel,  ae  day  they  had  a  grand  dinner  at  the  Duke's,  and  there 
were  plenty  o'  great  southern  lords  and  braw  leddies  in  velvets  and 
satin ;  and  vara  muckle  surprised  they  were  at  my  uncle,  when  he 
came  in  wi'  his  tartan  kilt,  in  full  Highland  dress,  as  the  head  of  a 
clan  ought  to  do.  Caimbogie,  however,  paid  nae  attention  to  them, 
but  he  ate  his  dinner  and  drank  his  wine,  and  talked  away  about 
fallow  and  red  deer,  and  at  last  the  Duchess — for  she  was  aye  fond 
o'  him — addressed  him  frae  the  head  o'  the  table  : — 

"  '  Caimbogie,  I'd  like  to  hae  your  opinion  about  that  wine.  It's 
some  the  Duke  has  just  received,  and  we  should  like  to  hear  what 
you  think  of  it.' 

" '  It's  no  sae  bad,  my  leddy,'  said  my  uncle  ;  for  ye  see  he  was  a 
man  o'  few  words,  and  never  flattered  onybody. 

"  '  Then  you  don't  much  approve  of  it  ?'  said  the  Duchess. 
"  '  I've  drank  better,  and  I've  drank  waur,'  quo'  he. 
"  '  I'm  sorry  you  don't  like  it,  Caimbogie,'  said  the  Duchess,  '  for 
it  never  can  be  popular  now;  we  have  such  a  dependence  upon 
your  taste/ 

"  '  I  canna  say  ower  muckle  for  my  taste,  my  leddy ;  but  ae  thing 
I  will  say,  I've  a  most  d —  smellV 

"  I  hear  that  never  since  the  auld  walls  stood  was  there  ever  the 
like  o'  the  laughing  that  followed.  The  puir  Duke  himsel'  was  car- 
ried away,  and  nearly  had  a  fit,  and  a'  the  grand  lords  and  leddies 
a'most  died  of  it.  But,  see  here,  the  carle  hasna  left  a  drap  o' 
whisky  in  the  flask." 

"The  last  glass  I  drained  to  your  respectable  uncle's  health," 
said  Quill,  with  a  most  professional  gravity.  "Now,  Charley,  make 
a  little  room  for  me  in  the  straw." 

The  Doctor  soon  mounted  beside  me,  and  giving  me  a  share  of  his 
ample  cloak,  considerably  ameliorated  my  situation. 


THE  NIGHT  MARCH.  429 

"  So  ^ou  knew  Sparks,  Doctor  ?"  said  I,  with  a  strong  curiosity 
to  hear  something  of  his  early  acquaintance. 

"  That  I  did.  I  knew  him  when  he  was  an  ensign  in  the  10th 
Foot;  and,  to  say  the  truth,  he  is  npt  much  changed  since  that 
time, — the  same  lively  look  of  a  sick  codfish  about  his  gray  eyes, — 
the  same  disorderly  wave  of  his  yellow  hair, — the  same  whining 
voice,  and  that  confounded  apothecary's  laugh." 

"  Come,  come,  Doctor,  Sparks  is  a  good  fellow  at  heart ;  I  won't, 
have  him  abused.  I  never  knew  he  had  been  in  the  infantry ;  I 
should  think  it  must  have  been  another  of  the  same  name." 

"  Not  at  all ;  there's  only  one  like  him  in  the  service,  and  that's 
himself.     Confound  it,  man,  I'd  know  his  skin  upon  a  bush ;  he  was 
only  three  weeks  in  the  10th,  and,  indeed,  your  humble  servant  has 
the  whole  merit  of  his  leaving  it  so  soon." 
"  Do  let  us  hear  how  that  happened." 

"  Simply  thus :  The  jolly  10th  were  some  four  years  ago  the  plea- 
santest  corps  in  the  army ;  from  the  lieutenant-colonel  down  to  the 
last-joined  sub.,  all  were  out-and-outers — real  gay  fellows.  The 
mess  was,  in  fact,  like  a  pleasant  club,  and  if  you  did  not  suit  it, 
the  best  thing  you  could  do  was  to  sell  out  or  exchange  into  a  slower 
regiment ;  and,  indeed,  this  very  wholesome  truth  was  not  very  long 
in  reaching  your  ears  some  way  or  other,  and  a  man  that  could  re- 
main after  being  given  this  hint,  was  likely  to  go  afterwards  with- 
out one." 

Just  as  Doctor  Quill  reached  this  part  of  his  story,  an  orderly 
dragoon  galloped  furiously  past,  and  the  next  moment  an  aide-de- 
camp rode  by,  calling,  as  he  passed  us, — 

"Close  up,  there — close  up!  Get  forward,  my  lads — get  for- 
ward !"     • 

It  was  evident,  from  the  stir  and  bustle  about,  that  some  move- 
ment was  being  made ;  and  soon  after  a  dropping,  irregular  fire  from 
the  rear  showed  that  our  cavalry  were  engaged  with  the  enemy.  The 
affair  was  scarcely  of  five  minutes'  duration,  and  our  march  resumed 
all  its  former  regularity  immediately  after. 

I  now  turned  to  the  Doctor  to  resume  his  story,  but  he  was  gone ; 
at  what  moment  he  left  I  could  not  say.  O'Shaughnessy  was  also 
absent,  nor  did  I  again  meet  with  them  for  a  considerable  time 
after. 

Towards  daybreak  we  halted  at  Bonares,  when,  my  wound  de- 
manding rest  and  attention,  I  was  billeted  in  the  village,  and  con- 
signed to  all  the  miseries  of  a  sick-bed. 


430  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER   IX. 

THE    JOURNEY. 

WITH  that  disastrous  day  my  campaigning  was  destined,  for 
some  time  at  least,  to  conclude.  My  wound,  which  grew 
from  hour  to  hour  more  threatening,  at  length  began  to 
menace  the  loss  of  the  arm,  and,  by  the  recommendation  of  the 
regimental  surgeons,  I  was  ordered  back  to  Lisbon. 

Mike,  by  this  time  perfectly  restored,  prepared  everything  for  my 
departure,  and  on  the  third  day  after  the  battle  of  the  Coa,  I  began 
my  journey  with  downcast  spirits  and  depressed  heart.  The  poor 
fellow  was,  however,  a  kind  and  affectionate  nurse,  and,  unlike 
many  others,  his  cares  were  not  limited  to  the  mere  bodily  wants  of 
his  patient.  He  sustained,  as  well  as  he  was  able,  my  drooping 
resolution,  rallied  my  spirits,  and  cheered  my  courage.  With  the 
very  little  Portuguese  he  possessed,  he  contrived  to  make  every 
imaginable  species  of  bargain,  always  managed  a  good  billet,  kept 
every  one  in  good  humor,  and  rarely  left  his  quarters  in  the  morn- 
ing without  a  most  affecting  leave-taking,  and  reiterated  promises 
to  renew  his  visit. 

Our  journeys  were  usually  short  ones,  and  already  two  days  had 
elapsed,  when,  towards  nightfall,  we  entered  the  little  hamlet  of 
Jaffra.  During  the  entire  of  that  day,  the  pain  of  my  wounded 
limb  had  been  excruciating ;  the  fatigue  of  the  road  and  the  heat 
had  brought  back  violent  inflammation,  and  when  at  last  the  little 
village  came  in  sight,  my  reason  was  fast  yielding  to  the  torturing 
agonies  of  my  wound.  But  the  transports  with  which  I  greeted  my 
resting-place  were  soon  destined  to  a  change,  for  as  we  drew  near, 
not  a  light  was  to  be  seen,  not  a  sound  to  be  heard,  not  even  a  dog 
barked,  as  the  heavy  mule-cart  rattled  over  the  uneven  road.  No 
trace  of  any  living  thing  was  there.  The  little  hamlet  lay  sleeping 
in  the  pale  moonlight,  its  streets  deserted  and  its  homes  tenantless  ; 
our  own  footsteps  alone  echoed  along  the  dreary  causeway.  Here 
and  there,  as  we  advanced  farther,  we  found  some  relics  of  broken 
furniture  and  house-gear ;  most  of  the  doors  lay  open,  but  nothing 
remained  within  save  bare  walls ;  the  embers  still  smoked  in  many 
places  upon  the  hearth,  and  showed  us  that  the  flight  of  the  inhabi- 
tants had  been  recent.  Yet  everything  convinced  us  that  the 
French  had  not  been  there;  there  was  no  trace  of  the  reckless 
violence  and  wanton  cruelty  which  marked  their  footsteps  every- 
where. 

All  proved  that  the  desertion  had  been  voluntary — perhaps  in 
compliance  with  an  order  of  our  Commander-in-Chief,  who   fre- 


THE  JOURNEY.  431 

quently  desired  any  intended  line  of  march  of  the  enemy  to  be  thus 
left  a  desert.  As  we  sauntered  slowly  on  from  stfeet  to  street,  half- 
hoping  that  some  one  human  being  yet  remained  behind,  and  cast- 
ing our  eyes  from  side  to  side  in  search  of  quarters  for  the  night, 
Mike  suddenly  came  running  up,  saying, — 

"  I  have  it,  sir, — I've  found  it  out.  There's  people  living  down 
that  small  street  there ;  I  saw  a  light  this  minute  as  I  passed." 

I  turned  immediately,  and,  accompanied  by  the  mule-driver,  fol- 
lowed Mike  across  a  little  open  square  into  a  small  and  narrow 
street,  at  the  end  of  which  a  light  was  seen  faintly  twinkling.  We 
hurried  on,  and  in  a  few  minutes  reached  a  high  wall  of  solid 
masonry,  from  a  niche  of  which  we  now  discovered,  to  our  utter 
disappointment,  the  light  proceeded.  It  was  a  small  lamp  placed 
before  a  little  waxen  image  of  the  Virgin,  and  was  probably  the  last 
act  of  piety  of  some  poor  villager  ere  he  left  his  home  and  hearth 
forever.  There  it  burned,  brightly  and  tranquilly,  throwing  its 
mellow  ray  upon  the  cold,  deserted  stones. 

Whatever  impatience  I  might  have  given  way  to  in  a  moment  of 
chagrin  was  soon  repressed,  as  I  saw  my  two  followers,  uncovering 
their  heads  in  silent  reverence,  kneel  down  before  the  little  shrine. 
There  was  something  at  once  touching  and  solemn  in  this  simulta- 
neous feeling  of  homage  from  the  hearts  of  those  removed  in  country, 
language,  and  in  blood ;  they  bent  meekly  down,  their  heads  bowed 
upon  their  bosoms,  while  with  muttering  voices  each  offered  up  his 
prayer.  All  sense  of  their  disappointment,  all  memory  of  their 
forlorn  state,  seemed  to  have  yielded  to  more  powerful  and  absorb- 
ing thoughts  as  they  opened  their  hearts  in  prayer. 

My  eyes  were  still  fixed  upon  them,  when  suddenly  Mike,  whose 
devotion  seemed  to  be  briefest,  sprang  to  his  legs,  and  with  a  spirit 
of  levity  but  little  in  accordance  with  his  late  proceedings,  com- 
menced a  series  of  kicking,  rapping,  and  knocking  at  a  small  oak 
postern  sufficient  to  have  aroused  a  whole  convent  from  their  cells. 
"  House  there ! — good  people  within  !" — bang,  bang,  bang ;  but  the 
echoes  alone  responded  to  his  call,  and  the  sounds  died  away  at 
length  in  the  distant  streets,  leaving  all  as  silent  and  dreary  as 
before. 

Our  Portuguese  friend,  who  by  this  time  had  finished  his  orisons, 
now  began  a  vigorous  attack  upon  the  small  door,  and,  with  the 
assistance  of  Mike,  armed  with  a  fragment  of  granite  about  the  size 
of  a  man's  head,  at  length  separated  the  frame  from  the  hinges  and 
sent  the  whole  mass  prostrate  before  us. 

The  moon  was  just  rising  as  we  entered  the  little  park,  where 
gravelled  walks,  neatly  kept  and  well  trimmed,  bespoke  recent  care 
and  attention  ;  following  a  handsome  alley  of  lime  trees,  we  reached 


432  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

a  little  jet  d'eau,  whose  sparkling  fountain  shone,  diamond-like,  irt 
the  moonbeams ;  and,  escaping  from  the  edge  of  a  vast  shell,  ran 
murmuring  amid  mossy  stones  and  water  lilies,  that  however  natur- 
ally they  seemed  thrown  around,  bespoke  also  the  hand  of  taste  in 
their  position.  On  turning  from  the  spot,  we  came  directly  in  front 
of  an  old  but  handsome  chateau,  before  which  stretched  a  terrace  of 
considerable  extent.  Its  balustraded  parapet,  lined  with  orange- 
trees,  now  in  full  blossom,  scented  the  still  air  with  their  delicious 
odor ;  marble  statues  peeped  here  and  there  amid  the  foliage,  while  a 
rich  acacia,  loaded  with  flowers,  covered  the  walls  of  the  building,  and 
hung  in  vast  masses  of  variegated  blossom  across  the  tall  windows. 

As,  leaning  on  Mike's  arm,  I  slowly  ascended  the  steps  of  the 
terrace,  I  was  more  than  ever  struck  with  the  silence  and  death-like 
stillness  around ;  except  the  gentle  plash  of  the  fountain,  all  was  at 
rest ;  the  very  plants  seemed  to  sleep  in  the  yellow  moonlight,  and 
not  a  trace  of  any  living  thing  was  there. 

The  massive  door  lay  open  as  we  entered  the  spacious  hall,  flagged 
with  marble,  and  surrounded  with  armorial  bearings.  We  advanced 
farther,  and  came  to  a  broad  and  handsome  stair,  which  led  us  to  a 
long  gallery,  from  which  a  suite  of  rooms  opened,  looking  towards 
the  front  part  of  the  building.  Wherever  we  went,  the  furniture 
appeared  perfectly  untouched ;  nothing  was  removed ;  the  very  chairs 
were  grouped  around  the  windows  and  the  tables ;  books,  as  if  they 
suddenly  dropped  from  their  readers'  hands,  were  scattered  upon  the 
sofas  and  the  ottomans ;  and  in  one  small  apartment,  whose  blue 
satin  walls  and  damask  drapery  bespoke  a  boudoir,  a  rich  mantilla 
of  black  velvet  and  a  silk  glove  were  thrown  upon  a  chair.  It  was 
clear  the  desertion  had  been  most  recent ;  and  everything  indicated 
that  no  time  had  been  given  to  the  fugitives  to  prepare  for  flight. 
What  a  sad  picture  of  war  was  there  1  To  think  of  those  whose 
home,  endeared  to  them  by  all  the  refinements  of  cultivated  life, 
and  all  the  associations  of  years  of  happiness,  sent  out  upon  the  wide 
world — wanderers  and  houseless  ;  while  their  hearth,  sacred  by  every 
tie  that  binds  us  to  our  kindred,  was  to  be  desecrated  by  the  ruth- 
less and  savage  hands  of  a  ruffian  soldiery.  I  thought  of  them. 
Perhaps  at  that  very  hour  their  thoughts  were  clinging  round  the 
old  walls;  remembering  each  well-beloved  spot,  while  they  took 
their  lonely  path  through  mountain  and  through  valley ;  and  I  felt 
ashamed  and  abashed  at  my  own  intrusion  there.  While  thus  my 
reverie  ran  on,  I  had  not  perceived  that  Mike,  whose  views  were 
very  practical  upon  all  occasions,  had  lighted  a  most  cheerful  fire 
upon  the  hearth,  and  disposing  a  large  sofa  before  it,  had  carefully 
closed  the  curtains,  and  was,  in  fact,  making  himself  and  his  master 
as  much  at  home  as  though  he  had  spent  his  life  there. 


THE  JOURNEY.  433 

"Isn't  it  a  beautiful  place,  Misther  Charles?  and  this  little 
room,  doesn't  it  remind  you  of  the  blue  bedroom  in  O'Malley  Cas- 
tle, barrin'  the  illigant  view  out  upon  the  Shannon  and  the  moun- 
tain of  Scariff?" 

Nothing  short  of  Mike's  patriotism  could  forgive  such  a  compar- 
ison ;  but,  however,  I  did  not  contradict  him,  as  he  ran  on  : 

"  Faith,  I  knew  well  there  was  luck  in  store  for  us  this  evening ; 
and  ye  see  the  handful  of  prayers  I  threw  away  outside  wasn't  lost. 
Jose's  making  the  beasts  comfortable  in  the  stable,  and  I'm  thinking 
we'll  none  of  us  complain  of  our  quarters.  But  you're  not  eating 
your  supper ;  and  the  beautiful  hare  pie  that  I  stole  this  morning, 
won't  you  taste  it  ?  Well,  a  glass  of  Malaga  ? — not  a  glass  of  Malaga? 
Oh,  mother  of  Moses !  what's  this  for  ?" 

Unfortunately,  the  fever  produced  by  the  long  and  toilsome  jour- 
ney had  gained  considerably  on  me,  and  except  copious  libations  of 
cold  water,  I  could  touch  nothing ;  my  arm,  too,  was  much  more 
painful  than  before.  Mike  soon  perceived  that  rest  and  quietness 
were  most  important  to  me  at  the  moment,  and  having  with  diffi- 
culty been  prevailed  upon  to  swallow  a  few  hurried  mouthfuls,  the 
poor  fellow  disposed  cushions  around  me  in  every  imaginable  form 
for  comfort ;  and  then,  placing  my  wounded  limb  in  its  easiest 
position,  he  extinguished  the  lamp,  and  sat  silently  down  beside  the 
hearth,  without  speaking  another  word. 

Fatigue  and  exhaustion,  more  powerful  than  pain,  soon  produced 
their  effects  upon  me,  and  I  fell  asleep,  but  it  was  no  refreshing 
slumber  which  visited  my  heavy  eyelids ;  the  slow  fever  of  suffer- 
ing had  been  hour  by  hour  increasing,  and  my  dreams  presented 
nothing  but  scenes  of  agony  and  torture.  Now  I  thought  that,  un- 
horsed and  wounded,  I  was  trampled  beneath  the  clanging  hoofs  of 
charging  cavalry ;  now,  I  felt  the  sharp  steel  piercing  my  flesh,  and 
heard  the  loud  cry  of  a  victorious  enemy ;  then  methought  I  was 
stretched  upon  a  litter,  covered  by  gore  and  mangled  by  a  grape- 
shot.  I  thought  I  saw  my  brother  officers  approach  and  look  sadly 
upon  me,  while  one,  whose  face  I  could  not  remember,  muttered, 
"  I  should  not  have  known  him."  The  dreadful  hospital  of  Tala- 
vera,  and  all  its  scenes  of  agony,  came  up  before  me,  and  I  thought 
that  I  lay  waiting  my  turn  for  amputation.  This  last  impression, 
more  horrible  to  me  than  all  the  rest,  made  me  spring  from  my 
couch,  and  I  awoke  ;  the  cold  drops  of  perspiration  stood  upon  my 
brow,  my  mouth  was  parched  and  open,  and  my  temples  throbbed 
so,  that  I  could  count  their  beatings;  for  some  seconds  I  could  not 
throw  off  the  frightful  illusion  I  labored  under,  and  it  was  only  by 
degrees  I  recovered  consciousness,  and  remembered  where  I  was. 
Before  me,  and  on  one  side  of  the  bright  wood  fire,  sat  Mike,  who, 
28 


434  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

apparently  deep  in  thought,  gazed  fixedly  at  the  blaze  ;  the  start  I 
gave  on  awaking  had  not  attracted  his  attention,  and  I  could  see,  as 
the  flickering  glare  fell  upon  his  features,  that  he  was  pale  and 
ghastly,  while  his  eyes  were  riveted  upon  the  fire ;  his  lips  moved 
rapidly,  as  if  in  prayer,  and  his  locked  hands  were  pressed  firmly 
upon  his  bosom ;  his  voice,  at  first  inaudible,  I  could  gradually  dis- 
tinguish, and  at  length  heard  the  following  muttered  sentences : 

"  Oh,  mother  of  mercy  !  so  far  from  his  home  and  his  people,  and 
so  young,  to  die  in  a  strange  land — there  it  is  again,"  Here  he  ap- 
peared listening  to  some  sounds  without.  "  Oh,  wirra,  wirra,  I  know 
it  well ! — the  winding-sheet,  the  winding-sheet !  there  it  is,  my  own 
eyes  saw  it  I"  The  tears  coursed  fast  down  his  pale  cheeks,  and  his 
voice  grew  almost  inaudible,  as,  rocking  to  and  fro,  for  some  time  he 
seemed  in  a  very  stupor  of  grief;  when  at  last,  in  a  faint,  subdued 
tone,  he  broke  into  one  of  those  sad  and  plaintive  airs  of  his  coun- 
try, which  only  need  the  moment  of  depression  to  make  them  wring 
the  very  heart  in  agony. 

His  song  was  that  to  which  Moore  has  appended  the  beautiful 
lines,  "  Come,  rest  on  this  bosom."  The  following  imperfect  trans- 
lation may  serve  to  convey  some  impression  of  the  words,  which  in 
Mike's  version  were  Irish : 

"  The  day  was  declining, 

The  dark  night  drew  near, 
And  the  old  lord  grew  sadder, 

And  paler  with  fear : 

'  Come  listen,  my  daughter, 

Come  nearer — oh !  near. 

Is't  the  wind  or  the  water 

That  sighs  in  my  ear  ?' 

"  Not  the  wind  nor  the  water 

Now  stirr'd  the  night  air ; 
But  a  warning  far  sadder — 

The  banshee  was  there! 
Now  rising,  now  swelling, 

On  the  night  wind  it  bore, 
One  cadence,  still  telling, — 

'  I  want  thee,  Rossmore !' 

"  And  then  fast  came  his  breath, 

And  more  fix'd  grew  his  eye ; 
And  the  shadow  of  death 

Told  his  last  hour  was  nigh. 
Ere  the  dawn  of  that  morning 

The  struggle  was  o'er, 
For  when  thrice  came  the  warning, 

A  corpse  was  Rossmore !" 

The  plaintive  air  to  which  these  words  were  sung  fell  heavily 
upon  my  heart,  and  it  needed  but  the  low  and  nervous  condition  I 


THE  JO  UENE  Y.  435 

was  in  to  make  me  feel  their  application  to  myself.  But  so  it  is ; 
the  very  superstition  your  reason  rejects  and  your  sense  spurns  has, 
from  old  association,  from  habit,  and  from  mere  nationality  too,  a 
hold  upon  your  hopes  and  fears,  that  demands  more  firmness  and 
courage  than  a  sick-bed  possesses  to  combat  with  success;  and  I  now 
listened  with  an  eager  ear  to  mark  if  the  banshee  cried,  rather  than 
sought  to  fortify  myself  by  any  recurrence  to  my  own  convictions. 
Meanwhile,  Mike's  attitude  became  one  of  listening  attention.  Not  a 
finger  moved ;  he  scarce  seemed  even  to  breathe ;  the  state  of  suspense 
I  suffered  from  was  maddening ;  and  at  last,  unable  to  bear  it  longer, 
I  was  about  to  speak,  when  suddenly,  from  the  floor  beneath  us,  one 
long-sustained  note  swelled  upon  the  air  and  died  away  again,  and 
immediately  after,  to  the  cheerful  sounds  of  a  guitar,  we  heard  the 
husky  voice  of  our  Portuguese  guide,  indulging  himself  in  a  love- 
ditty. 

Ashamed  of  myself  for  my  fears,  I  kept  silent ;  but  Mike,  who  felt 
only  one  sensation — that  of  unmixed  satisfaction  at  his  mistake — 
rubbed  his  hands  pleasantly,  filled  up  his  glass,  drank  it,  and  refilled  ; 
while  with  an  accent  of  reassured  courage  he  briefly  remarked : 

"  Well,  Mr.  Jose,  if  that  be  singing,  upon  my  conscience  I  wonder 
what  crying  is  like  !" 

I  could  not  forbear  a  laugh  at  the  criticism,  and  in  a  moment  the 
poor  fellow,  who  up  to  that  moment  believed  me  sleeping,  was  be- 
side me.  I  saw  from  his  manner  that  he  dreaded  lest  I  had  been 
listening  to  his  melancholy  song,  and  had  overheard  any  of  his 
gloomy  forebodings;  and  as  he  cheered  my  spirits  and  spoke  encour- 
agingly, I  could  remark  that  he  had  made  more  than  usual  endeavors 
to  appear  light-hearted  and  at  ease.  Determined,  however,  not  to 
let  him  escape  so  easily,  I  questioned  him  about  his  belief  in  ghosts 
and  spirits,  at  which  he  endeavored,  as  he  ever  did  when  the  subject 
was  an  unpleasant  one,  to  avoid  the  discussion;  but  rather  perceiv- 
ing that  I  indulged  in  no  irreverent  disrespect  of  these  matters,  he 
grew  gradually  more  open,  treating  the  affair  with  that  strange  mix- 
ture of  credulity  and  mockery  which  formed  his  estimate  of  most 
things — now  seeming  to  suppose  that  any  palpable  rejection  of  them 
might  entail  sad  consequences  in  future,  now  half  ashamed  to  go  the 
whole  length  in  his  credulity. 

"  And  so,  Mike,  you  never  saw  a  ghost  yourself? — that  you  ac- 
knowledge ?" 

"  No,  sir,  I  never  saw  a  real  ghost:  but  sure  there's  many  a  thing 
I  never  saw  ;  but  Mrs.  Moore,  the  housekeeper,  seen  two.  And  your 
grandfather  that's  gone — the  Lord  be  good  to  him ! — used  to  walk 
once  a  year  in  Lurra  Abbey ;  and  sure  you  know  the  story  about 
Tim  Clinchy,  that  was  seen  every  Saturday  night  coming  out  of  the 


436    ,  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

cellar  with  a  candle  and  a  mug  of  wine,  and  a  pipe  in  his  mouth,  till 
Mr.  Barry  laid  him.  It  cost  his  honor  your  uncle  ten  pounds  in 
masses  to  make  him  easy,  not  to  speak  of  a  new  lock  and  two  bolts 
on  the  cellar  door." 

"  I  have  heard  all  about  that;  but  as  you  never  yourself  saw  any 
of  these  things " 

"  But  sure  my  father  did,  and  that's  the  same,  any  day.  My  father 
seen  the  greatest  ghost  that  ever  was  seen  in  the  county  Cork,  and 
spent  the  evening  with  him,  that's  more." 

"  Spent  the  evening  with  him  ! — what  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  Just  that,  devil  a  more  nor  less.  If  your  honor  wasn't  so  weak, 
and  the  story  wasn't  a  trying  one,  I'd  like  to  tell  it  to  you." 

"  Out  with  it,  by  all  means,  Mike ;  I  am  not  disposed  to  sleep ;  and 
now  that  we  are  upon  these  matters,  my  curiosity  is  strongly  excited 
by  your  worthy  father's  experience." 

Thus  encouraged,  having  trimmed  the  fire,  and  re-seated  himself 
beside  the  blaze,  Mike  began ;  but  as  a  ghost  is  no  every-day  person- 
age in  our  history,  I  must  give  him  a  chapter  to  himself. 


CHAPTER    X. 

THE  GHOST. 

WELL,  I  believe  your  honor  heard  me  tell  long  ago  how  my 
father  left  the  army,  and  the  way  that  he  took  to  another 
line  of  life  that  was  more  to  his  liking.  And  so  it  was,  he 
was  happy  as  the  day  was  long ;  he  drove  a  hearse  for  Mr.  Callaghan 
of  Cork,  for  many  years,  and  a  pleasant  place  it  was  ;  for,  ye  see,  my 
father  was  a  'cute  man,  and  knew  something  of  the  world ;  and 
though  he  was  a  droll  devil,  and  could  sing  a  funny  song  when  he 
was  among  the  boys,  no  sooner  had  he  the  big  black  cloak  on  him 
and  the  weepers,  and  he  seated  on  the  high  box  with  the  six  long- 
tailed  blacks  before  him,  you'd  really  think  it  was  his  own  mother 
was  inside,  he  looked  so  melancholy  and  miserable.  The  sexton 
and  gravedigger  was  nothing  to  my  father;  and  he  had  a  look  about 
his  eye — to  be  sure  there  was  a  reason  for  it — that  you'd  think  he 
was  up  all  night  crying ;  though  it's  little  indulgence  he  took  that 
way. 

"  Well,  of  all  Mr.  Callaghan's  men,  there  was  none  so  great  a 
favorite  as  my  father.     The  neighbors  were  all  fond  of  him. 

" '  A  kind  crayture,  every  inch  of  him  !'  the  women  would  say. 
'Did  ye  see  his  face  at  Mrs.  Delany's  funeral?' 


THE  GHOST.  437 

" '  True  for  you/  another  would  remark ;  '  he  mistook  the  road 
with  grief,  and  stopped  at  a  shebeen  house  instead  of  Kilmurry 
church.' 

"  I  need  say  no  more,  only  one  thing :  that  it  was  principally 
among  the  farmers  and  the  country  people  my  father  was  liked  so 
much.  The  great  people  and  the  quality — I  ax  your  pardon ;  but 
sure  isn't  it  true,  Misther  Charles  ? — they  don't  fret  so  much  after 
their  fathers  and  brothers,  and  they  care  little  who's  driving  them, 
whether  it  was  a  decent,  respectable  man  like  my  father,  or  a  chap 
with  a  grin  on  him  like  a  rat-trap.  And  so  it  happened  that  my 
father  used  to  travel  half  the  county,  going  here  and  there  wherever 
there  was  trade  stirring;  and,  faix,  a  man  didn't  think  himself 
rightly  buried  if  my  father  wasn't  there ;  for,  ye  see,  he  knew  all 
about  it ;  he  could  tell  to  a  quart  of  spirits  what  would  be  wanting 
for  a  wake ;  he  knew  all  the  good  criers  for  miles  round ;  and  I've 
heard  it  was  a  beautiful  sight  to  see  him  standing  on  a  hill,  arrang- 
ing the  procession,  as  they  walked  into  the  churchyard,  and  giving 
the  word  like  a  captain. 

"'Come  on,  the  stifF—  now  the  friends  of  the  stiff— now  the 
pop'lace.' 

"  That's  what  he  used  to  say,  and  troth  he  was  always  repeating  it 
when  he  was  a  little  gone  in  drink — for  that's  the  time  his  spirits 
would  rise — and  he'd  think  he  was  burying  half  Munster. 

"And  sure  it  was  a  rale  pleasure  and  a  pride  to  be  buried  in  them 
times ;  for  av  it  was  only  a  small  farmer  with  a  potato  garden,  my 
father  would  come  down  with  the  black  cloak  on  him,  and  three 
yards  of  crape  behind  his  hat,  and  set  all  the  children  crying  and 
yelling  for  half  a  mile  round ;  and  then  the  way  he'd  walk  before 
them  with  a  spade  on  his  shoulder,  and  sticking  it  down  in  the 
ground,  clap  his  hat  on  the  top  of  it,  to  make  it  look  like  a  chief 
mourner.     It  was  a  beautiful  sight !" 

"  But,  Mike,  if  you  indulge  much  longer  in  this  flattering  recol- 
lection of  your  father,  I'm  afraid  we  shall  lose  sight  of  the  ghost  en- 
tirely." 

"  No  fear  in  life,  your  honor ;  I'm  coming  to  him  now.  Well, 
it  was  this  way  it  happened  :  In  the  winter  of  the  great  frost,  about 
forty -two  or  forty -three  years  ago,  the  ould  priest  of  Tulloughmur- 
ray  took  ill  and  died ;  he  was  sixty  years  priest  of  the  parish,  and 
mightily  beloved  by  all  the  people  ;  and  good  reason  for  it — a  plea- 
santer  man,  and  a  more  social  crayture,  never  lived.  'Twas  himself 
was  the  life  of  the  whole  country-side.  A  wedding  or  a  christening 
wasn't  lucky  av  he  wasn't  there,  sitting  at  the  top  of  the  table,  with 
maybe  his  arm  round  the  bride  herself,  or  the  baby  on  his  lap,  a 
smoking  jug  of  punch  before  him,  and  as  much  kindness  in  his  eye 


438  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

as  would  make  the  fortunes  of  twenty  hypocrites  if  they  had  it 
among  them.  And  then  he  was  so  good  to  the  poor;  the  Priory  was 
always  full  of  ould  men  and  ould  women  sitting  around  the  big  fire 
in  the  kitchen,  that  the  cook  could  hardly  get  near  it.  There  they 
were,  eating  their  meals  and  burning  their  shins,  till  they  were 
speckled  like  a  trout's  back,  and  grumbling  all  the  time;  but 
Father  Dwyer  liked  them,  and  he  would  have  them. 

" '  Where  have  they  to  go,'  he'd  say,  '  av  it  wasn't  to  me?  Give 
Molly  Kinshela  a  lock  of  that  bacon.  Tim,  it's  a  could  morning ; 
will  ye  have  a  taste  of  the  dew  V 

"  Ah  !  that's  the  way  he'd  spake  to  them ;  but  sure  goodness  is  no 
warrant  for  living  any  more  than  devilment,  and  so  he  got  could  in 
his  feet  at  a  station,  and  he  rode  home  in  the  heavy  snow  without 
his  big  coat — for  he  gave  it  away  to  a  blind  man  on  the  road.  In 
three  days  he  was  dead. 

"I  see  you're  getting  impatient,  so  I'll  not  stop  to  say  what 
grief  was  in  the  parish  when  it  was  known  ;  but,  troth,  there  never 
was  seen  the  like  before — not  a  crayture  would  lift  a  spade  for  two 
days,  and  there  was  more  whisky  sold  in  that  time  than  at  the  old 
spring  fair.  Well,  on  the  third  day  the  funeral  set  out,  and  never 
was  the  equal  of  it  in  them  parts.  First,  there  was  my  father — he 
came  special  from  Cork  with  the  six  horses  all  in  new  black,  and 
plumes  like  little  poplar  trees ;  then  came  Father  Dwyer,  followed 
by  the  two  coadjutors  in  beautiful  surplices,  walking  bare-headed, 
with  the  little  boys  of  the  Priory  school,  two  and  two." 

"  Well,  Mike,  I'm  sure  it  was  very  fine ;  but,  for  Heaven's  sake, 
spare  me  all  these  descriptions,. and  get  on  to  the  ghost." 

"  'Faith,  your  honor's  in  a  great  hurry  for  the  ghost — maybe  ye 
won't  like  him  when  ye  have  him ;  but  I'll  go  faster,  av  you  plase. 
Well,  Father  Dwyer,  ye  see,  was  born  at  Aghan-lish,  of  an  ould 
family,  and  he  left  it  in  his  will  that  he  was  to  be  buried  in  the 
family  vault ;  and  as  Aghan-lish  was  eighteen  miles  up  the  moun- 
tains, it  was  getting  late  when  they  drew  near.  By  that  time  the 
great  procession  was  all  broke  up  and  gone  home.  The  coadjutors 
stopped  to  dine  at  the  '  Blue  Bellows,'  at  the  cross-roads.  The  little 
boys  took  to  pelting  snowballs,  there  was  a  fight  or  two  on  the  way 
besides,  and,  in  fact,  except  an  ould  deaf  fellow  that  my  father  took 
to  mind  the  horses,  he  was  quite  alone.  Not  that  he  minded  that 
same;  for  when  the  crowd  was  gone,  my  father  began  to  sing  a  droll 
song,  and  tould  the  deaf  chap  that  it  was  a  lamentation.  At  last 
they  came  in  sight  of  Aghan-lish.  It  was  a  lonesome,  melancholy- 
looking  place,  with  nothing  near  it  except  two  or  three  ould  fir- 
trees,  and  a  small  slated  house  with  one  window,  where  the  sexton 
lived,  and  even  that  was  shut  up,  and  had  a  padlock  on  the  door. 


THE  GHOST.  439 

Well,  my  father  was  not  over-much  pleased  with  the  look  of  mat- 
ters, but  as  he  was  never  hard  put  to  what  to  do,  he  managed  to  get 
the  coffin  into  the  vestry;  and  then,  when  he  unharnessed  the 
horses,  he  sent  the  deaf  fellow  with  them  down  to  the  village,  to 
tell  the  priest  that  the  corpse  was  there,  and  to  come  up  early  in  the 
morning  and  perform  mass.  The  next  thing  to  do  was  to  make  him- 
self comfortable  for  the  night ;  and  then  he  made  a  roaring  fire  on 
the  ould  hearth, — for  there  was  plenty  of  bog-fir  there, — closed  the 
windows  with  the  black  cloaks,  and,  wrapping  two  round  himself,  he 
sat  down  to  cook  a  little  supper  he  brought  with  him  in  case  of  need. 

"Well,  you  may  think  it  was  melancholy  enough  to  pass  the 
night  up  there  alone,  with  a  corpse  in  an  old  ruined  church  in  the 
middle  of  the  mountains,  the  wind  howling  about  on  every  side  and 
the  snowdrift  beating  against  the  walls ;  but  as  the  fire  burned 
brightly,  and  the  little  plate  of  rashers  and  eggs  smoked  temptingly 
before  him,  my  father  mixed  a  jug  of  the  strongest  punch,  and  sat 
down  as  happy  as  a  king.  As  long  as  he  was  eating  away,  he  had 
no  time  to  be  thinking  of  anything  else ;  but  when  all  was  done,  and 
he  looked  about  him,  he  began  to  feel  very  low  and  melancholy  in 
his  heart.  There  was  the  great  black  coffin  on  three  chairs  in  one 
corner ;  and  then  the  mourning  cloaks  that  he  had  stuck  up  against 
the  windows  moved  backward  and  forward  like  living  things  ;  and, 
outside,  the  wild  cry  of  the  plover  as  he  flew  past,  and  the  night- 
owl  sitting  in  a  nook  of  the  old  church.  '  I  wish  it  was  morning, 
anyhow,'  said  my  father,  '  for  this  is  a  lonesome  place  to  be  in ;  and, 
faix,  he'll  be  a  cunning  fellow  that  catches  me  passing  the  night 
this  way  again.'  Now,  there  was  one  thing  distressed  him  most 
of  all, — my  father  used  always  to  make  fun  of  the  ghosts  and 
sperits  the  neighbors  would  tell  of,  pretending  there  was  no  such 
thing  ;  and  now  the  thought  came  to  him,  '  Maybe  they'll  revenge 
themselves  on  me  to-night  when  they  have  me  up  here  alone ;'  and 
with  that  he  made  a  jug  stronger  than  the  first,  and  tried  to  remem- 
ber a  few  prayers  in  case  of  need,  but  somehow  his  mind  was  not 
too  clear,  and  he  said  afterwards  he  was  always  mixing  up  ould 
songs  and  toasts  with  the  prayers,  and  when  he  thought  he  had  just 
got  hold  of  a  beautiful  psalm,  it  would  turn  out  to  be  '  Tatter  Jack 
Welsh,'  or  '  Limping  James,'  or  something  like  that.  The  storm, 
meanwhile,  was  rising  every  moment,  and  parts  of  the  old  abbey 
were  falling,  as  the  wind  shook  the  ruin,  and  my  father's  spirits, 
notwithstanding  the  punch,  were  lower  than  ever. 

"  '  I  made  it  too  weak,'  said  he,  as  he  set  to  work  on  a  new  jorum; 
and,  troth,  this  time  that  was  not  the  fault  of  it,  for  the  first  sup 
nearly  choked  him. 

"  'Ah  !'  said  he  now,  '  I  knew  what  it  was  ;  this  is  like  the  thing ; 


440  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

and,  Mr.  Free,  you  are  beginning  to  feel  easy  and  comfortable.  Pass 
the  jug.  Your  very  good  health  and  song.  I'm  a  little  hoarse,  it's 
true,  but  if  the  company  will  excuse ' 

"And  then  he  began  knocking  on  the  table  with  his  knuckles  as 
if  there  was  a  room  full  of  people  asking  him  to  sing.  In  short,  my 
father  was  drunk  as  a  fiddler ;  the  last  brew  finished  him ;  and  he 
began  roaring  away  all  kinds  of  droll  songs,  and  telling  all  manner 
of  stories,  as  if  he  was  at  a  great  party. 

"  While  he  was  capering  this  way  about  the  room,  he  knocked 
down  his  hat,  and  with  it  a  pack  of  cards  he  put  into  it  before  leav- 
ing home,  for  he  was  mighty  fond  of  a  game. 

"  '  Will  ye  take  a  hand,  Mr.  Free  ?'  said  he,  as  he  gathered  them 
up  and  sat  down  beside  the  fire. 

"  '  I'm  convanient,'  said  he,  and  began  dealing  out  as  if  there  was 
a  partner  forninst  him. 

"When  my  father  used  to  get  this  far  in  the  story,  he  became  very 
confused.  He  says  that  once  or  twice  he  mistook  the  liquor,  and 
took  a  pull  at  the  bottle  of  potteen  instead  of  the  punch ;  and  the 
last  thing  he  remembers  was  asking  poor  Father  Dwyer  if  he  would 
draw  near  to  the  fire,  and  not  be  lying  there  near  the  door. 

"  With  that  he  slipped  down  on  the  ground  and  fell  fast  asleep. 
How  long  he  lay  that  way  he  could  never  tell.  When  he  awoke 
and  looked  up,  his  hair  nearly  stood  on  an  end  with  fright.  What 
do  you  think  he  seen  forninst  him,  sitting  at  the  other  side  of  the 
fire,  but  Father  Dwyer  himself.  There  he  was,  divil  a  lie  in  it, 
wrapped  up  in  one  of  the  mourning  cloaks,  trying  to  warm  his  hands 
at  the  fire. 

"  'Salve  hoc  nomine  patriP  said  my  father,  crossing  himself; '  av  it's 
your  ghost,  God  presarve  me  !' 

"  '  Good  evening  t'ye,  Mr.  Free,'  said  the  ghost;  'and  av  I  might 
be  bould,  what's  in  the  jug  V — for  ye  see  my  father  had  it  under  his 
arm  fast,  and  never  let  it  go  when  he  was  asleep. 

"  'Pater  nosier  qui  es  in — potteen,  sir,'  said  my  father  ;  for  the  ghost 
didn't  look  pleased  at  his  talking  Latin. 

" '  Ye  might  have  had  the  politeness  to  ax  if  one  had  a  mouth  on 
him,  then,'  says  the  ghost. 

" '  Sure,  I  didn't  think  the  like  of  you  would  taste  sperits.' 

"  '  Try  me,'  says  the  ghost ;  and  with  that  he  filled  out  a  glass  and 
tossed  it  off  like  a  Christian. 

"  '  Beamish  !'  says  the  ghost,  smacking  his  lips. 

"  'The  same,'  says  my  father;  'and  sure  what's  happened  you  has 
not  spoiled  your  taste.' 

"  '  If  you'd  mix  a  little  hot,'  says  the  ghost,  '  I'm  thinking  it  would 
be  better  •;  the  night  is  mighty  sevare.' 


THE  GHOST.  441 

•  "'Anything  that  your  reverance  plases,'  says  my  father;  as  he 
began  to  blow  up  a  good  fire  to  boil  the  water. 

"  'And  what  news  is  stirring  ?'  says  the  ghost. 

"  '  Devil  a  word,  your  reverance :  your  own  funeral  was  the  only 
thing  doing  last  week ;  times  is  bad ;  except  the  measles,  there's 
nothing  in  our  parts.' 

"  'And  we're  quite  dead  hereabouts,  too,'  says  the  ghost. 

"  '  There's  some  of  us  so,  anyhow,'  says  my  father,  with  a  sly  look. 
'  Taste  that,  your  reverance.' 

" '  Pleasant  and  refreshing,'  says  the  ghost.  'And  now,  Mr.  Free, 
what  do  you  say  to  a  little  spoilt  five,  or  beggar  my  neighbor  ?' 

"'What  will  we  play  for?'  says  my  father;  for  a  thought  just 
struck  him — '  maybe  it's  some  trick  of  the  devil  to  catch  my  soul.' 

"  'A  pint  of  Beamish,'  says  the  ghost. 

" '  Done  !'  says  my  father ;  \  cut  for  deal ;  the  ace  of  clubs ;  you 
have  it.' 

"  Now,  the  whole  time  the  ghost  was  dealing  the  cards  my  father 
never  took  his  eyes  off  of  him,  for  he  wasn't  quite  asy  in  his  mind 
at  all ;  but  when  he  saw  him  turn  up  the  trump,  and  take  a  strong 
drink  afterwards,  he  got  more  at  ease,  and  began  the  game. 

"  How  long  they  played  it  was  never  rightly  known  ;  but  one 
thing  is  sure,  they  drank  a  cruel  deal  of  sperits ;  three  quart  bot- 
tles my  father  brought  with  him  were  all  finished,  and  by  that  time 
his  brain  was  so  confused  with  the  liquor,  and  all  he  lost — for 
somehow  he  never  won  a  game — that  he  was  getting  very  quarrel- 
some. 

"  •  You  have  your  own  luck  to  it,'  says  he,  at  last. 

"  '  True  for  you ;  and,  besides,  we  play  a  great  deal  where  I  come 
from.' 

" '  I've  heard  so,'  says  my  father.  '  I  lead  the  knave,  sir;  spades! 
Bad  cess  to  it,  lost  again !' 

"Now  it  was  really  very  distressing;  for  by  this  time,  though 
they  only  began  for  a  pint  of  Beamish,  my  father  went  on  betting 
till  he  lost  the  hearse  and  all  the  six  horses,  mourning  cloaks, 
plumes,  and  everything. 

"  '  Are  you  tired,  Mr.  Free?    Maybe  you'd  like  to  stop?' 

"  '  Stop !  faith  it's  a  nice  time  to  stop ;  of  course  not.' 

"  '  Well,  what  will  ye  play  for  now  V 

"  The  way  he  said  these  words  brought  a  trembling  all  over  my 
father,  and  his  blood  curdled  in  his  heart.  '  Oh,  murther  !'  says  he 
to  himself, '  it's  my  sowl  he  is  wanting  all  the  time.' 

"  ■  I've  mighty  little  left/  says  my  father,  looking  at  him  keenly, 
while  he  kept  shuffling  the  cards  quick  as  lightning. 

"  '  Mighty  little ;  no  matter,  we'll  give  you  plenty  of  time  to  pay ; 


442  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

and  if  you  can't  do  it,  it  shall  never  trouble  you  as  long  as  you 
live.' 

"  '  Oh,  you  murthering  devil !'  says  my  father,  flying  at  him  with 
a  spade  that  he  had  behind  his  chair,  f  I've  found  you  out.' 

"  With  one  blow  he  knocked  him  down  ;  and  now  a  terrible  fight 
began,  for  the  ghost  was  very  strong  too ;  but  my  father's  blood  was 
up,  and  he'd  have  faced  the  devil  himself  then.  They  rolled  over 
each  other  several  times,  the  broken  bottles  cutting  them  to  pieces, 
and  the  chairs  and  tables  crashing  under  them.  At  last  the  ghost 
took  the  bottle  that  lay  on  the  hearth,  and  levelled  my  father  to 
the  ground  with  one  blow.  Down  he  fell,  and  the  bottle  and  the 
whisky  were  both  dashed  into  the  fire ;  that  was  the  end  of  it,  for 
the  ghost  disappeared  that  moment  in  a  blue  flame  that  nearly  set 
fire  to  my  father  as  he  lay  on  the  floor. 

"  Och !  it  was  a  cruel  sight  to  see  him  next  morning,  with  his 
cheek  cut  open  and  his  hands  all  bloody,  lying  there  by  himself; 
all  the  broken  glass,  and  the  cards  all  round  him ;  the  coffin,  too, 
was  knocked  down  off  the  chair :  maybe  the  ghost  had  trouble  get- 
ting into  it.  However  that  was,  the  funeral  was  put  off  for  a  day; 
for  my  father  couldn't  speak  ;  and  as  for  the  sexton,  it  was  a  queer 
thing,  but  when  they  came  to  call  him  in  the  morning,  he  had  two 
black  eyes,  and  a  gash  over  his  ear,  and  he  never  knew  how  he  got 
them.  It  was  easy  enough  to  know  the  ghost  did  it ;  but  my  father 
kept  the  secret,  and  never  told  it  to  any  man,  woman  or  child  in 
them  parts." 


CHAPTER    XI. 

LISBON. 

I  HAVE  little  po>ver  to  trace  the  events  which  occupied  the 
succeeding  three  weeks  of  my  history.  The  lingering  fever 
which  attended  my  wound  detained  me  during  that  time  at  the 
chateau ;  and  when  at  last  I  did  leave  for  Lisbon,  the  winter  was 
already  beginning,  and  it  was  upon  a  cold  raw  evening  that  I  once 
more  took  possession  of  my  old  quarters  at  the  Quay  de  Soderi. 

My  eagerness  and  anxiety  to  learn  something  of  the  campaign 
was  ever  uppermost,  and  no  sooner  had  I  reached  my  destination 
than  I  despatched  Mike  to  the  Quartermaster's  office  to  pick  up  some 
news,  and  hear  which  of  my  friends  and  brother  officers  were  then 
at  Lisbon.  I  was  sitting  in  a  state  of  nervous  impatience  watching 
for  his  return,  when  at  length  I  heard  footsteps  approaching  my 


LISBON.  443 

room,  and  the  next  moment  Mike's  voice,  saying,  "  The  ould  room, 
sir,  where  he  was  before."  The  door  suddenly  opened,  and  my  friend 
Power  stood  before  me. 

"  Charley,  my  boy  !" — "  Fred,  my  fine  fellow !"  was  all  either 
could  say  for  some  minutes.  Upon  my  part,  the  recollection  of  his 
bold  and  manly  bearing  in  my  behalf  choked  all  utterance ;  while, 
upon  his,  my  haggard  cheek  and  worn  look  produced  an  effect  so 
sudden  and  unexpected  that  he  became  speechless. 

In  a  few  minutes,  however,  we  both  rallied,  and  opened  our  store 
of  mutual  remembrances  since  we  parted.  My  career  I  found  he 
was  perfectly  familiar  with,  and  his  consisted  of  nothing  but  one 
unceasing  round  of  gayety  and  pleasure.  Lisbon  had  been  delight- 
ful during  the  summer ;  parties  to  Cintra,  excursions  through  the 
surrounding  country,  were  of  daily  occurrence ;  and  as  my  friend 
was  a  favorite  everywhere,  his  life  was  one  of  continued  amusement. 

"  Do  you  know,  Charley,  had  it  been  any  other  man  than  your- 
self, I  should  not  have  spared  him  ;  for  I  have  fallen  head  over  ears 
in  love  with  your  little  dark-eyed  Portuguese." 

"  Ah !  Donna  Inez,  you  mean  ?" 

"  Yes,  it  is  she  I  mean,  and  you  need  not  affect  such  an  air  of 
uncommon  nonchalance.  She's  the  loveliest  girl  in  Lisbon,  and  with 
fortune  to  pay  off  all  the  mortgages  in  Connemara." 

"  Oh,  faith  I  I  admire  her  amazingly ;  but,  as  I  never  flattered 
myself  upon  any  preference " 

"  Come,  come,  Charley,  no  concealment,  my  old  fellow ;  every  one 
knows  the  thing's  settled.  Your  old  friend  Sir  George  Dashwood 
told  me  yesterday." 

"  Yesterday !     Why,  is  he  here — at  Lisbon  ?" 

"  To  be  sure  he  is ;  didn't  I  tell  you  that  before  ?  confound  it ! 
what  a  head  I  have!  Why,  man,  he's  come  out  as  Deputy 
Adjutant-General ;  but  for  him  I  should  not  have  got  renewed 
leave." 

"And  Miss  Dashwood,  is  she  here  ?" 

"  Yes,  she  came  with  him.  By  Jove,  how  handsome  she  is  !  quite 
a  different  style  of  thing  from  our  dark  friend,  but,  to  my  thinking, 
even  handsomer.     Hammersley  seems  of  my  opinion,  too." 

"  How !  is  Hammersley  at  Lisbon?" 

"  On  the  staff  here.  But,  confound  it,  what  makes  you  so  red  . 
you  have  no  ill  feeling  towards  him  now.  I  know  he  speaks  most 
warmly  of  you ;  no  later  than  last  night,  at  Sir  George's " 

What  Power  was  about  to  add  I  know  not,  for  I  sprang  from  my 
chair  with  a  sudden  start,  and  walked  to  the  window  to  conceal  my 
agitation  from  him. 

"And  so,"  said   I,  at  length  regaining  my  composure  in  some 


444  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

measure,  "  Sir  George  also  spoke  of  my  name  in  connection  with 
the  Senhora  ?" 

"  To  be  sure  he  did.  All  Lisbon  does.  Why,  what  can  you  mean  ? 
But  I  see,  my  dear  boy ;  you  know  you  are  not  of  the  strongest ; 
and  we've  been  talking  far  too  long.  Come  now,  Charley,  I'll  say 
good-night.  I'll  be  with  you  at  breakfast  to-morrow,  and  tell  you 
all  the  gossip  ;  meanwhile,  promise  me  to  get  quietly  to  bed,  and  so 
good-night." 

Such  was  the  conflicting  state  of  feeling  I  suffered  from,  that  I 
made  no  effort  to  detain  Power.  I  longed  to  be  once  more  alone,  to 
think — calmly,  if  I  could — over  the  position  I  stood  in,  and  to  re- 
solve upon  my  plans  for  the  future. 

My  love  for  Lucy  Dash  wood  had  been  long  rather  a  devotion  than 
a  hope.  My  earliest  dawn  of  manly  ambition  was  associated  with 
the  first  hour  I  met  her.  She  it  was  who  first  touched  my  boyish 
heart,  and  suggested  a  sense  of  chivalrous  ardor  within  me ;  and, 
even  though  lost  to  me  forever,  I  could  still  regard  her  as  the  main- 
spring of  my  actions,  and  dwell  upon  my  passion  as  the  thing  that 
hallowed  every  enterprise  of  my  life. 

In  a  word,  my  love,  however  little  it  might  reach  her  heart,  was 
everything  to  mine.  It  was  the  worship  of  the  devotee  to  his  pro- 
tecting saint.  It  was  the  faith  that  made  me  rise  above  every  mis- 
fortune and  mishap,  and  led  me  onward  ;  and  in  this  way  I  could 
have  borne  anything,  everything,  rather  than  the  imputation  of 
fickleness. 

Lucy  might  not — nay,  I  felt  she  did  not — love  me.  It  was  possible 
that  some  other  was  preferred  before  me ;  but  to  doubt  my  own  affec- 
tion, to  suspect  my  own  truth,  was  to  destroy  all  the  charm  of  my 
existence,  and  to  extinguish  within  me  forever  the  enthusiasm  that 
made  me  a  hero  to  my  own  heart. 

It  may  seem  but  poor  philosophy,  but,  alas !  how  many  of  our 
happiest,  how  many  of  our  brightest  thoughts  here  are  but  delusions 
like  this !  This  dayspring  of  youth  gilds  the  tops  of  the  distant 
mountains  before  us,  and  many  a  weary  day  through  life,  when 
clouds  and  storms  are  thickening  around  us,  we  live  upon  the  mere 
memory  of  the  past.  Some  fast-flitting  prospect  of  a  bright  future, 
some  passing  glimpse  of  a  sunlit  valley,  tinges  all  our  after-years. 

It  is  true  that  he  will  suffer  fewer  disappointments,  he  will  incur 
fewer  of  the  mishaps  of  the  world,  who  indulges  in  no  fancies  such 
as  these ;  but  equally  true  is  it  that  he  will  taste  none  of  that  exu- 
berant happiness  which  is  that  man's  portion  who  weaves  out  a 
story  of  his  life,  and  who,  in  connecting  the  promise  of  early  years 
with  the  performance  of  later,  will  seek  to  fulfil  a  fate  and  destiny. 

Weaving  such  fancies,  I  fell  sound  asleep,  nor  woke  before  the 


LISBON.  445 

stir  and  bustle  of  the  great  city  aroused  me.  Power,  I  found,  had 
been  twice  to  my  quarters  that  morning,  but,  fearing  to  disturb  me, 
had  merely  left  a  few  lines  to  say  that,  as  he  should  be  engaged  on 
service  during  the  day,  we  could  not  meet  before  the  evening.  There 
were  certain  preliminaries  requisite  regarding  my  leave  which  de- 
manded my  appearing  before  a  board  of  medical  officers,  and  I  im- 
mediately set  about  dressing,  resolving  that,  as  soon  as  they  were 
completed,  I  should,  if  permitted,  retire  to  one  of  the  small  cottages 
on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Tagus,  there  to  remain  until  my  restored 
health  allowed  me  to  rejoin  my  regiment. 

I  dreaded  meeting  the  Dashwoods.  I  anticipated  with  a  heavy 
heart  how  effectually  one  passing  interview  would  destroy  all  my 
day-dreams  of  happiness,  and  I  preferred  anything  to  the  sad  con- 
viction of  hopelessness  such  a  meeting  must  lead  to. 

While  I  thus  balanced  with  myself  how  to  proceed,  a  gentle  step 
came  to  the  door,  and  as  it  opened  slowly,  a  servant  in  a  dark  livery 
entered. 

"Mr.  O'Malley,  sir?" 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  wondering  to  whom  my  arrival  could  be  thus  early 
known. 

"  Sir  George  Dashwood  requests  you  will  step  over  to  him  as  soon 
as  you  go  out,"  continued  the  man  ;  "  he  is  so  engaged  that  he  can- 
not leave  home,  but  is  most  desirous  to  see  you." 

"  It  is  not  far  from  here  ?" 

"  No,  sir ;  scarcely  five  minutes'  walk." 

"Well,  then,  if  you  will  show  me  the  way,  I'll  follow  you." 

I  cast  one  passing  glance  at  myself  to  see  that  all  was  right  about 
my  costume,  and  sallied  forth. 

In  the  middle  of  the  Black  Horse-square,  at  the  door  of  a  large 
stone-fronted  building,  a  group  of  military  men  were  assembled, 
chatting  and  laughing  away  together ;  some  were  reading  the  lately- 
arrived  English  papers  ;  others  were  lounging  upon  the  stone  para- 
pet, carelessly  puffing  their  cigars.  None  of  the  faces  were  known 
to  me  ;  so  threading  my  way  through  the  crowd,  I  reached  the  steps. 
Just  as  I  did  so,  a  half-muttered  whisper  met  my  ear : 

"  Who  did  you  say  ?" 

"  O'Malley,  the  young  Irishman  who  behaved  so  gallantly  at  the 
Douro." 

The  blood  rushed  hotly  to  my  cheek ;  my  heart  bounded  with  ex- 
ultation ;  my  step,  infirm  and  tottering  but  a  moment  before,  became 
fixed  and  steady,  and  1  felt  a  thrill  of  proud  enthusiasm  playing 
through  my  veins.  How  little  did  the  speaker  of  those  few  and  ran- 
dom words  know  what  courage  he  had  given  to  a  drooping  heart, 
what  renewed  energy  to  a  breaking  spirit !    The  voice  of  praise,  too, 


446  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

coming  from  those  to  whom  we  had  thought  ourselves  unknown,  has 
a  magic  about  it  that  must  be  felt  to  be  understood.  So  it  happened 
that  in  a  few  seconds  a  revolution  had  taken  place  in  all  my  thoughts 
and  feelings,  and  I,  who  had  left  my  quarters  dispirited  and  de- 
pressed, now  walked  confidently  and  proudly  forward. 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  the  servant  to  the  officer  in  waiting,  as  we 
entered  the  ante-chamber. 

"Ah  I  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  the  aide-de-camp,  in  blandest  accent, 
"I  hope  you're  better.  Sir  George  is  most  anxious  to  see  you  ;  he 
is  at  present  engaged  with  the  staff " 

A  bell  rang  at  the  moment,  and  cut  short  the  sentence :  he  flew 
to  the  door  of  the  inner  room,  and,  returning  in  an  instant,  said, — 

"  Will  you  follow  me  ?     This  way,  if  you  please." 

The  room  was  crowded  with  general  officers  and  aides-de-camp,  so 
that  for  a  second  or  two  I  could  not  distinguish  the  parties ;  but  no 
sooner  was  my  name  announced,  than  Sir  George  Dashwood,  forcing 
his  way  through,  rushed  forward  to  meet  me. 

"  O'Malley,  my  brave  fellow!  delighted  to  shake  your  hand  again ! 
How  much  grown  you  are — twice  the  man  I  knew  you !  and  the  arm, 
too,  is  it  getting  on  well  ?" 

Scarcely  giving  me  a  moment  to  reply,  and  still  holding  my  hand 
tightly  in  his  grasp,  he  introduced  me  on  every  side. 

"  My  young  Irish  friend,  Sir  Edward,  the  man  of  the  Douro.  My 
lord,  allow  me  to  present  Lieutenant  O'Malley,  of  the  14th. " 

"  A  very  dashing  thing,  that  of  yours,  sir,  at  Ciudad  Rodrigo." 

"  A  very  senseless  one,  I  fear,  my  lord." 

"  No,  no,  I  don't  agree  with  you  at  all ;  even  when  no  great  results 
follow,  the  morale  of  an  army  benefits  by  acts  of  daring." 

A  running  fire  of  kind  and  civil  speeches  poured  in  on  me  from 
all  quarters,  and,  amid  all  that  crowd  of  bronzed  and  war-worn 
veterans,  I  felt  myself  the  lion  of  the  moment.  Craufurd,  it  appeared, 
had  spoken  most  handsomely  of  my  name,  and  I  was  thus  made 
known  to  many  of  those  whose  own  reputations  were  then  extend- 
ing over  Europe. 

In  this  happy  trance  of  excited  pleasure  I  passed  the  morning. 
Amid  the  military  chit-chat  of  the  day  around  me,  treated  as  an 
equal  by  the  greatest  and  the  most  distinguished,  I  heard  all  the 
confidential  opinions  upon  the  campaign  and  its  leaders ;  and  in 
that  most  entrancing  of  all  flatteries — the  easy  tone  of  companion- 
ship of  our  elders  and  betters — forgot  my  griefs,  and  half  believed  I 
was  destined  for  great  things. 

Fearing  at  length  that  I  had  prolonged  my  visit  too  far,  I  ap- 
proached Sir  George  to  take  my  leave,  when,  drawing  my  arm  within 
his,  he  retired  towards  one  of  the  windows. 


.      LISBON.  447 

"  A  word,  O'Malley,  before  you  go.  I've  arranged  a  little  plan 
for  you ;  mind,  I  shall  insist  upon  obedience.  They'll  make  some 
difficulty  about  your  remaining  here,  so  that  I  have  appointed  you 
one  of  our  extra  aides-de-camp.  That  will  free  you  from  all  trouble, 
and  I  shall  not  be  very  exacting  in  my  demands  upon  you.  You 
must,  however,  commence  your  duties  to-day,  and  as  we  dine  at 
•seven  precisely,  I  shall  expect  you.  I  am  aware  of  your  wish  to 
stay  in  Lisbon,  my  boy,  and,  if  all  I  hear  be  true,  congratulate  you 
sincerely ;  but  more  of  this  another  time,  and  so  good-bye."  So  say- 
ing, he  shook  my  hand  once  more,  warmly ;  and  without  well  feel- 
ing how  or  why,  I  found  myself  in  the  street. 

The  last  few  words  Sir  George  had  spoken  threw  a  gloom  over  all 
my  thoughts.  I  saw  at  once  that  the  report  Power  had  alluded  to 
had  gained  currency  at  Lisbon.  Sir  George  believed  it ;  doubtless 
Lucy,  too ;  and,  forgetting  in  an  instant  all  the  emulative  ardor  that 
so  lately  stirred  my  heart,  I  took  my  path  beside  the  river,  and  saun- 
tered slowly  along,  lost  in  my  reflections. 

I  had  walked  for  above  an  hour,  before  paying  any  attention  to 
the  path  I  followed.  Mechanically,  as  it  were,  retreating  from  the 
noise  and  tumult  of  the  city,  I  wandered  towards  the  country.  My 
thoughts  fixed  but  upon  one  theme,  I  had  neither  ears  nor  eyes  for 
aught  around  me  ;  the  great  difficulty  of  my  present  position  now 
appearing  to  me  in  this  light — my  attachment  to  Lucy  Dashwood, 
unrequited  and  un returned  as  I  felt  it,  did  not  permit  of  my  rebut- 
ting any  report  which  might  have  reached  her  concerning  Donna 
Inez.  I  had  no  right,  no  claim  to  suppose  her  sufficiently  interested 
about  me  to  listen  to  such  an  explanation,  had  I  even  the  opportu- 
nity to  make  it.  One  thing  was  thus  clear  to  me — all  my  hopes  had 
ended  in  that  quarter ;  and  as  this  conclusion  sank  into  my  mind,  a 
species  of  dogged  resolution  to  brave  my  fortune  crept  over  me, 
which  only  waited  the  first  moment  of  my  meeting  her  to  overthrow 
and  destroy  forever. 

Meanwhile  I  walked  on ;  now  rapidly,  at  some  momentary  rush 
of  passionate  excitement;  now  slowly,  as  some  depressing  and 
gloomy  notion  succeeded  ;  when  suddenly  my  path  was  arrested  by 
a  long  file  of  bullock  cars  which  blocked  up  the  way.  Some  chance 
squabble  had  arisen  among  the  drivers,  and  to  avoid  the  crowd  and 
collision,  I  turned  into  a  gateway  which  opened  beside  me,  and  soon 
found  myself  in  a  lawn  handsomely  planted,  and  adorned  with 
flowering  shrubs  and  ornamental  trees. 

In  the  half-dreamy  state  my  musings  had  brought  me  to,  I  strug- 
gled to  recollect  why  the  aspect  of  the  place  did  not  seem  altogether 
new.  My  thoughts  were,  however,  far  away — now  blending  some 
memory  of  my  distant  home  with  scenes  of  battle  and  bloodshed,  or 


448  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

resting  upon  my  first  interview  with  her  whose  chance  word,  care- 
lessly and  lightly  spoken,  had  written  the  story  of  my  life.  From 
this  reverie  I  was  rudely  awakened  by  a  rustling  noise  in  the  trees 
behind  me,  and  before  I  could  turn  my  head,  the  two  fore  paws  of 
a  large  stag-hound  were  planted  upon  my  shoulders,  while  the  open 
mouth  and  panting  tongue  were  close  beside  my  face.  My  day- 
dream was  dispelled  quick  •  as  lightning ;  it  was  Juan  himself,  the 
favorite  dog  of  the  Senhora,  who  gave  me  this  rude  welcome,  and 
who  now,  by  a  thousand  wild  gestures  and  bounding  caresses, 
seemed  to  do  the  honors  of  his  house.  There  was  something  so  like 
home  in  these  joyful  greetings,  that  I  yielded  myself  at  once  his 
prisoner,  and  followed,  or  rather  was  accompanied  by  him  towards 
the  villa. 

Of  course,  sooner  or  later,  I  should  have  called  upon  my  kind 
friends,  then  why  not  now,  when  chance  had  already  brought  me  so 
near  ?  Besides,  if  I  held  to  my  resolution,  which  I  meant  to  do — of 
retiring  to  some  quiet  and  sequestered  cottage  till  my  health  was 
restored — the  opportunity  might  not  readily  present  itself  again. 
This  line  of  argument  perfectly  satisfied  my  reason,  while  a  strong 
feeling  of  something  like  curiosity  piqued  me  to  proceed,  and  before 
many  minutes  elapsed  I  reached  the  house.  The  door,  as  usual,  lay 
wide  open,  and  the  ample  hall,  furnished  like  a  sitting-room,  had  its 
customary  litter  of  books,  music,  and  flowers  scattered  upon  the 
tables.  My  friend  Juan,  however,  suffered  me  not  to  linger  here, 
but  rushing  furiously  at  a  door  before  me,  began  a  vigorous  attack 
for  admittance. 

As  I  knew  this  to  be  the  drawing-room,  I  opened  the  door  and 
walked  in,  but  no  one  was  to  be  seen  ;  a  half-open  book  lay  upon  an 
ottoman,  and  a  fan,  which  I  recognized  as  an  old  acquaintance,  was 
beside  it,  but  the  owner  was  absent. 

I  sat  down,  resolved  to  wait  patiently  for  her  coming,  without  any 
announcement  of  my  being  there.  I  was  not  sorry,  indeed,  to  have 
some  moments  to  collect  my  thoughts,  and  restore  my  erring  facul- 
ties to  something  like  order. 

As  I  looked  about  the  room,  it  seemed  as  if  I  had  been  there  but 
yesterday.  The  folding-doors  lay  open  to  the  garden,  just  as  I  had 
seen  them  last,  and  save  that  the  flowers  seemed  fewer,  and  those 
which  remained  of  a  darker  and  more  sombre  tint,  all  seemed  un- 
changed. There  lay  the  guitar,  to  whose  thrilling  chords  my  heart 
had  bounded ;  there,  the  drawing,  over  which  I  had  bent  in  admi- 
ring pleasure,  suggesting  some  tints  of  light  or  shadow,  as  the  fairy 
fingers  traced  them ;  every  chair  was  known  to  me,  and  I  greeted 
them  as  things  I  cared  for. 

While  thus  I  scanned  each  object  around  me,  I  was  struck  by  a 


LISBON.  441) 

little  china  vase,  which,  unlike  its  other  brethren,  contained  a  bou- 
quet of  dead  and  faded  flowers ;  the  blood  rushed  to  my  cheek ;  I 
started  up ;  it  was  one  I  had  myself  presented  to  her  the  day  before 
we  parted.  It  was  in  that  same  vase  I  placed  it ;  the  very  table,  too, 
stood  in  the  same  position  beside  that  narrow  window.  What  a  rush 
of  thoughts  came  pouring  on  me  !  And  oh  !  shall  I  confess  it  ?  how 
deeply  did  such  a  mute  testimony  of  remembrance  speak  to  my 
heart,  at  the  moment  that  I  felt  myself  unloved  and  uncared  for  by 
another !  I  walked  hurriedly  up  and  down,  a  maze  of  conflicting 
resolves  combating  in  my  mind,  while  one  thought  ever  recurred — 
"  Would  that  I  had  not  come  here !"  and  yet,  after  all,  it  may  mean 
nothing ;  some  piece  of  passing  coquetry,  which  she  will  be  the  very 
first  to  laugh  at.  I  remember  how  she  spoke  of  poor  Howard  ;  what 
folly  to  take  it  otherwise!  "Be  it  so,  then,"  said  I,  half  aloud; 
"  and  now  for  my  part  of  the  game ;"  and  with  this  I  took  from  my 
pocket  the  light  blue  scarf  she  had  given  me  the  morning  we  parted, 
and,  throwing  it  over  my  shoulder,  prepared  to  perform  my  part  in 
what  I  had  fully  persuaded  myself  to  be  a  comedy.  The  time,  how- 
ever, passed  on,  and  she  came  not ;  a  thousand  high-flown  Portu- 
guese phrases  had  time  to  be  conned -over  again  and  again  by  me,  and 
I  had  abundant  leisure  to  enact  my  coming  part;  but  still  the  curtain 
did  not  rise.  As  the  day  was  wearing,  I  resolved  at  last  to  write  a 
few  lines,  expressive  of  my  regret  at  not  meeting  her,  and  promising 
myself  an  early  opportunity  of  paying  my  respects  under  more  for- 
tunate circumstances.  I  sat  down,  accordingly,  and,  drawing  the 
paper  towards  me,  began,  in  a  mixture  of  French  and  Portuguese,  as 
it  happened,  to  indite  my  billet. 

"  Senhora  Inez" — no — "  Ma  chere  Mademoiselle  Inez" — confound 
it,  that's  too  intimate;  well,  here  goes — "Monsieur  O'Malley  pre- 
sente  ses  respects" — that  will  never  do  ;  and  then,  after  twenty  other 
abortive  attempts,  I  began  thoughtlessly  sketching  heads  upon  the 
paper,  and  scribbling  with  wonderful  facility  in  fifty  different  ways — 
"  Ma  charmante  amie — Ma  plus  chere  Inez,"  &c,  and  in  this  most 
useful  and  profitable  occupation  did  I  pass  another  half  hour. 

How  long  I  should  have  persisted  in  such  an  employment  it  is 
difficult  to  say,  had  not  an  incident  intervened  which  suddenly  but 
most  effectually  put  an  end  to  it.  As  the^circumstance  is  one  which, 
however  little  striking  in  itself,  had  the  greatest  and  most  lasting 
influence  upon  my  future  career,  I  shall  perhaps  be  excused  for  de- 
voting another  chapter  to  its  recital. 


29 


450  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER    XII. 

A  PLEASANT   PREDICAMENT. 

WHILE  I  sat  endeavoring  to  fix  upon  some  suitable  and  ap- 
propriate epithet  by  which  to  commence  my  note,  my  back 
was  turned  towards  the  door  of  the  garden ;  and  so  occupied 
was  I  in  my  meditations,  that  even  had  any  one  entered  at  the  time, 
in  all  probability  I  should  not  have  perceived  it.  At  length,  how- 
ever, I  was  aroused  from  my  study  by  a  burst  of  laughter,  whose 
girlish  joyousness  was  not  quite  new  to  me.  I  knew  it  well ;  it  was 
the  Senhora  herself;  and  the  next  moment  I  heard  her  voice. 

"  I  tell  you  I'm  quite  certain  I  saw  his  face  in  the  mirror  as  I 
passed.  Oh,  how  delightful !  and  you'll  be  charmed  with  him  ;  so, 
mind,  you  must  not  steal  him  from  me ;  I  shall  never  forgive  you  if 
you  do ;  and  look,  only  look !  he  has  got  the  blue  scarf  I  gave  him 
when  he  marched  to  the  Douro." 

While  I  perceived  that  I  was  myself  seen,  I  could  see  nothing  of 
the  speaker,  and,  wishing  to  hear  something  further,  appeared  more 
than  ever  occupied  in  the  writing  before  me. 

What  her  companion  replied,  I  could  not,  however,  catch,  but  only 
guess  at  its  import  by  the  Senhora's  answer. 

"  Fi  done  /—I  really  am  very  fond  of  him ;  but,  never  fear,  I  shall 
be  as  stately  as  a  queen.  You  shall  see  how  meekly  he  will  kiss  my 
hand,  and  with  what  unbending  reserve  I'll  receive  him." 

"  Indeed  !"  thought  I ;  "  mayhap  I'll  mar  your  plot  a  little ;  but 
let  us  listen." 

"  It  is  so  provoking,"  continued  Inez ;  "  I  never  can  remember 
names,  and  his  was  something  too  absurd ;  but,  never  mind,  I  shall 
make  him  a  grandee  of  Portugal.  Well,  but  come  along,  I  long  to 
present  him  to  you." 

Here  a  gentle  struggle  seemed  to  ensue ;  for  I  heard  the  Senhora 
coaxingly  entreat  her,  while  her  companion  steadily  resisted. 

"  I  know  you  think  I  shall  be  so  silly,  and  perhaps  wrong ;  is  it 
not  so?  But  you're  mistaken.  You'll  be  surprised  at  my  cold  and 
dignified  manner.  I  shall  draw  myself  proudly  up,  and,  curtseying 
deeply,  say,  •  Monsieur,  j'aj  l'honneur  de  vous  saluer.'  " 

A  laugh  twioe  as  mirthful  as  before  followed,  while  I  could  hear 
the  tones  of  the  friend  evidently  in  expostulation. 

"  Well,  then,  to  be  sure,  you  are  provoking,  but  you  really  promise 
to  follow  me.  Be  It  so ;  then  give  me  that  moss-rose.  How  you 
have  fluttered  me ;  now  for  it !" 

So  saying,  I  heard  her  foot  upon  the  gravel,  and  the  next  instant 
upon  the  marble  step  of  the  door.     There  is  something  in  expecta- 


A  PLEASANT  PREDICAMENT.  451 

tion  that  sets  the  heart  beating,  and  mine  throbbed  against  my  side. 
I  waited,  however,  till  she  entered  before  lifting  my  head,  and  then 
springing  suddenly  up,  with  one  bound  clasped  her  in  my  arms,  and 
pressing  my  lips  upon  her  roseate  cheek,  said, — 

11  Ma  charmante  amie!"  To  disengage  herself  from  me,  and  to 
spring  suddenly  back,  was  her  first  effort ;  to  burst  into  an  immoderate 
fit  of  laughing,  her  second ;  her  cheek  was,  however,  covered  with  a 
deep  blush,  and  I  already  repented  that  my  malice  had  gone  so  far. 

"  Pardon,  Mademoiselle,"  said  I,  in  affected  innocence,  "  if  I  have 
so  far  forgotten  myself  as  to  assume  a  habit  of  my  own  country  to  a 
stranger." 

A  half-angry  toss  of  the  head  was  her  only  reply,  and,  turning 
towards  the  garden,  she  called  to  her  friend  : — 

"  Come  here,  dearest,  and  instruct  my  ignorance  upon  your  na- 
tional customs  ;  but  first  let  me  present  to  you — I  never  knew  his 
name — the  Chevalier  de What  is  it  ?" 

The  glass  door  opened  as  she  spoke ;  a  tail  and  graceful  figure 
entered,  and,  turning  suddenly  round,  showed  me  the  features  of 
Lucy  Dash  wood.  We  both  stood  opposite  each  other,  each  mute 
with  amazement.  My  feelings  let  me  not  attempt  to  convey;  shame, 
for  the  first  moment  stronger  than  aught  else,  sent  the  blood  rushing 
to  my  face  and  temples,  and  the  next  I  was  cold  and  pale  as  death. 
As  for  her,  I  cannot  guess  at  what  passed  in  her  mind.  She  curt- 
seyed deeply  to  me,  and  with  a  half-smile  of  scarce  recognition 
passed  by  me,  and  walked  towards  a  window. 

"Comme  vous  Sies  aimableV  said  the  lively  Portuguese,  who  com- 
prehended little  of  this  dumb  show;  "here  have  I  been  flattering 
myself  what  friends  you'd  be  the  very  moment  you  met,  and  now 
you'll  not  even  look  at  each  other." 

What  was  to  be  done?  The  situation  was  every  instant  growing 
more  and  more  embarrassing;  nothing  but  downright  effrontery 
could  get  through  with  it  now ;  and  never  did  a  man's  heart  more 
fail  him  than  did  mine  at  this  conjuncture.  I  made  the  effort,  how- 
ever, and  stammered  out  certain  unmeaning  commonplaces.  Inez 
replied,  and  I  felt  myself  conversing  with  the  headlong  recklessness 
of  one  marching  to  a  scaffold,  a  coward's  fear  at  his  heart,  while  he 
essayed  to  seem  careless  and  indifferent. 

Anxious  to  reach  what  I  estimated  safe  ground,  I  gladly  adverted 
to  the  campaign ;  and  at  last,  hurried  on  by  the  impulse  to  cover 
my  embarrassment,  was  describing  some  skirmish  with  a  French 
outpost.  Without  intending,  I  had  succeeding  in  exciting  the  Sen- 
hora's  interest,  and  she  listened  with  sparkling  eye  and  parted  lips 
to  the  description  of  a  sweeping  charge  in  which  a  square  was  bro- 
ken, and  several  prisoners  carried  off.     Warming  with  the  eager 


452  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

avidity  of  her  attention,  I  grew  myself  more  excited,  when  just  as 
my  narrative  reached  its  climax,  Miss  Dashwood  walked  gently 
towards  the  bell,  rang  it,  and  ordered  her  carriage.  The  tone  of 
perfect  nonchalance  of  the  whole  proceeding  struck  me  dumb.  I 
faltered,  stammered,  hesitated,  and  was  silent.  Donna  Inez  turned 
from  one  to  the  other  of  us  with  a  look  of  unfeigned  astonishment, 
and  I  heard  her  mutter  to  herself  something  like  a  reflection  upon 
"  national  eccentricities."  Happily,  however,  her  attention  was  now 
exclusively  turned  towards  her  friend,  and  while  assisting  her  to 
shawl,  and  extorting  innumerable  promises  of  an  early  visit,  I  got  a 
momentary  reprieve ;  the  carriage  drew  up  also,  and  as  the  gravel 
flew  right  and  left  beneath  the  horses'  feet,  the  very  noise  and  bustle 
relieved  me. 

"Actios  !"  then  said  Inez,  as  she  kissed  her  for  the  last  time,  while 
she  motioned  to  me  to  escort  her  to  her  carriage.  I  advanced — 
stopped — made  another  step  forward,  and  again  grew  irresolute; 
but  Miss  Dashwood  speedily  terminated  the  difficulty ;  for,  making 
me  a  formal  curtsey,  she  declined  my  scarce-proffered  attention,  and 
left  the  room. 

As  she  did  so,  I  perceived  that,  on  passing  the  table,  her  eyes  fell 
upon  the  paper  I  had  been  scribbling  over  so  long,  and  I  thought 
that  for  an  instant  an  expression  of  ineffable  scorn  seemed  to  pass 
across  her  features,  save  which— and  perhaps  even  in  this  I  was 
mistaken — her  manner  was  perfectly  calm,  easy,  and  indifferent. 

Scarce  had  the  carriage  rolled  from  the  door,  when  the  Senhora, 
throwing  herself  upon  a  chair,  clapped  her  hands  in  childish  ecstasy, 
while  she  fell  into  a  fit  of  laughing  that  I  thought  would  never  have 
an  end.  "  Such  a  scene !"  cried  she ;  "  I  would  not  have  lost  it  for 
the  world  ;  what  cordiality  !  what  empressement  to  form  an  acquaint- 
ance !  I  shall  never  forget  it,  Monsieur  le  Chevalier ;  your  national 
customs  seem  to  run  sadly  in  extremes.  One  would  have  thought 
you  deadly  enemies ;  and  poor  me !  after  a  thousand  delightful  plans 
about  you  both." 

As  she  ran  on  thus,  scarce  able  to  control  her  mirth  at  each  sen- 
tence, I  walked  the  room  with  impatient  strides;  now  resolving  to 
hasten  after  the  carriage,  stop  it,  explain  in  a  few  words  how  all  had 
happened,  and  then  fly  from  her  forever ;  then,  the  remembrance  of 
her  cold,  impassive  look  crossed  me,  and  I  thought  that  one  bold 
leap  into  the  Tagus  might  be  the  shortest  and  easiest  solution  to  all 
my  miseries ;  perfect  abasement,  thorough  self-contempt,  had  bro- 
ken all  my  courage,  and  I  could  have  cried  like  a  child.  What  I 
said,  or  how  I  comforted  myself  after,  I  know  not ;  but  my  first  con- 
sciousness came  to  me  as  I  found  myself  running  at  the  top  of  my 
speed  far  upon  the  road  towards  Lisbon. 


THE  DINNER.  453 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE   DINNER. 

IT  may  be  easily  imagined  that  I  had  little  inclination  to  keep 
my  promise  of  dining  that  day  with  Sir  George  Dash  wood. 
However,  there  was  nothing  else  for  it;  the  die  was  cast— my 
prospects  as  regarded  Lucy  were  ruined  forever.  We  were  not,  we 
never  could  be,  anything  to  each  other  5  and  as  for  me,  the  sooner 
I  braved  my  altered  fortunes  the  better ;  and,  after  all,  why  should 
I  call  them  altered  ?  She  evidently  never  had  cared  for  me ;  and 
even  supposing  that  my  fervent  declaration  of  attachment  had  inter- 
ested her,  the  apparent  duplicity  and  falseness  of  my  late  conduct 
could  only  fall  the  more  heavily  upon  me. 

I  endeavored  to  philosophize  myself  into  calmness  and  indiffer- 
ence. One  by  one,  I  exhausted  every  argument  for  my  defence, 
which,  however  ingeniously  put  forward,  brought  no  comfort  to  my 
own  conscience.  I  pleaded  the  unerring  devotion  of  my  heart — the 
uprightness  of  my  motives — and  when  called  on  for  the  proofs — 
alas  !  except  the  blue  scarf  I  wore  in  memory  of  another,  and  my 
absurd  conduct  at  the  villa,  I  had  none.  From  the  current  gossip 
of  Lisbon,  down  to  my  own  disgraceful  folly,  all — all  was  against 
me. 

Honesty  of  intention,  rectitude  of  purpose,  may  be,  doubtless  they 
are,  admirable  supports  to  a  rightly-constituted  mind  ;  but  even  then 
they  must  come  supported  by  such  claims  to  probability  as  make 
the  injured  man  feel  that  he  has  not  lost  the  sympathy  of  all  his 
fellows.  Now,  I  had  none  of  these,  had  even  my  temperament,  bro- 
ken by  sickness  and  harassed  by  unlucky  conjectures,  permitted  my 
appreciating  them. 

I  endeavored  to  call  my  wounded  pride  to  my  aid,  and  thought 
over  the  glance  of  haughty  disdain  she  gave  me  as  she  passed  on  to 
her  carriage;  but  even  this  turned  against  me,  and  a  humiliating 
sense  of  my  own  degraded  position  sank  deeply  into  my  heart. 
"  This  impression  at  least,"  thought  I,  "  must  be  effaced.  I  cannot 
permit  her  to  believe- " 

"  His  Excellency  is  waiting  dinner,  sir,"  said  a  lacquey,  intro- 
ducing a  finely-powdered  head  gently  within  the  door.  I  looked  at 
my  watch — it  was  eight  o'clock ;  snatching  my  sabre,  and  shocked 
at  my  delay,  I  hastily  followed  the  servant  down  stairs,  and  thus  at 
once  cut  short  my  deliberations. 

The  man  must  be  but  little  observant,  or  deeply  sunk  in  his  own 
reveries,  who,  arriving  half  an  hour  too  late  for  dinner,  fails  to  de- 
tect in  the  faces  of  the  assembled  and  expectant  guests  a  very  pal- 


454  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

pable  expression  of  discontent  and  displeasure.  It  is  truly  a  moment 
of  awkwardness,  and  one  in  which  few  are  found  to  manage  with 
success ;  the  blushing,  hesitating,  blundering  apology  of  the  absent 
man,  is  scarcely  better  than  the  ill-affected  surprise  of  the  more 
practised  offender.  The  bashfulness  of  the  one  is  as  distasteful  as 
the  cool  impertinence  of  the  other ;  both  are  thoroughly  out  of 
place,  for  we  are  thinking  of  neither ;  our  thoughts  are  wandering 
to  cold  soups  and  rechauffed  pates,  and  we  neither  care  for  nor  esti- 
mate the  cause,  but  satisfy  our  spleen  by  cursing  the  offender. 

Happily  for  me,  I  was  clad  in  a  triple  insensibility  to  such  feel- 
ings, and,  with  an  air  of  most  perfect  unconstraint  and  compo- 
sure, walked  into  a  drawing-room  where  about  twenty  persons  were 
busily  discussing  what  peculiar  amiability  in  my  character  would 
compensate  for  my  present  conduct. 

"At  last,  O'Malley,  at  last!"  said  Sir  George.  "Why,  my  dear 
boy,  how  very  late  you  are  !" 

I  muttered  something  about  a  long  walk — distance  from  Lisbon, 
&c. 

"Ah  !  that  was  it.  I  was  right,  you  see  !"  said  an  old  lady  in  a 
spangled  turban,  as  she  whispered  something  to  her  friend  beside 
her,  who  appeared  excessively  shocked  at  the  information  conveyed; 
while  a  fat,  round-faced  little  general,  after  eyeing  me  steadily 
through  his  glass,  expressed  a  sotto  voce  wish  that  I  was  upon  his  staff. 
I  felt  my  cheek  reddening  at  the  moment,  and  stared  around  me 
like  one  whose  trials  were  becoming  downright  insufferable,  when 
happily  dinner  was  announced,  and  terminated  my  embarrassment. 

As  the  party  filed  past,  I  perceived  that  Miss  Dashwood  was  not 
amongst  them ;  and,  with  a  heart  relieved  for  the  moment  by  the 
circumstance,  and  inventing  a  hundred  conjectures  to  account  for 
it,  I  followed  with  the  aides-de-camp  and  the  staff  to  the  dinner- 
room. 

The  temperament  is  very  Irish,  I  believe,  which  renders  a  man  so 
elastic  that  from  the  extreme  of  depression  to  the  very  climax  of 
high  spirits  there  is  but  one  spring.  To  this  I  myself  plead  guilty, 
and  thus  scarcely  was  I  freed  from  the  embarrassment  which  a  meet- 
ing with  Lucy  Dashwood  must  have  caused,  when  my  heart  bounded 
with  lightness. 

When  the  ladies  withdrew,  the  events  of  the  campaign  became  the 
subject  of  conversation,  and  upon  these,  very  much  to  my  astonish- 
ment, I  found  myself  consulted  as  an  authority.  The  Douro,  from 
some  fortunate  circumstance,  had  given  me  a  reputation  I  never 
dreamed  of,  and  I  heard  my  opinions  quoted  upon  topics  of  which 
my  standing  as  an  officer  and  my  rank  in  the  service  could  not 
imply  a  very  extended  observation.     Power  was  absent  on  duty; 


THE  DINNER.  455 

and,  happily  for  my  supremacy,  the  company  consisted  entirely  of 
generals  in  the  commissariat,  or  new  arrivals  from  England,  all  of 
whom  knew  still  less  than  myself. 

What  will  not  iced  champagne  and  flattery  do  ?  Singly,  they  are 
strong  impulses;  combined,  their  power  is  irresistible.  I  now  heard 
for  the  first  time  that  our  great  leader  had  been  elevated  to  the  peer- 
age by  the  title  of  Lord  Wellington,  and  I  sincerely  believe — how- 
ever now  I  may  smile  at  the  confession — that  at  the  moment  I  felt 
more  elation  at  the  circumstance  than  he  did.  The  glorious  sensa- 
tion of  being  in  any  way,  no  matter  how  remotely,  linked  with  the 
career  of  those  whose  path  is  a  high  one,  and  whose  destinies  are 
cast  for  great  events,  thrilled  through  me ;  and,  in  all  the  warmth  of 
my  admiration  and  pride  for  our  great  captain,  a  secret  pleasure 
stirred  within  me  as  I  whispered  to  myself,  "  And  I,  too,  am  a  sol- 
dier !" 

I  fear  me  that  very  little  flattery  is  sufficient  to  turn  the  head  of 
a  young  man  of  eighteen  ;  and  if  I  yielded  to  the  "  pleasant  incense," 
let  my  apology  be,  that  I  was  not  used  to  it ;  and,  lastly,  let  me 
avow,  if  I  did  get  tipsy — I  liked  the  liquor.  And  why  not?  It  is 
the  only  tipple  I  know  of  that  leaves  no  headache  the  next  morning 
to  punish  you  for  the  glories  of  the  past  night.  It  may,  like  all 
other  strong  potations,  induce  you  to  make  a  fool  of  yourself  when 
under  its  influence ;  but,  like  the  nitrous  oxide  gas,  its  effects  are 
passing,  and  as  the  pleasure  is  an  ecstasy  for  the  time,  and  your 
constitution  none  the  worse  when  it  is  over,  I  really  see  no  harm 
in  it. 

Then  the  benefits  are  manifest ;  for  while  he  who  gives  becomes 
never  the  poorer  for  his  benevolence,  the  receiver  is  made  rich 
indeed.  It  matters  little  that  some  dear,  kind  friend  is  ready  with 
his  bitter  draught  to  remedy  what  he  is  pleased  to  call  its  unwhole- 
some sweetness ;  you  betake  yourself  with  only  the  more  pleasure  to 
the  "  blessed  elixir,"  whose  fascinations  neither  the  poverty  of  your 
pocket  nor  the  penury  of  your  brain  can  withstand,  and  by  the 
magic  of  whose  spell  you  are  great  and  gifted.  "  Vive  la  bagatelle  I" 
saith  the  Frenchman.  "Long  live  Flattery!"  say  I,  come  from 
what  quarter  it  will ;  the  only  wealth  of  the  poor  man, — the  only  re- 
ward of  the  unknown  one ;  the  arm  that  supports  us  in  failure, — 
the  hand  that  crowns  us  in  success ;  the  comforter  in  our  affliction, 
— the  gay  companion  in  our  hours  of  pleasure ;  the  lullaby  of  the 
infant, — the  staff  of  old  age ;  the  secret  treasure  we  lock  up  in  our 
own  hearts,  and  which  ever  grows  greater  as  we  count  it  over.  Let 
me  not  be  told  that  the  coin  is  fictitious,  and  the  gold  not  genuine  ; 
its  clink  is  as  musical  to  the  ear  as  though  it  bore  the  last  impression 
of  the  mint,  and  I'm  not  the  man  to  cast  an  aspersion  upon  its  value. 


456  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

This  little  digression,  however  seemingly  out  of  place,  may  serve 
to  illustrate  what  it  might  be  difficult  to  convey  in  other  words, 
namely,  that  if  Charles  O'Malley  became  in  his  own  estimation  a 
very  considerable  personage  that  day  at  dinner,  the  fault  lay  not  en- 
tirely with  himself,  but  with  his  friends,  who  told  him  he  was  such. 
In  fact,  my  good  reader,  I  was  the  lion  of  the  party, — the  man  who 
saved  Laborde, — who  charged  through  a  brigade  of  guns, — who  per- 
formed feats  which  newspapers  quoted,  though  he  never  heard  of 
them  himself.  At  no  time  is  a  man  so  successful  in  society  as  when 
his  reputation  heralds  him,  and  it  needs  but  little  conversational  elo- 
quence to  talk  well,  if  you  have  but  a  willing  and  ready  auditory. 
Of  mine,  I  could  certainly  not  complain  ;  and  as,  drinking  deeply, 
I  poured  forth  a  whole  tide  of  campaigning  recital,  I  saw  the  old 
colonels  of  recruiting  districts  exchanging  looks  of  wonder  and  ad- 
miration with  officers  of  the  ordnance,  while  Sir  George  himself, 
evidently  pleased  at  my  dSut,  went  back  to  an  early  period  of  our 
acquaintance,  and  related  the  rescue  of  his  daughter  in  Galway. 

In  an  instant  the  whole  current  of  my  thoughts  was  changed.  My 
first  meeting  with  Lucy,  my  boyhood's  dream  of  ambition,  my 
plighted  faith,  my  thoughts  of  our  last  parting  in  Dublin,  when,  in 
a  moment  of  excited  madness,  I  told  my  tale  of  love.  I  remembered 
her  downcast  look,  as,  her  cheek  now  flushing,  now  growing  pale, 
she  trembled  while  I  spoke.  I  thought  of  her  as  in  the  crash  of 
battle  her  image  flashed  across  my  brain,  and  made  me  feel  a  rush 
of  chivalrous  enthusiasm  to  win  her  heart  by  "  doughty  deeds." 

I  forgot  all  around  and  about  me.  My  head  reeled ;  the  wine,  the 
excitement,  my  long  previous  illness,  all  pressed  upon  me ;  and,  as 
my  temples  throbbed  loudly  and  painfully,  a  chaotic  rush  of  discor- 
dant, ill-connected  ideas  flitted  across  my  mind.  There  seemed  some 
stir  and  confusion  in  the  room,  but  why  or  wherefore  I  could  not 
think,  nor  could  I  recall  my  scattered  senses,  till  Sir  George  Dash- 
wood's  voice  roused  me  once  again  to  consciousness. 

"  We  are  going  to  have  some  coffee,  O'Malley.  Miss  Dashwood 
expects  us  in  the  drawing-room.     You  have  not  seen  her  yet?" 

I  know  not  my  reply  ;  but  he  continued : 

"  She  lias  some  letters  for  you,  I  think." 

I  muttered  something,  and  suffered  him  to  pass  on  ;  no  sooner  had 
he  done  so,  however,  than  I  turned  towards  the  door,  and  rushed 
into  the  street.  The  cold  night  air  suddenly  recalled  me  to  myself, 
and  I  stood  for  a  moment,  endeavoring  to  collect  myself;  as  I  did  so 
a  servant  stopped,  and,  saluting  me,  presented  me  with  a  letter.  For 
a  second,  a  cold  chill  came  over  me  ;  I  knew  not  what  fear  beset  me. 
The  letter  I  at  last  remembered  must  be  that  one  alluded  to  by  Sir 
George,  so  I  took  it  in  silence,  and  walked  on. 


THE  LETTER.  457 


CHAPTER   XIV. 


THE   LETTER. 


HURRYING  to  my  quarters,  I  made  a  hundred  guesses  from 
whom  the  letter  could  have  come ;  a  kind  of  presentiment 
told  me  that  it  bore  in  some  measure  upon  the  present  crisis 
of  my  life,  and  I  burned  with  anxiety  to  read  it. 

No  sooner  had  I  reached  the  light  than  all  my  hopes  on  this  head 
vanished ;  the  envelope  bore,  the  well-known  name  of  my  old  college 
chum,  Frank  Webber,  and  none  could  at  the  moment  have  more 
completely  dispelled  all  chance  of  interesting  me.  I  threw  it 
from  me  with  disappointment,  and  sat  moodily  down  to  brood  over 
my  fate. 

At  length,  however,  and  almost  without  knowing  it,  I  drew  the 
lamp  towards  me,  and  broke  the  seal.  The  reader  being  already 
acquainted  with  my  amiable  friend,  there  is  the  less  indiscretion  in 
communicating  the  contents,  which  ran  thus : 

"  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  No.  2. 
"  Oct.  5, 1810. 

"  My  Dear  O'Malley  : — Nothing  but  your  death  and  burial, 
with  or  without  military  honors,  can  possibly  excuse  your  very  dis- 
graceful neglect  of  your  old  friends  here.  Nesbitt  has  never  heard 
of  you,  neither  has  Smith.  Ottley  swears  never  to  have  seen  your 
handwriting,  save  on  the  back  of  a  protested  bill.  You  have  totally 
forgotten  me,  and  the  Dean  informs  me  that  you  have  never  conde- 
scended a  single  line  to  him  ;  which  latter  inquiry  on  my  part  nearly 
cost  me  a  rustication. 

"  A  hundred  conjectures  to  account  for  your  silence — a  new  feature 
in  you  since  you  were  here — are  afloat.  Some  assert  that  your  sol- 
diering has  turned  your  head,  and  that  you  are  above  corresponding 
with  civilians.  Your  friends,  however,  who  know  you  better,  and 
value  your  worth,  think  otherwise ;  and  having  seen  a  paragraph 
about  a  certain  O'Malley  being  tried  by  court-martial  for  stealing  a 
goose,  and  maltreating  the  woman  that  owned  it,  ascribe  your  not 
writing  to  other  motives.  Do,  in  any  case,  relieve  our  minds ;  say, 
is  it  yourself,  or  only  a  relative  that's  mentioned  ? 

"  Herbert  came  over  from  London  with  a  long  story  about  your 
doing  wonderful  things — capturing  cannon  and  general  officers  by 
scores — but  devil  a  word  of  it  is  extant ;  and  if  you  have  really 
committed  these  acts,  they  have  'misused  the  king's  press  infernally,' 
for  neither  in  the  Times  nor  the  Post  are  you  heard  of.  Answer  this 
point,  and  say  also  if  you  have  got  promotion  ;  for  what  precise  sign 
you  are  algebraically  expressed  by  at  this  writing  may  serve  Fitz- 


458  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

gerald  for  a  fellowship  question.  And  for  us,  we  are  jogging  along, 
semper  eadem — that  is,  worse  and  worse.  Dear  Cecil  Cavendish,  our 
gifted  friend,  slight  of  limb  and  soft  of  voice,  has  been  rusticated  for 
immersing  four  bricklayers  in  that  green  receptacle  of  stagnant 
water  and  duckweed,  yclept  the  '  Haha.'  Roper,  equally  unlucky, 
has  taken  to  reading  for  honors,  and  obtained  a  medal,  I  fancy — at 
least  his  friends  shy  him,  and  it  must  be  something  of  that  kind. 
Belson — poor  Belson  (fortunately  for  him  he  was  born  in  the  nine- 
teenth, not  the  sixteenth  century,  or  he'd  be  most  likely  ornamenting 
a  pile  of  fagots) — ventured  upon  soma  stray  excursions  into  the 
Hebrew  verbs — the  professor  himself  never  having  transgressed  be- 
yond the  declensions — and  the  consequence  is,  he  is  in  disgrace 
among  the  seniors.  And  as  for  me,  a  heavy  charge  hangs  over  my 
devoted  head,  even  while  I  write.  The  Senior  Lecturer,  it  appears, 
has  been  for  some  time  instituting  some  very  singular  researches 
into  the  original  state  of  our  goodly  college  at  its  founding.  Plans 
and  specifications  showing  its  extent  and  magnificence  have  been 
continually  before  the  board  for  the  last  month ;  and  in  such  repute 
have  been  a  smashed  door-sill  or  an  old  arch,  that  freshmen  have 
now  abandoned  conic  sections  for  crowbars,  and  instead  of  the 
'  Principia'  have  taken  up  the  pickaxe.  You  know,  my  dear  fellow, 
with  what  enthusiasm  I  enter  into  any  scheme  for  the  aggrandize- 
ment of  our  Alma  Mater,  so  I  need  not  tell  you  how  ardently  I  ad- 
ventured into  the  career  now  opened  to  me.  My  time  was  com- 
pletely devoted  to  the  matter  ;  neither  means  nor  health  did  I  spare, 
and  in  my  search  for  antiquarian  lore,  I  have  actually  undermined 
the  old  wall  of  the  fellows'  garden,  and  am  each  morning  in  expec- 
tation of  hearing  that  the  big  bell  near  the  commons-hall  has 
descended  from  its  lofty  and  noisy  eminence,  and  is  snugly  repos- 
ing in  the  mud.  Meanwhile,  accident  put  me  in  possession  of  a 
most  singular  and  remarkable  discovery.  Our  chambers — I  call 
them  ours  for  old  association  sake — are,  you  may  remember,  in  the 
Old  Square.  Well,  I  have  been  fortunate  enough,  within  the  very 
precincts  of  my  own  dwelling,  to  contribute  a  very  wonderful  fact  to 
the  history  of  the  University;  alone — unassisted — unaided,  I  labored 
at  my  discovery.  Few  can  estimate  the  pleasure  I  felt — the  fame 
and  reputation  I  anticipated.  I  drew  up  a  little  memoir  for  the 
board,  most  respectfully  and  civilly  worded,  having  for  its  title  the 
following : 

'  Account 

Of  a  remarkable  Subterranean  Passage  lately  discovered  in  the 

Old  Building  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin  : 

With  Observations  upon  its  Extent,  Antiquity,  and  Probable  Use. 

By  F.  Webbek,  Senior  Freshman.' 


THE  LETTER.  459 

"  My  dear  O'Malley,  I'll  not  dwell  upon  the  pride  I  felt  in  my  new 
character  of  antiquarian  ;  it  is  enough  to  state  that  my  very  remark- 
able tract  was  well  considered  and  received,  and  a  commission 
appointed  to  investigate  the  discovery,  consisting  of  the  Vice-Pro- 
vost, the  Senior  Lecturer,  old  Woodhouse,  the  Sub-Dean,  and  a  few 
more. 

"  On  Tuesday  last  they  came  accordingly  in  full  academic  cos- 
tume, I  being  habited  most  accurately  in  the  like  manner,  and  con- 
ducting them  with  all  form  into  my  bed-room,  where  a  large  screen 
concealed  from  view  the  entrance  to  the  tunnel  alluded  to.  Assum- 
ing a  very  John  Kembleish  attitude,  I  struck  this  down  with  one 
hand,  pointing  with  the  other  to  the  wall,  as  I  exclaimed,  '  There ! 
look  there  !' 

"  I  need  only  quote  Barret's  exclamation  to  enlighten  you  upon  my 
discovery,  as  drawing  in  his  breath  with  a  strong  effort,  he  burst  out : 

"  *  May  the  devil  admire  me,  but  it's  a  rat  hole !' 

"  I  fear,  Charley,  he's  right,  and,  what's  more,  that  the  board  will 
think  so,  for  this  moment  a  very  warm  discussion  is  going  on  among 
that  amiable  and  learned  body  whether  I  shall  any  longer  remain  an 
ornament  to  the  University.  In  fact,  the  terror  with  which  they  fled 
from  my  chambers,  overturning  each  other  in  the  passage,  seemed  to 
imply  that  they  thought  me  mad  ;  and  I  do  believe  my  voice,  look, 
and  attitude  wrould  not  have  disgraced  a  blue  cotton  dressing-gown 
and  a  cell  in  '  Swifts'.  Be  this  as  it  may,  few  men  have  done  more 
for  college  than  I  have.  The  sun  never  stood  still  for  Joshua  with 
more  resolution  than  I  have  rested  in  my  career  of  freshman  ;  and 
if  I  have  contributed  little  to  the  fame,  I  have  done  much  for  the 
funds  of  the  University  ;  and  when  they  come  to  compute  the  various 
sums  I  have  paid  in,  for  fines,  penalties,  and  what  they  call  properly 
1  impositions,'  if  they  don't  place  a  portrait  of  me  in  the  examina- 
tion-hall, between  Archbishop  Usher  and  Flood,  then  do  I  say  there 
is  no  gratitude  in  mankind  ;  not  to  mention  the  impulse  I  have  given 
to  the  various  artisans  whose  business  it  is  to  repair  lamps,  windows, 
chimneys,  iron  railings,  and  watchmen,  all  of  which  I  have  devoted 
myself  to  with  an  enthusiasm  for  political  economy  well  known,  and 
registered  in  the  College-street  police  office. 

11  After  all,  Charley,  I  miss  you  greatly.  Your  second  in  a  ballad 
is  not  to  be  replaced ;  besides,  Carlisle  Bridge  has  got  low  ;  medical 
students  and  young  attorneys  affect  minstrelsy,  and  actually  frequent 
haunts  sacred  to  our  muse. 

"  Dublin  is,  upon  the  whole,  I  think,  worse ;  though  one  scarcely 
ever  gets  tired  laughing  at  the  small  celebrities " 

Master  Frank  here  gets  indiscreet,  so  I  shall  skip. 


4G0  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  And  so  the  Dash  woods  are  going  too ;  this  will  make  mine  a 
pitiable  condition,  for  I  really  did  begin  to  feel  tenderly  in  that 
quarter.  You  may  have  heard  that  she  refused  me ;  this,  however, 
is  not  correct,  though  I  have  little  doubt  it  might  have  been — had  I 
asked  her. 

"  Hammersley  has,  you  know,  got  his  dismissal.  I  wonder  how 
the  poor  fellow  took  it,  when  Power  gave  him  back  his  letters  and 
his  picture.  How  you  are  to  be  treated  remains  to  be  seen ;  in  any 
case,  you  certainly  stand  first  favorite." 

I  laid  down  the  letter  at  this  passage,  unable  to  read  further. 
Here,  then,  was  the  solution  of  the  whole  chaos  of  mystery — here 
the  full  explanation  of  what  had  puzzled  my  aching  brain  for  many 
a  night  long.  These  were  the  very  letters  I  had  myself  delivered 
into  Hammersley's  hands ;  this  the  picture  he  had  trodden  to  dust 
beneath  his  heel  the  morning  of  our  meeting.  I  now  felt  the  reason 
of  his  taunting  allusion  to  my  "  success,"  his  cutting  sarcasm,  his 
intemperate  passion.  A  flood  of  light  poured  at  once  across  all  the 
dark  passages  of  my  history  ;  and  Lucy,  too — dare  I  think  of  her  ? 
A  rapid  thought  shot  through  my  brain.  What  if  she  had  really 
cared  for  me !  What  if  for  me  she  had  rejected  another's  love ! 
What  if,  trusting  to  my  faith — my  pledged  and  sworn  faith — she  had 
given  me  her  heart!  Oh!  the  bitter  agony  of  that  thought,  to 
think  that  all  my  hopes  were  shipwrecked,  with  the  very  land  in 
sight. 

I  sprang  to  my  feet  with  some  sudden  impulse,  but  as  I  did  so, 
the  blood  rushed  madly  to  my  face  and  temples,  which  beat  vio- 
lently ;  a  parched  and  swollen  feeling  came  about  my  throat ;  I  en- 
deavored to  open  my  collar  and  undo  my  stock,  but  my  disabled  arm 
prevented  me.  I  tried  to  call  my  servant,  but  my  utterance  was 
thick,  and  my  words  would  not  come ;  a  frightful  suspicion  crossed 
me  that  my  reason  was  tottering.  I  made  towards  the  door,  but,  as 
I  did  so,  the  objects  around  me  became  confused  and  mingled,  my 
limbs  trembled,  and  I  fell  heavily  upon  the  floor ;  a  pang  of  dreadful 
pain  shot  through  me  as  I  fell— my  arm  was  rebroken.  After  this, 
I  knew  no  more  !  All  the  accumulated  excitement  of  the  evening 
bore  down  with  one  fell  swoop  upon  my  brain.  Ere  day  broke,  I 
was  delirious. 

I  have  a  vague  and  indistinct  remembrance  of  hurried  and  anx- 
ious faces  around  my  bed,  of  whispered  words  and  sorrowful  looks ; 
but  my  own  thoughts  careered  over  the  bold  hill  of  the  far  west  as 
I  trod  them  in  my  boyhood,  free  and  high  of  heart,  or  recurred  to 
the  din  and  crash  of  the  battle-field,  with  the  mad  bounding  of  the 
war-horse,  and  the  loud  clang  of  the  trumpet ;  perhaps  the  acute 
pain  of  my  swollen  and  suffering  arm  gave  the  character  to  my 


THE  LETTER.  461 

mental  aberration ;  for  I  have  more  than  once  observed  among  the 
wounded  in  battle  that,  even  when  torn  and  mangled  by  grape  from 
a  howitzer,  their  ravings  have  partaken  of  a  high  feature  of  enthu- 
siasm, shouts  of  triumph,  and  exclamations  of  pleasure;  even  songs 
have  I  heard — but  never  once  the  low  muttering  of  despair,  or  the 
half-stifled  cry  of  sorrow  and  affliction. 

Such  were  the  few  gleams  of  consciousness  which  visited  me,  and 
even  to  such  as  these  I  soon  became  insensible. 

Few  like  to  chronicle,  fewer  still  to  read,  the  sad  history  of  a  sick- 
bed. Of  mine,  I  know  but  little.  The  throbbing  pulses  of  the  erring 
brain,  the  wild  fancies  of  lunacy,  take  no  note  of  time.  There  is  no 
past  nor  future — a  dreadful  present,  full  of  its  hurried  and  confused 
impressions,  is  all  that  the  mind  beholds;  and  even  when  some 
gleams  of  returning  reason  flash  upon  the  mad  confusion  of  the 
brain,  they  come  like  sunbeams  through  a  cloud,  dimmed,  darkened, 
and  perverted. 

It  is  the  restless  activity  of  the  mind  in  fever  that  constitutes  its 
most  painful  anguish  ;  the  fast-flitting  thoughts  that  rush  ever  on- 
ward, crowding  sensation  on  sensation,  an  endless  train  of  exciting 
images,  without  purpose  or  repose  ;  or  even  worse,  the  straining 
effort  to  pursue  some  vague  and  shadowy  conception,  which  evades 
us  ever  as  we  follow,  but  which  mingles  with  all  around  and  about 
us — haunting  us  at  midnight  as  in  the  noontime. 

Of  this  nature  was  a  vision  which  came  constantly  before  me,  till 
at  length,  by  its  very  recurrence,  it  assumed  a  kind  of  real  and  pal- 
pable existence ;  and  as  I  watched  it,  my  heart  thrilled  with  the 
high  ardor  of  enthusiasm  and  delight,  or  sunk  into  the  dark  abyss 
of  sorrow  and  despair.  "  The  dawning  of  morning,  the  daylight 
sinking,"  brought  no  other  image  to  my  aching  sight ;  and  of  this 
alone,  of  all  the  impressions  of  the  period,  has  my  mind  retained 
any  consciousness. 

Methought  I  stood  within  an  old  and  venerable  cathedral,  where 
the  dim  yellow  light  fell  with  a  rich  but  solemn  glow  upon  the 
fretted  capitals,  or  the  grotesque  tracings  of  the  oaken  carvings, 
lighting  up  the  faded  gildings  of  the  stately  monuments,  and  tinting 
the  varied  hues  of  time-worn  banners.  The  mellow  notes  of  a  deep 
organ  filled  the  air,  and  seemed  to  attune  the  sense  to  all  the  awe 
and  reverence  of  the  place,  where  the  very  footfall,  magnified  by  its 
many  echoes,  seemed  half  a  profanation.  I  stood  before  an  altar, 
beside  me  a  young  and  lovely  girl,  whose  bright  brown  tresses  waved 
in  loose  masses  upon  a  neck  of  snowy  whiteness  ;  her  hand,  cold  and 
pale,  rested  within  my  own  ;  we  knelt  together,  not  in  prayer,  but  a 
feeling  of  deep  reverence  stole  over  my  heart,  as  she  repeated  some 
few  half-uttered  words  after  me  ;  I  knew  that  she  was  mine.     Oh ! 


462  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

the  ecstasy  of  that  moment,  as,  springing  to  my  feet,  I  darted  for- 
ward to  press  her  to  my  heart !  when  suddenly,  an  arm  was  inter- 
posed between  us,  while  a  low  but  solemn  voice  rung  in  my  ears, 
"  Stir  not,  for  thou  art  false  and  traitorous,  thy  vow  a  perjury,  and 
thy  heart  a  lie I"  Slowly  and  silently  the  fair  form  of  my  loved 
Lucy — for  it  was  she — receded  from  my  sight.  One  look,  one  last 
look  of  sorrow — it  was  scarce  reproach — fell  upon  me,  and  I  sank 
back  upon  the  cold  pavement  broken-hearted  and  forsaken. 

This  dream  came  with  daybreak,  and  with  the  calm  repose  of 
evening  ;  the  still  hours  of  the  waking  night  brought  no  other  image 
to  my  eyes ;  and  when  its  sad  influence  had  spread  a  gloom  and  des- 
olation over  my  wounded  heart,  a  secret  hope  crept  over  me  that 
again  the  bright  moment  of  happiness  would  return,  and  once 
more  beside  that  ancient  altar  I'd  kneel,  beside  my  bride,  and  call 
her  mine. 

*****.  *** 

For  the  rest,  my  memory  retains  but  little ;  the  kind  looks  which 
came  around  my  bedside  brought  but  a  brief  pleasure,  for  in  their 
affectionate  beaming  I  could  read  the  gloomy  prestige  of  my  fate. 
The  hurried  but  cautious  step,  the  whispered  sentences,  the  averted 
gaze  of  those  who  sorrowed  for  me,  sank  far  deeper  into  my  heart 
than  my  friends  then  thought  of.  Little  do  they  think,  who  min- 
ister to  the  sick  or  dying,  how  each  passing  word,  each  flitting 
glance  is  noted,  and  how  the  pale  and  stilly  figure,  which  lies  all 
but  lifeless  before  them,  counts  over  the  hours  he  has  to  live  by  the 
smiles  or  tears  around  him. 

Hours,  days,  weeks  rolled  over,  and  still  my  fate  hung  in  the 
balance ;  and  while  in  the  wild  enthusiasm  of  my  erring  faculties  I 
wandered  far  in  spirit  from  my  bed  of  suffering  and  pain,  some 
well-remembered  voice  beside  me  would  strike  upon  my  ear,  bring- 
ing me  back,  as  if  by  magic,  to  all  the  realities  of  life,  and  invest- 
ing my  almost  unconscious  state  with  all  the  hopes  and  fears  about 
me. 

One  by  one,  at  length,  these  fancies  fled  from  me,  and  to  the  de- 
lirium of  fever  succeeded  the  sad  and  helpless  consciousness  of 
illness,  far,  far  more  depressing;  for  as  the  conviction  of  sense  came 
back,  the  sorrowful  aspect  of  a  dreary  future  came  with  it. 


THE  VILLA.  i      463 


CHAPTER    XV. 


THE  VILLA. 


THE  gentle  twilight  of  an  autumnal  evening,  calm,  serene  and 
mellow,  was  falling,  as  I  opened  my  eyes  to  consciousness  of 
life  and  being,  and  looked  around  me.  I  lay  in  a  large  and 
handsomely-furnished  apartment,  in  which  the  hand  of  taste  was 
as  evident  in  all  the  decorations  as  the  unsparing  employment  of 
wealth ;  the  silk  draperies  of  my  bed,  the  inlaid  tables,  the  ormolu 
ornaments  which  glittered  upon  the  chimney,  were  one  by  one  so 
many  puzzles  to  my  erring  senses,  and  I  opened  and  shut  my  eyes 
again  and  again,  and  essayed  by  every  means  in  my  power  to  ascer- 
tain if  they  were  not  the  visionary  creations  of  a  fevered  mind.  I 
stretched  out  my  hands  to  feel  the  objects ;  and  even  while  holding 
freshly-plucked  flowers  in  my  grasp,  I  could  scarce  persuade  myself 
that  they  were  real.  A  thrill  of  pain  at  this  instant  recalled  me  to 
other  thoughts,  and  I  turned  my  eyes  upon  my  wounded  arm,  which, 
swollen  and  stiffened,  lay  motionless  beside  me.  Gradually,  my 
memory  came  back,  and  to  my  weak  faculties  some  passages  of  my 
former  life  were  presented,  not  collectedly  it  is  true,  nor  in  any 
order,  but  scattered,  isolated  scenes.  While  such  thoughts  flew  past, 
my  ever  rising  question  to  myself  was,  "  Where  am  I  now  ?"  The 
vague  feeling  which  illness  leaves  upon  the  mind  whispered  to  me 
of  kind  looks  and  soft  voices ;  and  I  had  a  dreamy  consciousness 
about  me  of  being  watched  and  cared  for,  but  wherefore,  or  by  whom, 
I  knew  not. 

From  a  partly-open  door,  which  led  into  a  garden,  a  mild  and 
balmy  air  fanned  my  temples,  and  soothed  my  heated  brow ;  and  as 
the  light  curtain  waved  to  and  fro  with  the  breeze,  the  odor  of  the 
rose  and  the  orange-tree  filled  the  apartment. 

There  is  something  in  the  feeling  of  weakness  which  succeeds  to 
long  illness  of  the  most  delicious  and  refined  enjoyment.  The 
spirit,  emerging  as  it  were  from  the  thraldom  of  its  grosser  prison, 
rises  high  and  triumphant  above  the  meaner  thoughts  and  more 
petty  ambitions  of  daily  life.  Purer  feelings,  more  ennobling  hopes, 
succeed ;  and  gleams  of  our  childhood,  mingling  with  promises  for 
the  future,  make  up  an  ideal  existence,  in  which  the  low  passions  and 
cares  of  ordinary  life  enter  not  or  are  forgotten.  'Tis  then  we  learn 
to  hold  converse  with  ourselves  ;  'tis  then  we  ask,  how  has  our 
manhood  performed  the  promises  of  its  youth  ?  or,  have  our  ripened 
prospects  borne  out  the  pledges  of  our  boyhood  ?  'Tis  then,  in  the 
Calm  justice  of  our  lonely  hearts,  we  learn  how  our  failures  are  but 
another  name  for  our  faults,  and  that  what  we  looked  on  as  the 


464      .  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

vicissitudes  of  fortune  are  but  the  fruits  of  our  own  vices.  Alas ! 
how  short-lived  are  such  intervals  !  Like  the  fitful  sunshine  in  the 
wintry  sky,  they  throw  one  bright  and  joyous  tint  over  the  dark 
landscape;  for  a  moment  the  valley  and  the  mountain-top  are 
bathed  in  a  ruddy  glow ;  the  leafless  tree  and  the  dark  moss  seem  to 
feel  a  touch  of  spring;  but  the  next  instant  it  is  past;  the  lowering 
clouds  and  dark  shadows  intervene,  and  the  cold  blast,  the  moaning 
wind,  and  the  dreary  waste  are  once  more  before  us. 

I  endeavored  to  recall  the  latest  events  of  my  career,  but  in  vain  ; 
the  real  and  the  visionary  were  inextricably  mingled;  and  the 
scenes  of  my  campaign  were  blended  with  hopes,  and  fears,  and 
doubts,  which  had  no  existence  save  in  my  dreams.  My  curiosity 
to  know  where  I  was  grew  now  my  strongest  feeling,  and  I  raised 
myself  with  one  arm  to  look  around  me.  In  the  room  all  was  still 
and  silent,  but  nothing  seemed  to  intimate  what  I  sought  for.  As  I 
looked,  however,  the  wind  blew  back  the  curtain  which  half  con- 
cealed the  sash-door,  and  disclosed  to  me  the  figure  of  a  man  seated 
at  a  table ;  his  back  was  towards  me,  but  his  broad  sombrero  hat 
and  brown  mantle  bespoke  his  nation.  The  light  blue  curl  of  smoke 
which  wreathed  gently  upward,  and  the  ample  display  of  long- 
necked,  straw-wrapped  flasks,  also  attested  that  he  was  enjoying 
himself  with  the  true  Peninsular  gusto,  having  probably  partaken 
of  a  long  siesta. 

It  was  a  perfect  picture  in  its  way  of  the  indolent  luxury  of  the 
South.  The  rich  and  perfumed  flowers,  half  closing  to  the  night 
air,  but  sighing  forth  a  perfumed  "  buonas  noches"  as  they  betook 
themselves  to  rest;  the  slender  shadows  of  the  tall  shrubs,  stretching 
motionless  across  the  walks ;  the  very  attitude  of  the  figure  him- 
self, was  in  keeping,  as,  supported  by  easy-chairs,  he  lounged  at 
full  length,  raising  his  head  ever  and  anon,  as  if  to  watch  the  wreath 
of  eddying  smoke  as  it  rose  upward  from  his  cigar,  and  melted  away 
in  the  distance. 

"  Yes,"  thought  I,  as  I  looked  for  some  time,  "  such  is  the  very 
type  of  his  nation.  Surrounded  by  every  luxury  of  climate,  blessed 
with  all  that  earth  can  offer  of  its  best  and  fairest,  and  yet  only 
using  such  gifts  as  mere  sensual  gratifications."  Starting  with  this 
theme,  I  wove  a  whole  story  for  the  unknown  personage,  whom,  in 
my  wandering  fancy,  I  began  by  creating  a  grandee  of  Portugal, 
invested  with  rank,  honors,  and  riches,  but  who,  effeminated  by  the 
habits  and  usages  of  his  country,  had  become  the  mere  idle  volup- 
tuary, living  a  life  of  easy  and  inglorious  indolence.  My  further 
musings  were  interrupted  at  this  moment,  for  the  individual  to 
whom  I  had  been  so  complimentary  in  my  reverie  slowly  arose 
from  his  recumbent  position,  flung  his  loose  mantle  carelessly  across 


THE  VILLA.  405 

his  left  shoulder,  and  pushing  open  the  sash-door,  entered  my 
chamber.  Directing  his  steps  to  a  large  mirror,  he  stood  for  some 
minutes  contemplating  himself  with  what,  from  his  attitude,  I 
judged  to  be  no  small  satisfaction.  Though  his  back  was  still 
towards  me,  and  the  dim  twilight  of  the  room  too  uncertain  to  see 
much,  yet  I  could  perceive  that  he  was  evidently  admiring  himself 
in  the  glass.  Of  this  fact  I  had  soon  the  most  complete  proof,  for 
as  I  looked,  he  slowly  raised  his  broad-leafed  Spanish  hat  with 
an  air  of  most  imposing  pretension,  and  bowed  reverently  to  him- 
self. 

"  Comesta  vostra  senoria  ?"  said  he. 

The  whole  gesture  and  style  of  this  proceeding  struck  me  as  so 
ridiculous,  that,  in  spite  of  all  my  efforts,  I  could  scarcely  repress  a 
laugh.  He  turned  quickly  round,  and  approached  the  bed.  The 
deep  shadow  of  the  sombrero  darkened  the  upper  part  of  his  fea- 
tures, but  I  could  distinguish  a  pair  of  fierce-looking  moustaches 
beneath,  which  curled  upward  towards  his  eyes,  while  a  stiff  pointed 
beard  stuck  straight  from  his  chin.  Fearing  lest  my  rude  interrup- 
tion had  been  overheard,  I  was  framing  some  polite  speech  in  Por- 
tuguese, when  he  opened  the  dialogue  by  asking  in  that  language 
how  I  did. 

I  replied,  and  was  about  to  ask  some  questions  relative  to  where 
and  under  whose  protection  I  then  was,  when  my  grave-looking 
friend,  giving  a  pirouette  upon  one  leg,  sent  his  hat  flying  into  the 
air,  and  cried  out  in  a  voice  that  not  even  my  memory  could  fail  to 
recognize, — 

"  By  the  rock  of  Cashel  he's  cured,  he's  cured  ! — the  fever's  over. 
Oh,  Master  Charles,  dear !  oh,  master,  darling !  and  you  ain't  mad, 
after  all?" 

"  Mad !  no,  faith !  but  I  shrewdly  suspect  you  must  be." 

"  Oh,  devil  a  taste  I  But  spake  to  me,  honey — spake  to  me, 
acushla." 

"  Where  am  I  ?  Whose  house  is  this  ?  What  do  you  mean  by 
that  disguise — that  beard " 

"  Whisht !  I'll  tell  you  all,  av  you  have  patience.  But  are  you 
cured  ? — tell  me  that  first.  Sure  they  was  going  to  cut  the  arm  of! 
you,  till  you  got  out  of  bed,  and  with  your  pistols  sent  them  flying, 
one  out  of  the  w7indow  and  the  other  down  stairs ;  and  I  myself 
bate  the  little  chap  with  the  saw  till  he  couldn't  know  himself  in  the 
glass.'' 

While  Mike  ran  on  at  this  rate,  I  never  took  my  eyes  from  him,  and 

it  was  all  my  poor  faculties  were  equal  to,  to  convince  myself  that 

the  whole  scene  was  not  some  vision   of  a   wandering  intellect. 

Gradually,  however,  the  well-known  features  recalled  me  to  myself, 

30 


466  CHARLES  0>M ALLEY. 

and  as  my  doubts  gave  way  at  length,  I  laughed  long  and  heartily 
at  the  masquerade  absurdity  of  his  appearance. 

Mike,  meanwhile,  whose  face  expressed  no  small  mistrust  at  the 
sincerity  of  my  mirth,  having  uncloaked  himself,  proceeded  to  lay 
aside  his  beard  and  moustaches,  saying,  as  he  did  so, — 

"There  now,  darlin' !  there  now,  master  dear!  Don't  be  grinnin' 
that  way ;  I'll  not  be  a  Portigee  any  more  av  you'll  be  quiet  and 
listen  to  reason." 

"  But,  Mike,  where  am  I  ?    Answer  me  that  question." 

"  You're  at  home,  dear ;  where  else  would  you  be  ?" 

"  At  home,"  said  I,  with  a  start,  as  my  eye  ranged  over  the  vari- 
ous articles  of  luxury  and  elegance  around,  so  unlike  the  more  sim- 
ple and  unpretending  features  of  my  uncle's  house — "  at  home  !" 

"  Ay,  just  so ;  sure,  isn't  it  the  same  thing  ?  It's  ould  Don 
Emanuel  that  owns  it ;  and  won't  it  be  your  own  when  you're  mar- 
ried to  that  lovely  crayture  herself?" 

I  started  up,  and  placing  my  hand  upon  my  throbbing  temple, 
asked  myself  if  I  were  really  awake,  or  if  some  flight  of  fancy  had 
not  carried  me  away  beyond  the  bounds  of  reason  and  sense.  "  Go 
on,  go  on !"  said  I,  at  length,  in  a  hollow  voice,  anxious  to  gather 
from  his  words  something  like  a  clue  to  this  mystery.  "How  did 
this  happen  ?" 

"Av  ye  mean  how  you  came  here,  faith,  it  was  just  this  way : 
After  you  got  the  fever,  and  bate  the  doctors,  devil  a  one  would  go 
near  you  but  myself  and  the  Major." 

"The  Major — Major  Monsoon  ?" 

"  No  ;  Major  Power  himself.  Well,  he  tould  your  friends  up  here 
how  it  was  going  very  hard  with  you,  and  that  you  were  like  to  die, 
and  the  same  evening  they  sent  down  a  beautiful  litter,  as  like  a 
hearse  as  two  peas,  for  you,  and  brought  you  up  here  in  state ; 
devil  a  thing  was  wanting  but  a  few  people  to  raise  the  cry  to  make 
it  as  fine  a  funeral  as  ever  I  seen ;  and  sure  I  set  up  a  whillilew  my- 
self in  the  Black  Horse  square,  and  the  devils  only  laughed  at  me. 

"  Well,  you  see  they  put  you  into  a  beautiful,  elegant  bed,  and  the 
young  lady  herself  sat  down  beside  you,  between  times  fanning  you 
with  a  big  fan,  and  then  drying  her  eyes,  for  she  was  weeping  like  a 
waterfall.  'Don  Miguel,'  says  she  to  me, — for,  ye  see,  I  put  your 
cloak  on  by  mistake  when  I  was  leaving  the  quarters, — 'Don 
Miguel,  questa  hidalgo  e  vostros  amigo  V 

"  *  My  most  particular  friend,'  says  I ;  *  God  spare  him  many 
years  to  be  so.' 

" '  Then  take  up  your  quarters  here,'  said  she,  '  and  don't  leave 
him  ;  we'll  do  everything  in  our  power  to  make  him  comfortable., 

" '  I'm  not  particular,'  says  I ;  '  the  run  of  the  house '  " 


THE  VILLA.  467 

"Then  this  is  the  Villa  Nuova?"  said  I,  with  a  faint  sigh. 

"  The  same,"  replied  Mike ;  "  and  a  sweet  place  it  is  for  eating 
and  drinking — for  wine  in  bucketfuls,  av  ye  axed  for  it, — for  dancing 
and  singing  every  evening,  with  as  pretty  craytures  as  ever  I  set  eyes 
upon.  Upon  my  conscience,  ii's  as  good  as  Galway ;  and  good  man- 
ners it  is  they  have.  What's  more,  none  of  your  liberties  nor  fami- 
liarities with  strangers,  but  it's  Don  Miguel,  devil  a  less.  '  Don 
Miguel,  av  it's  plazing  to  you  to  take  a  drop  of  Xeres  before  your 
meat?' — or,  'Would  you  have  a  shaugh  of  a  pipe  or  cigar  when 
you're  done?'     That's  the  way  of  it." 

"And  Sir  George  Dashwood,"  said  I,  "has  he  been  here?  has  he 
inquired  for  me  ?" 

"  Every  day,  either  himself  or  one  of  the  staff  comes  galloping  up 
at  luncheon-time  to  ask  after  you;  and  then  they  have  a  bit  of 
tender  discourse  with  the  Senhora  herself.  Oh  !  devil  a  bit  need  ye 
fear  them,  she's  true  blue;  and  it  isn't  the  Major's  fault, — upon  my 
conscience  it  isn't ;  for  he  does  be  coming  the  blarney  over  her  in 
beautiful  style." 

"  Does  Miss  Dashwood  ever  visit  here  ?"  said  I,  with  a  voice  fal- 
tering and  uncertain  enough  to  have  awakened  suspicion  in  a  more 
practised  observer. 

"  Never  once ;  and  that's  what  I  call  unnatural  behavior,  after 
you  saving  her  life ;  and  if  she  wasn't " 

"  Be  silent,  I  say." 

"  Well — well,  there  ;  I  won't  say  any  more ;  and  sure  it's  time  for 
me  to  be  putting  on  my  beard  again.  I'm  going  to  the  Casino  with 
Catrina,  and  sure  it's  with  real  ladies  I  might  be  going  av  it  wasn't 
for  Major  Power,  that  told  them  I  wasn't  an  officer ;  but  it's  all 
right  again.  I  gave  them  a  great  history  of  the  Frees,  from  the 
time  of  Cuila  na  Toole,  that  was  one  of  the  family,  and  a  cousin  of 
Moses,  I  believe  !  and  they  behave  well  to  one  that  comes  from  the 
ould  stock." 

"  Don  Miguel !  Don  Miguel !"  said  a  voice  from  the  garden. 

"  I'm  coming,  my  angel !  I'm  coming,  my  turtle-dove !"  said  Mike, 
arranging  his  moustache  and  beard  with  amazing  dexterity.  "  Ah, 
but  it  would  do  your  heart  good  av  you  could  take  a  peep  at  ua 
about  twelve  o'clock,  dancing  '  Dirty  James'  for  a  bolero,  and  just 
see  Miss  Catrina,  the  lady's  maid,  doing  '  Cover  the  Buckle'  as  neat 
as  nature.  There,  now,  there's  the  lemonade  near  your  hand,  and 
I'll  leave  you  the  lamp,  and  you  may  go  asleep  as  soon  as  you  please, 
for  Miss  Inez  won't  come  in  to-night  to  play  the  guitar,  for  the 
doctor  said  it  might  do  you  harm  now." 

So  saying,  and  before  I  could  summon  presence  of  mind  to  ask 
another  question,  Don  Miguel  wrapped  himself  in  the  broad  folds  of 


468  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

his  Spanish  cloak,  and  strode  from  the  room  with  the  air  of  an 
hidalgo. 

I  slept  little  that  night ;  a  full  tide  of  memory  rushing  in  upon 
me,  brought  back  the  hour  of  my  return  to  Lisbon  and  the  wreck  of 
all  my  hopes,  which,  from  the  narrative  of  my  servant,  I  now  per- 
ceived to  be  complete.  I  dare  not  venture  upon  recording  how 
many  plans  suggested  themselves  to  my  troubled  spirit,  and  were  in 
turn  rejected.-  To  meet  Lucy  Dash  wood — to  make  a  full  and  can- 
did declaration — to  acknowledge  that  flirtation  alone  with  Donna 
Inez — a  mere  passing,  boyish  flirtation — had  given  the  coloring  to 
my  innocent  passion,  and  that  in  heart  and  soul  I  was  hers  and  hers 
only — this  was  my  first  resolve ;  but,  alas  !  if  I  had  not  courage  to 
sustain  a  common  interview,  to  meet  her  in  the  careless  crowd  of 
a  drawing-room,  what  could  I  do  under  circumstances  like  these  ? 
Besides,  the  matter  would  be  cut  very  short  by  her  coolly  declaring 
that  she  had  neither  right  nor  inclination  to  listen  to  such  a  decla- 
ration. The  recollection  of  her  look  as  she  passed  me  to  her  car- 
riage came  flashing  across  my  brain,  and  decided  this  point.  No, 
no!  I'll' not  encounter  that;  however  appearances  for  the  moment 
had  been  against  me,  she  should  not  have  treated  me  thus  coldly 
and  disdainfully.  It  was  quite  clear  she  had  never  cared  for  me ; 
wounded  pride  had  been  her  only  feeling.  As  I  reasoned,  I  ended 
by  satisfying  myself  that  in  that  quarter  all  was  at  an  end  forever. 

Now,  then,  for  dilemma  number  two,  I  thought.  The  Sen  bora — ■ 
my  first  impulse  was  one  of  anything  but  gratitude  to  her,  by  whose 
kind,  tender  care  my  hours  of  pain  and  suffering  had  been  soothed 
and  alleviated.  But  for  her,  I  should  have  been  spared  all  my 
present  embarrassment — all  my  shipwrecked  fortunes ;  but  for  her,  I 
should  now  be  the  aide-de-camp  residing  in  Sir  George  Dashwood's 
own  house,  meeting  with  Lucy  every  hour  of  the  day,  dining 
beside  her,  riding  out  with  her,  pressing  my  suit  by  every  means 
and  with  every  advantage  of  my  position ;  but  for  her  and  her  dark 
eyes — and,  by-the-by,  what  eyes  they  are ! — how  full  of  brilliancy, 
yet  how  teeming  with  an  expression  of  soft  and  melting  sweetness ; 
and  her  mouth,  too,  how  perfectly  chiselled  those  full  lips — how 
different  from  the  cold,  unbending  firmness  of  Miss  Dashwood's — 
not  but  I  have  seen  Lucy  smile  too,  and  what  a  sweet  smile  ! — how 
it  lighted  up  her  fair  cheek,  and  made  her  blue  eyes  darken  and 
deepen  till  they  looked  like  heaven's  own  vault.  Yes,  there  is  more 
poetry  in  a  blue  eye.  But  still  Inez  is  a  very  lovely  girl,  and  her 
foot  never  was  surpassed ;  she  is  a  coquette,  too,  about  that  foot  and 
ankle — I  rather  like  a  woman  to  be  so.  What  a  sensation  she  would 
make  in  England — how  she  would  be  the  rage !  And  then  I  thought 
of  home  and  Galway,  and  the  astonishment  of  some,  the  admiration 


THE  VISIT.  469 

of  others,  as  I  presented  her  as  my  wife ;  the  congratulations  of  my 
friends,  the  wonder  of  the  men,  the  tempered  envy  of  the  women. 
Methought  I  saw  my  uncle,  as  he  pressed  her  in  his  arms,  say, 
"Yes,  Charley,  this. is  a  prize  worth  campaigning  for." 

The  stray  sounds  of  a  guitar  which  came  from  the  garden  broke 
in  upon  my  musings  at  this  moment.  It  seemed  as  if  a  finger  was 
straying  heedlessly  across  the  strings.  I  started  up,  and  to  my  sur- 
prise perceived  it  was  Inez.  Before  I  had  time  to  collect  myself,  a 
gentle  tap  at  the  window  aroused  me ;  it  opened  softly,  while  from 
an  unseen  hand  a  bouquet  of  fresh  flowers  was  thrown  upon  my 
bed ;  before  I  could  collect  myself  to  speak,  the  sash  closed  again 
and  I  was  alone. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE  VISIT. 


M1 


"IKE'S  performances  at  the  masquerade  had  doubtless  been  of 
the  most  distinguished  character,  and  demanded  a  compen- 
sating period  of  repose,  for  he  did  not  make  his  appearance 
the  entire  morning.  Towards  noon,  however,  the  door  from  the 
garden  gently  opened,  and  I  heard  a  step  upon  the  stone  terrace,  and 
something  which  sounded  to  my  ears  like  the  clank  of  a  sabre.  I 
lifted  my  head,  and  saw  Fred  Power  beside  me. 

I  shall  spare  my  readers  the  recital  of  my  friend,  which,  however 
full  and  explanatory  of  past  events,  contained  in  reality  little  more 
than  Mickey  Free  had  already  told  me.  In  fine,  he  informed  me 
that  our  army,  by  a  succession  of  retreating  movements,  had  deserted 
the  northern  provinces,  and  now  occupied  the  entrenched  lines  of 
Torres  Vedras.  Massena,  with  a  powerful  force,  was  still  in  march, 
reinforcements  pouring  in  upon  him,  and  every  expectation  point- 
ing to  the  probability  that  he  would  attempt  to  storm  our  position. 

"  The  wise-heads,"  remarked  Power,  "  talk  of  our  speedy  embark- 
ation— the  sanguine  and  the  hot-brained  rave  of  a  great  victory,  and 
the  retreat  of  Massena;  but  I  was  up  at  head-quarters  last  week 
with  despatches,  and  saw  Lord  Wellington  myself." 

"  Well,  what  did  you  make  out  ?  Did  he  drop  any  hint  of  his 
own  views  ?" 

"  Faith,  I  can't  say  he  did.  He  asked  me  some  questions  about 
the  troops  just  landed — he  spoke  a  little  of  the  commissary  depart- 
ment— cursed  the  blankets — said  that  the  green  forage  was  bad  for 
the  artillery  horses — sent  me  an  English  paper  to  read  about  the 


470  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

O.  P.  riots,  said  the  harriers  would  throw  off  about  six  o'clock,  and 
that  he  hoped  to  see  me  at  dinner." 

I  could  not  restrain  a  laugh  at  Power's  catalogue  of  his  lordship's 
topics.  u  So,"  said  I,  "  he  at  least  does  not  take  any  gloomy  views 
of  our  present  situation." 

"  Who  can  tell  what  he  thinks  ?  He's  ready  to  fight,  if  fighting 
will  do  anything — and  to  retreat,  if  that  be  better.  But  that  he'll 
sleep  an  hour  less,  or  drink  a  glass  of  claret  more — come  what  will 
of  it — I'll  believe  from  no  man  living. 

"  We've  lost  one  gallant  thing  in  any  case,  Charley,"  resumed 
Power.  "  Busaco  was,  I'm  told,  a  glorious  day,  and  our  people  were 
in  the  heat  of  it.  So  that  if  we  do  leave  the  Peninsula  now,  that 
will  be  a  confounded  chagrin.  Not  for  you,  my  poor  fellow,  for  you 
could  not  stir ;  but  I  was  so  cursed  foolish  to  take  the  staff  appoint- 
ment :  thus  one  folly  ever  entails  another." 

There  was  a  tone  of  bitterness  in  which  these  words  were  uttered 
that  left  no  doubt  upon  my  mind  some  arrive  penste  remained  lurk- 
ing behind  them.  My  eyes  met  his — he  bit  his  lip,  colored  deeply, 
rose  from  the  chair,  and  walked  towards  the  window. 

The  chance  allusion  of  my  man  Mike  flashed  upon  me  at  the  mo- 
ment, and  I  dared  not  trust  myself  to  break  silence.  I  now  thought 
I  could  trace  in  my  friend's  manner  less  of  that  gay  and  careless 
buoyancy  which  ever  marked  him.  There  was  a  tone,  it  seemed,  of 
more  grave  and  sombre  character,  and  even  when  he  jested,  the  smile 
his  features  bore  was  not  his  usual  frank  and  happy  one,  and  speed- 
ily gave  way  to  an  expression  I  had  never  before  remarked.  Our 
silence,  which  had  now  lasted  for  some  minutes,  was  becoming  em- 
barrassing— that  strange  consciousness  that,  to  a  certain  extent,  we 
were  reading  each  other's  thoughts,  made  us  both  cautious  of  break- 
ing it;  and  when,  at  length,  turning  abruptly  round,  he  asked, 
"  When  I  hoped  to  be  up  and  about  again  ?"  I  felt  my  heart  relieved 
from  what  I  knew  not  well  what  load  of  doubt  and  difficulty  that 
oppressed  it.  We  chatted  on  for  some  little  time  longer,  the  news 
of  Lisbon  and  the  daily  gossip  finishing  our  topics. 

"  Plenty  of  gayety,  Charley  !  dinners  and  balls  to  no  end !  so  get 
well,  my  boy,  and  make  the  most  of  it." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  I'll  do  my  best ;  but  be  assured  the  first  use 
I'll  make  of  health  will  be  to  join  the  regiment.  I  am  heartily 
ashamed  of  myself  for  all  I  have  lost  already — though  not  altogether 
my  fault." 

"And  will  you  really  join  at  once?"  said  Power,  with  a  look  of 
eager  anxiety  I  could  not  possibly  account  for. 

"  Of  course  I  will ;  what  have  I,  what  can  I  have,  to  detain  me 
here?" 


THE  VISIT.  471 

What  reply  he  was  about  to  make  at  this  moment  I  know  not,  but 
the  door  opened,  and  Mike  announced  Sir  George  Dashwood. 

"  Gently  !  my  worthy  man,  not  so  loud,  if  you  please  !"  said  the 
mild  voice  of  the  General,  as  he  stepped  noiselessly  across  the  room, 
evidently  shocked  at  the  indiscreet  tone  of  my  follower.  "Ah, 
Power,  you  here !  and  our  poor  friend,  how  is  he  ?" 

"Able  to  answer  for  himself  at  last,  Sir  George,"  said  I,  grasping 
his  proffered  hand. 

"  My  poor  lad !  you've  had  a  long  bout  of  it ;  but  you've  saved 
your  arm,  and  that's  well  worth  the  lost  time.  Well,  I've  come  to 
bring  you  good  news ;  there's  been  a  very  sharp  cavalry  affair,  and 
our  fellows  have  been  the  conquerors." 

"  There  again,  Power — listen  to  that !  We  are  losing  everything!" 

"Not  so,  not  so,  my  boy,"  said  Sir  George,  smiling  blandly,  but 
archly.  "There  are  conquests  to  be  won  here  as  well  as  there, 
and,  in  your  present  state,  I  rather  think  you  better  fitted  for  such 
as  these." 

Power's  brow  grew  clouded  ;  he  essayed  a  smile,  but  it  failed,  and 
he  rose  and  hurried  towards  the  window. 

As  for  me,  my  confusion  must  have  led  to  a  very  erroneous  im- 
pression of  my  real  feelings,  and  I  perceived  Sir  George  anxious  to 
turn  the  channel  of  the  conversation. 

"  You  see  but  little  of  your  host,  O'Malley,"  he  resumed ;  "  he  is 
ever  from  home ;  but  I  believe  nothing  could  be  kinder  than  his 
arrangements  for  you.  You  are  aware  that  he  kidnapped  you  from 
us?  I  had  sent  Forbes  over  to  bring  you  to  us,  your  room  was  pre- 
pared, everything  in  readiness,  when  we  met  your  man  Mike,  setting 
forth  upon  a  mule,  who  told  us  you  had  just  taken  your  departure 
for  the  villa.  We  both  had  a  claim  upon  you,  and,  I  believe,  pretty 
much  on  the  same  score.  By  the  bye,  you  have  not  seen  Lucy  since 
your  arrival.  I  never  knew  it  till  yesterday,  when  I  asked  if  she  did 
not  find  you  altered," 

I  blundered  out  some  absurd  reply,  blushed,  corrected  myself,  and 
got  confused.  Sir  George,  attributing  this,  doubtless,  to  my  weak 
state,  rose  soon  after,  and,  taking  Power  along  with  him,  remarked, 
as  he  left  the  room, 

"  We  are  too  much  for  him  yet,  I  see  that ;  so  we'll  leave  him 
quiet  some  time  longer." 

Thanking  him  in  my  heart  for  his  true  appreciation  of  my  state, 
I  sank  back  upon  my  pillow  to  think  over  all  I  had  heard  and  seen. 
"  Well,  Mister  Charles,"  said  Mike,  as  he  came  forward  with  a 
smile,  "I  suppose  you  heard  the  news?  The  14th  bate  the  French 
down  at  Merca  there,  and  took  seventy  prisoners ;  but,  sure,  it's 
little  good  it'll  do,  after  all." 


472  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"And  why  not,  Mike  ?" 

"Muska!  isn't  Boney  coming  himself?  He's  bringing  all  the 
Roossians  down  with  him,  and  going  to  destroy  us  entirely." 

"  Not  at  all,  man  ;  you  mistake.  He's  nothing  to  do  with  Eussia, 
and  has  quite  enough  on  his  hands  at  this  moment." 

"  God  grant  it  was  truth  you  were  talking !  But,  you  see,  I  read 
it  myself  in  the  papers, — or  Sergeant  Haggarty  did,  which  is  the 
same  thing, — that  he's  coming  with  the  Cusacks." 

"With  who?— with  what?" 

"With  the  Cusacks." 

"What  the  devil  do  you  mean?    Who  are  they?" 

"  Oh,  Tower  of  Ivory !  did  you  never  hear  of  the  Cusacks,  with 
the  red  beards,  and  the  red  breeches,  and  long  poles  with  pike-heads 
on  them,  that  does  all  the  devilment  on  horseback — piking  and 
spitting  the  people  like  larks." 

"  The  Cossacks  is  it,  you  mean  ?    The  Cossacks  ?" 

"Ay,  just  so,  the  Cusacks.  They're  from  Clare  Island,  and  there- 
abouts ;  and  there's  more  of  them  in  Meath.  They're  my  mother's 
people,  and  always  was  real  devils  for  fighting." 

I  burst  out  into  an  immoderate  fit  of  laughing  at  Mike's  etymol- 
ogy, which  thus  converted  Hetman  Platoff  into  a  Galway  man. 

"  Oh,  murder  !  isn't  it  cruel  to  hear  you  laugh  that  way!  There 
now,  alanna  !  be  aisy,  and  I'll  tell  you  more  news.  We've  the  house 
to  ourselves  to-day.  The  ould  gentleman's  down  at  Behlem,  and  the 
daughter's  in  Lisbon,  making  great  preparations  for  a  grand  ball 
they're  to  give  when  you  are  quite  well." 

"  I  hope  I  shall  be  with  the  army  in  a  few  days,  Mike ;  and 
certainly,  if  I'm  able  to  move  about,  I'll  not  remain  longer  in 
Lisbon." 

"Arrah!  don't  say  so  now  !  When  was  you  ever  so  comfortable? 
Upon  my  conscience,  it's  more  like  Paradise  than  anything  else. 
If  ye  see  the  dinner  we  set  down  to  every  day !  and,  as  for  drink — 
if  it  wasn't  that  I  sleep  on  the  ground-floor,  I'd  seldom  see  a 
blanket." 

"  Well,  certainly,  Mike,  I  agree  with  you,  these  are  hard  things 
to  tear  ourselves  away  from." 

"Aren't  they  now,  sir?  And  then  Miss  Catherine,  I'm  taching 
her  Irish !" 

"  Teaching  her  Irish !  for  Heaven's  sake,  what  use  can  she  make 
of  Irish?" 

"Ah,  the  crayture,  she  doesn't  know  better;  and  as  she  was 
always  bothering  me  to  learn  her  English,  I  promised  one  day  to 
do  it ;  but  ye  see,  somehow,  I  never  was  very  proficient  in  strange 
tongues ;  so  I   thought  to  myself  Irish  will  do  as  well.    So,  you 


THE  CONFESSION.  473 

perceive,  we're  taking  a  coorse  of  Irish  literature,  as  Mr.  Lynch  says 
in  Athlone ;  and,  upon  my  conscience,  she's  an  apt  scholar." 

"  '  Good-morning  to  you,  Katey,'  says  Mr.  Power  to  her  the  other 
day,  as  he  passed  through  the  hall.  '  Good-morning,  my  dear !  I 
hear  you  speak  English  perfectly  now  ?' 

"  'Honia  mon  diaoul,'  says  she,  making  a  curtsey. 

"  Be  the  powers,  I  thought  he'd  die  with  the  laughing. 

" '  Well,  my  dear,  I  hope  you  don't  mean  it — do  you  know  what 
you're  saying?' 

" '  Honor  bright,  Major !'  says  I — '  honor  bright !'  and  I  gave  him 
a  wink  at  the  same  time. 

"  '  Oh,  that's  it !'  said  he,  '  is  it  ?'  and  so  he  went  off  holding  his 
hands  to  his  sides  with  the  bare  laughing  ;  and  your  honor  knows  it 
wasn't  a  blessing  she  wished  him  for  all  that." 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

THE   CONFESSION. 

WHAT  a  strange  position  this  of  mine  !"  thought  I,  a  few  morn- 
ings after  the  events  detailed  in  the  last  chapter.     "  How 
very  fascinating  in  some  respects,  how  full  of  all  the  charm 
of  romance,  and  how  confoundedly  difficult  to  see  one's  way  through." 

To  understand  my  cogitation  right,  figurez  vous,  my  dear  reader,  a 
large  and  splendidly-furnished  drawing-room,  from  one  end  of 
which  an  orangery  in  full  blossom  opens ;  from  the  other  is  seen  a 
delicious  little  boudoir,  where  books,  bronzes,  pictures  and  statues, 
in  all  the  artistic  disorder  of  a  lady's  sanctum,  are  bathed  in  a  deep 
purple  light  from  a  stained-glass  window  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

At  a  small  table  beside  the  wood  fire,  whose  mellow  light  is  flirt- 
ing with  the  sunbeams  upon  the  carpet,  stands  an  antique  silver 
breakfast  service,  which  none  but  the  hand  of  Benvenuto  could  have 
chiselled ;  beside  it  sits  a  girl,  young  and  beautiful ;  her  dark  eyes, . 
beaming  beneath  their  long  lashes,  are  fixed  with  an  expression  of 
watchful  interest  upon  a  pale  and  sickly  youth,  who,  lounging  upon 
a  sofa  opposite,  is  carelessly  turning  over  the  leaves  of  a  new  journal, 
or  gazing  steadfastly  on  the  fretted  gothic  of  the  ceiling,  while  his 
thoughts  are  travelling  many  a  mile  away, — the  lady  being  the 
Senhora  Inez  ;  the  nonchalant  invalid,  your  unworthy  acquaintance, 
Charles  O'Malley. 

What  a  very  strange  position,  to  be  sure ! 


474  CHARLES  OfM ALLEY. 

"Then  you  are  not  equal  to  this  ball  to-night?"  said  she,  after  a 
pause  of  some  minutes. 

I  turned  as  she  spoke ;  her  words  had  struck  audibly  upon  my  ear, 
but,  lost  in  my  reverie,  I  could  but  repeat  my  own  fixed  thought — 
how  strange  to  be  so  situated ! 

"  You  are  really  very  tiresome,  Signor ;  I  assure  you,  you  are.  I 
have  been  giving  you  a  most  elegant  description  of  the  Casino  fete, 
and  the  beautiful  costumes  of  our  Lisbon  belles,  but  I  can  get 
nothing  from  you  but  this  muttered  something,  which  may  be  very 
shocking,  for  aught  I  know.  I'm  sure  your  friend  Major  Power 
would  be  much  more  attentive  to  me ;  that  is,"  added  she,  archly, 
"  if  Miss  Dashwood  were  not  present." 

"  What — why — you  don't  mean  that  there  is  anything  there — that 
Power  is  paying  attention  to " 

"Madre  divina,  how  that  seems  to  interest  you,  and  how  red  you 
are !  If  it  were  not  that  you  never  met  her  before,  and  that  your 
acquaintance  did  not  seem  to  make  rapid  progress,  then  I  should  say 
you  are  in  love  with  her  yourself." 

I  had  to  laugh  at  this,  but  felt  my  face  flushing  more.  "And  so," 
said  I,  affecting  a  careless  and  indifferent  tone, "  the  gay  Fred  Power 
is  smitten  at  last !" 

"  Was  it  so  very  difficult  a  thing  to  accomplish  ?"  said  she,  slyly. 

"  He  seems  to  say  so,  at  least.  And  the  lady,  how  does  she  appear 
to  receive  his  attentions?" 

"  Oh,  I  should  say  with  evident  pleasure  and  satisfaction,  as  all 
girls  do  the  advances  of  men  they  don't  care  for,  nor  intend  to  care 
for." 

"  Indeed,"  said  I,  slowly ;  "  indeed,  Senhora  ?"  looking  into  her 
eyes  as  I  spoke,  as  if  to  read  if  the  lesson  were  destined  for  my 
benefit. 

"  There,  don't  stare  so ! — every  one  knows  that." 

"  So  you  don't  think,  then,  that  Lucy — I  mean  Miss  Dashwood, — 
why  are  you  laughing  so  ?" 

"  How  can  I  help  it  ?  your  calling  her  Lucy  is  so  good,  I  wish  she 
heard  it ;  she's  the  very  proudest  girl  I  ever  knew." 

"  But  to  come  back  ;  you  really  think  she  does  not  care  for  him  ?" 

"  Not  more  than  for  you;  and  I  may  be  pardoned  for  the  simile, 
having  seen  your  meeting.  But  let  me  give  you  the  news  of  our  own 
fete.  Saturday  is  the  day  fixed ;  and  you  must  be  quite  well — I  in- 
sist upon  it.  Miss  Dashwood  has  promised  to  come — no  small  con- 
cession ;  for,  after  all,  she  has  never  once  been  here  since  the  day 
you  frightened  her.  I  can't  help  laughing  at  my  blunder — the  two 
people  I  had  promised  myself  should  fall  desperately  in  love  with 
each  other,  and  who  will  scarcely  meet." 


THE  CONFESSION.  475 

"  But  I  trusted,"  said  I,  pettishly,  "  that  you  were  not  disposed  to 
resign  your  own  interest  in  me  ?" 

"  Neither  was  I,"  said  she,  with  an  easy  smile,  "  except  that  I 
have  so  mairV  admirers.  I  might  even  spare  you  to  my  friends ; 
though,  after  all,  I  should  be  sorry  to  lose  you — I  like  you." 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  half  bitterly,  "  as  girls  do  those  they  never  intend 
to  care  for ;  is  it  not  so  ?" 

"  Perhaps  yes,  and  perhaps But  is  it  going  to  rain  ?  How  pro- 
voking !  and  I  have  ordered  my  horse.  Well,  Signor  Carlos,  I  leave 
you  to  your  delightful  newspaper,  and  all  the  magnificent  descrip- 
tions of  battles,  and  sieges,  and  skirmishes  for  which  you  seem 
doomed  to  pine  without  ceasing.  There,  don't  kiss  my  hand  twice ; 
that's  not  right." 

"  Well,  let  me  begin  again " 

"  I  shall  not  breakfast  with  you  any  more  ;  but,  tell  me,  am  I  to 
order  a  costume  for  you  in  Lisbon ;  or  will  you  arrange  all  that  your- 
self?   You  must  come  to  the  fete,  you  know." 

"  If  you  would  be  so  very  kind." 

"  I  will,  then,  be  so  very  kind  ;  and,  once  more,  adios."  So  say- 
ing, with  a  slight  motion  of  her  hand,  she  smiled  a  good-bye,  and 
left  me. 

"  What  a  lovely  girl !"  thought  I,  as  I  rose  and  walked  to  the  win- 
dow,  muttering  to  myself  Othello's  line, — 

"  When  I  love  thee  not,  chaos  is  come  again." 

In  fact,  it  was  the  perfect  expression  of  my  feeling — the  only  solu- 
tion to  all  the  difficulties  surrounding  me,  being  to  fall  desperately, 
irretrievably  in  love  with  the  fair  Senhora,  which,  all  things  con- 
sidered, was  not  a  very  desperate  resource  for  a  gentleman  in  trouble. 
As  I  thought  over  the  hopelessness  of  one  attachment,  I  turned 
calmly  to  consider  the  favorable  points  of  the  other.  She  was  truly 
beautiful,  attractive  in  every  sense ;  her  manner  most  fascinating, 
and  her  disposition,  so  far  as  I  could  pronounce,  perfectly  amiable. 
I  felt  already  something  more  than  interest  about  her;  how  very 
easy  would  be  the  transition  to  a  stronger  feeling !  There  was  an 
tclat,  too,  about  being  her  accepted  lover  that  had  its  charm.  She 
was  the  belle  par  excellence  of  Lisbon ;  and  then  a  sense  of  pique 
crossed  my  mind  as  I  reflected,  what  would  Lucy  say  of  him  whom 
she  had  slighted  and  insulted,  when  he  became  the  husband  of  the 
beautiful  and  millionaire  Senhora  Inez? 

As  my  meditations  had  reached  thus  far,  the  door  opened  stealth- 
ily, and  Catherine  appeared,  her  finger  upon  her  lips,  and  her  ges- 
ture indicating  caution.  She  carried  on  her  arm  a  mass  of  drapery 
covered  by  a  large  mantle,  which  throwing  off  as  she  entered,  she 


476  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

displayed  before  me  a  rich  blue  domino  with  silver  embroidery.  It 
was  large  and  loose  in  its  folds,  so  as  thoroughly  to  conceal  the  fig- 
ure of  any  wearer.  This  she  held  up  before  me  for  an  instant  with- 
out speaking ;  when  at  length,  seeing  my  curiosity  fully  excited, 
she  said, — 

"  This  is  the  Senhora's  domino.  I  should  be  ruined  if  she  knew 
I  showed  it ;  but  I  promised — that  is,  I  told " 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  understand,"  relieving  her  embarrassment  about  the 
source  of  her  civilities  ;  "  go  on." 

"  Well,  there  are  several  others  like  it,  but  with  this  small  differ- 
ence, instead  of  a  carnation,  which  all  the  others  have  embroidered 
upon  the  cuff,  I  have  made  it  a  rose — you  perceive  ?  La  Senhora 
knows  nothing  of  this — no  one  save  yourself  knows  it.  I'm  sure  I 
may  trust  you  with  the  secret." 

"Fear  not  in  the  least,  Catherine  ;  you  have  rendered  me  a  great 
service.  Let  me  look  at  it  once  more ;  ah  !  there's  no  difficulty  in 
detecting  it.     And  you  are  certain  she  is  unaware  of  it  ?" 

"  Perfectly  so ;  she  has  several  other  costumes,  but  in  this  one  I 
know  she  intends  some  surprise,  so  be  upon  your  guard." 

With  these  words,  once  more  carefully  concealing  the  rich  dress 
beneath  the  mantle,  she  withdrew,  while  I  strolled  forth  to  wonder 
what  mystery  might  lie  beneath  this  scheme,  and  speculate  how  far 
I  myself  was  included  in  the  plot  she  spoke  of. 

******** 

For  the  few  days  which  succeeded,  I  passed  my  time  much  alo/ie. 
The  Senhora  was  but  seldom  at  home,  and  I  remarked  that  Power 
rarely  came  to  see  me.  A  strange  feeling  of  half-coolness  had  lat- 
terly grown  between  us,  and  instead  of  the  open  confidence  we  for- 
merly indulged  in  when  together,  we  appeared  now  rather  to  chat 
over  things  of  mere  every-day  interest  than  of  our  own  immediate 
plans  and  prospects.  There  was  a  kind  of  pre-occupation,  too,  in  his 
manner  that  struck  me;  his  mind  seemed  ever  straying  from  the 
topics  he  talked  of  to  something  remote,  and,  altogether,  he  was 
no  longer  the  frank  and  reckless  dragoon  I  had  ever  known  him. 
What  could  be  the  meaning  of  this  change  ?  Had  he  found  out  by 
any  accident  that  I  was  to  blame  in  my  conduct  towards  Lucy — had 
any  erroneous  impression  of  my  interview  with  her  reached  his 
ears?  This  was  most  improbable;  besides,  there  was  nothing  in 
that  to  draw  down  his  censure  or  condemnation,  however  repre- 
sented ;  or  was  it  that  he  was  himself  in  love  with  her — that,  de- 
voted heart  and  soul  to  Lucy,  he  regarded  me  as  a  successful  rival, 
preferred  before  him  !  Oh,  how  could  I  have  so  long  blinded  myself 
to  the  fact !  This  was  the  true  solution  of  the  whole  difficulty.  I  had 
more  than  once  suspected  this  to  be  so ;  now  all  the  circumstances 


THE  CONFESSION.  477 

of  proof  poured  in  upon  me.  I  called  to  mind  his  agitated  manner 
the  night  of  my  arrival  in  Lisbon — his  thousand  questions  concerning 
the  reasons  of  my  furlough ;  and  then,  lately,  the  look  of  unfeigned 
pleasure  with  which  he  heard  me  resolve  to  join  my  regiment  the 
moment  I  was  sufficiently  recovered.  I  also  remembered  how 
assiduously  he  pressed  his  intimacy  with  the  Senhora,  Lucy's  dear- 
est friend  here ;  his  continual  visits  at  the  villa ;  those  long  walks 
in  the  garden,  where  his  very  look  betokened  some  confidential  mis- 
sion of  the  heart.  Yes,  there  was  no  doubt  of  it — he  loved  Lucy 
Dashwood !  Alas !  there  seemed  to  be  no  end  to  the  complication 
of  my  misfortunes ;  one  by  one,  I  appeared  fated  to  lose  whatever 
had  a  hold  upon  my  affections,  and  to  stand  alone,  unloved  and  un- 
cared  for  in  the  world.  My  thoughts  turned  towards  the  Senhora, 
but  I  could  not  deceive  myself  into  any  hope  there.  My  own  feel- 
ings were  untouched,  and  hers  I  felt  to  be  equally  so.  Young  as  I 
was,  there  was  no  mistaking  the  easy  smile  of  coquetry,  the  merry 
laugh  of  flattered  vanity,  for  a  deeper  and  holier  feeling.  And  then 
I  did  not  wish  it  otherwise.  One  only  had  taught  me  to  feel  how 
ennobling,  how  elevating,  in  all  its  impulses  can  be  a  deep-rooted 
passion  for  a  young  and  beautiful  girl !  From  her  eyes  alone  had  I 
caught  the  inspiration — that  made  me  pant  for  glory  and  distinc- 
tion. I  could  not  transfer  the  allegiance  of  my  heart,  since  it  had 
taught  that  very  heart  to  beat  high  and  proudly.  Lucy,  lost  to  me 
forever  as  she  must  be,  was  still  more  than  any  other  woman  ever 
could  be.  All  the  past  clung  to  her  memory,  all  the  prestige  of  the 
future  must  point  to  it  also. 

And  Power,  why  had  he  not  trusted — why  had  he  not  confided  in 
me  ?  Was  this  like  my  old  and  tried  friend  ?  Alas  I  I  was  forget- 
ting that  in  his  eyes  I  was  the  favored  rival,  and  not  the  despised, 
rejected  suitor. 

"  It  is  past  now,"  thought  I,  as  I  rose  and  walked  into  the  gar- 
den ;  "  the  dream  that  made  life  a  fairy  tale  is  dispelled ;  the  cold 
reality  of  the  world  is  before  me,  and  my  path  lies  a  lonely  and 
solitary  one."  My  first  resolution  was  to  see  Power,  and  relieve  his 
mind  of  any  uneasiness  as  regarded  my  pretensions  ;  they  existed  no 
longer.  As  for  me,  I  was  no  obstacle  to  his  happiness  ;  it  was,  then, 
but  fair  and  honorable  that  I  should  tell  him  so  ;  this  done,  I  should 
leave  Lisbon  at  once.  The  cavalry  had  for  the  most  part  been 
ordered  to  the  rear ;  still  there  was  always  something  going  forward 
at  the  outposts. 

The  idea  of  active  service,  the  excitement  of  a  campaigning  life, 
cheered  me,  and  I  advanced  along  the  dark  alley  of  the  garden  with 
a  lighter  and  a  freer  heart.  My  resolves  were  not  destined  to  meet 
delay.     As  I  turned  the  angle  of  a  walk,  Power  was  before  me.    He 


478  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

was  leaning  against  a  tree,  his  hands  crossed  upon  his  bosom,  his 
head  bowed  forward,  and  his  whole  air  and  attitude  betokening 
deep  reflection. 

He  started  as  I  came  up,  and  seemed  almost  to  change  color. 

"Well,  Charley,"  said  he,  after  a  moment's  pause;  "you  look 
better  this  morning.     How  goes  the  arm  ?" 

"  The  arm  is  ready  for  service  again,  and  its  owner  most  anxious 
for  it.     Do  you  know,  Fred,  I'm  thoroughly  weary  of  this  life." 

"  They're  little  better,  however,  at  the  lines.  The  French  are  in 
position,  but  never  venture  a  movement ;  and,  except  some  few 
affairs  at  the  pickets,  there  is  really  nothing  to  do." 

"  No  matter ;  remaining  here  can  never  serve  one's  interests  ;  and 
besides,  I  have  accomplished  what  I  came  for " 

I  was  about  to  add,  "  the  restoration  of  my  health,"  when  he  sud- 
denly interrupted  me,  eyeing  me  fixedly  as  he  spoke. 

"Indeed  !  indeed  !     Is  that  so  ?" 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  half  puzzled  at  the  tone  and  manner  of  the  speech ; 
"I  can  join  now  when  I  please;  meanwhile,  Fred,  I  have  been 
thinking  of  you.  Yes,  don't  be  surprised  ;  at  the  very  moment  we 
met,  you  were  in  my  thoughts." 

I  took  his  arm  as  I  said  this,  and  led  him  down  the  alley. 

"  We  are  too  old,  and,  I  trust,  too  true  friends,  Fred,  to  have 
secrets  from  each  other,  and  yet  we  have  been  playing  this  silly 
game  for  some  weeks  past.  Now,  my  dear  fellow,  I  have  yours,  and 
it  is  only  fair  justice  you  should  have  mine,  and,  faith,  I  feel  you'd 
have  discovered  it  long  since,  had  your  thoughts  been  as  free  as  I 
have  known  them  to  be.  Fred,  you  are  in  love.  There,  don't 
wince,  man — I  know  it ;  but  hear  me  out.  You  believe  me  to  be 
so  also ;  nay,  more,  you  think  that  my  chances  of  success  are  better, 
stronger  than  your  own.  Learn,  then,  that  I  have  none—  absolutely 
none.  Don't  interrupt  me  now,  for  this  avowal  cuts  me  deeply ;  my 
own  heart  alone  knows  what  I  suffer  as  I  record  my  wrecked  for- 
tunes. But  I  repeat  it,  my  hopes  are  at  an  end  forever ;  but,  Fred, 
my  boy,  I  cannot  lose  my  friend  too.  If  I  have  been  the  obstacle 
to  your  path,  I  am  so  no  more.  Ask  me  not  why ;  it  is  enough  that 
I  speak  in  all  truth  and  sincerity.  Ere  three  days  I  shall  leave  this, 
and  with  it  all  the  hopes  that  once  beamed  upon  my  fortunes,  and 
all  the  happiness, — nay,  not  all,  my  boy,  for  I  feel  some  thrill  at  my 
heart  yet,  as  I  think  that  I  have  been  true  to  you." 

I  know  not  what  more  I  spoke,  nor  how  he  replied  to  me.  I  felt 
the  warm  grasp  of  his  hand,  I  saw  his  delighted  smile  ;  the  words  of 
grateful  acknowledgment  his  lips  uttered  conveyed  but  an  imper- 
fect meaning  to  my  ear,  and  I  remembered  no  more. 

The  courage  which  sustained  me  for  the  moment  sank  gradually 


MY  CHARGER.  479 

as  I  meditated  over  my  avowal,  and  I  could  scarce  help  accusing 
Power  of  a  breach  of  friendship  for  exacting  a  confession  which,  in 
reality,  I  had  volunteered  to  give  him.  How  Lucy  herself  would 
think  of  my  conduct  was  ever  recurring  to  my  thoughts,  and  I  feit, 
as  I  ruminated  upon  the  conjectures  it  might  give  rise  to,  how 
much  more  likely  a  favorable  opinion  might  now  be  formed  of 
me  than  when  such  an  estimation  could  have  crowned  me  with 
delight. 

"  Yes,"  thought  I ;  "  she  will  at  last  learn  to  know  him  who  loved 
her  with  truth  and  with  devoted  affection ;  and  when  the  blight  of 
all  his  hopes  is  accomplished,  the  fair  fame  of  his  fidelity  will  be 
proved.  The  march,  the  bivouac,  the  battle-field,  are  now  all  to  me, 
and  the  campaign  alone  presents  a  prospect  which  may  fill  up  the 
aching  void  that  disappointed  and  ruined  hopes  have  left  behind 
them." 

How  I  longed  for  the  loud  call  of  the  trumpet,  the  clash  of  the 
steel,  the  tramp  of  the  war-horse,  though  the  proud  distinction  of  a 
soldier's  life  was  less  to  me  in  the  distance  than  the  mad  and 
whirlwind  passion  of  a  charge,  and  the  loud  din  of  the  rolling 
artillery. 

It  was  only  some  hours  after,  as  I  sat  alone  in  my  chamber,  that 
all  the  circumstances  of  our  meeting  came  back  clearly  to  my 
memory,  and  I  could  not  help  muttering  to  myself:  "It  is  indeed  a 
hard  lot,  that  to  cheer  the  heart  of  my  friend,  I  must  bear  witness 
to  the  despair  that  sheds  darkness  on  my  own." 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

MY    CHARGER. 

ALTHOUGH  I  felt  my  heart  relieved  of  a  heavy  load  by  the 
confession  I  had  made  to  Power,  yet  still  I  shrank  from  meet- 
ing him  for  some  days  after;  a  kind  of  fear  lest  he  should  in 
any  way  recur  to  our  conversation  continually  beset  me,  and  I  felt 
that  the  courage  which  bore  me  up  for  my  first  effort  would  desert 
me  on  the  next  occasion. 

My  determination  to  join  my  regiment  was  now  made  up,  and  I 
sent  forward  a  resignation  of  my  appointment  to  Sir  George  Dash- 
wood's  staff,  which  I  had  never  been  in  health  to  fulfil,  and  com- 
menced with  energy  all  my  preparations  for  a  speedy  departure. 
The  reply  to  my  rather  formal  letter  was  a  most  kind  note  written 


480  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

by  himself.  He  regretted  the  unhappy  cause  which  had  so  long 
separated  us,  and  though  wishing,  as  he  expressed  it,  to  have  me 
near  him,  perfectly  approved  of  my  resolution. 

"Active  service  alone,  my  dear  boy,  can  ever  place  you  in  the 
position  you  ought  to  occupy,  and  I  rejoice  the  more  at  your  decision 
in  this  matter,  as  I  feared  the  truth  of  certain  reports  here,  which 
attributed  to  you  other  plans  than  those  which  a  campaign  suggests. 
My  mind  is  now  easy  on  this  score,  and  I  pray  you  forgive  me  if  my 
congratulations  are  mal  d  propos." 

After  some  hints  for  my  future  management,  and  a  promise  of 
some  letters  to  his  friends  at  head-quarters,  he  concluded  : — 

"As  this  climate  does  not  seem  to  suit  my  daughter,  I  have  ap- 
plied for  a  change,  and  am  in  daily  hope  of  obtaining  it.  Before 
going,  however,  I  must  beg  your  acceptance  of  the  charger  which 
my  groom  wTill  deliver  to  your  servant  with  this.  I  was  so  struck 
with  his  figure  and  action,  that  I  purchased  him  before  leaving  Eng- 
land, without  well  knowing  why  or  wherefore.  Pray  let  him  see 
some  service  under  your  auspices,  which  he  is  most  unlikely  to  do 
under  mine.  He  has  plenty  of  bone  to  be  a  weight-carrier,  and  they 
tell  me  also  that  he  has  speed  enough  for  anything." 

Mike's  voice  in  the  lawn  beneath  interrupted  my  reading  further, 
and  on  looking  out  I  perceived  him  and  Sir  George  Dashwood's 
servant  standing  beside  a  large  and  striking-looking  horse,  which 
they  were  both  examining  with  all  the  critical  accuracy  of  adepts. 

"Arrah,  isn't  he  a  darling,  a  real  beauty,  every  inch  of  him?" 

"  That  'ere  splint  don't  signify  nothing,  he  aren't  the  worse  of  it," 
said  the  English  groom. 

"  Of  coorse  it  doesn't,"  replied  Mike.  "  What  a  forehand  !  and 
the  legs,  clean  as  a  whip." 

"  There's  the  best  of  him,  though,"  interrupted  the  other,  patting 
the  strong  hind-quarters  with  his  hand.  "  There's  the  stuff  to  push 
him  along  through  heavy  ground  and  carry  him  over  timber." 

"  Or  a  stone  wall,"  said  Mike,  thinking  of  Gal  way. 

My  own  impatience  to  survey  my  present  had  now  brought  me 
into  the  conclave,  and  before  many  minutes  were  over  I  had  him 
saddled,  and  was  cantering  around  the  lawn  with  a  spirit  and  energy 
I  had  not  felt  for  months  long.  Some  small  fences  lay  before  me, 
and  over  these  he  carried  me  with  all  the  ease  and  freedom  of  a 
trained  hunter.  My  courage  mounted  with  the  excitement,  and  I 
looked  eagerly  around  for  some  more  bold  and  dashing  leap. 

"  You  may  take  him  over  the  avenue  gate,"  said  the  English 
groom,  divining  with  a  jockey's  readiness  what  I  looked  for ;  "  he'll 
do  it,  never  fear  him." 

Strange  as   my  equipment  was,  with   an   undress  jacket  flying 


MY  CHARGER.  481 

loosely  open,  and  a  bare  head,  away  I  went.  The  gate  which  the 
groom  spoke  of  was  a  strongly  barred  one  of  oak  timber,  nearly  five 
feet  high — its  difficulty  as  a  leap  only  consisted  in  the  winding  ap- 
proach, and  the  fact  that  it  opened  upon  a  hard  road  beyond  it. 

In  a  second  or  two  a  kind  of  half  fear  came  across  me.  My  long 
illness  had  unnerved  me,  and  my  limbs  felt  weak  and  yielding ;  but 
as  I  pressed  into  the  canter,  that  secret  sympathy  between  the  horse 
and  his  rider  shot  suddenly  through  me,  I  pressed  my  spurs  to  his 
flanks,  and  dashed  him  at  it. 

Unaccustomed  to  such  treatment,  the  noble  animal  bounded 
madly  forward ;  with  two  tremendous  plunges  he  sprang  wildly  in 
the  air,  and  shaking  his  long  mane  with  passion,  stretched  out  at 
the  gallop. 

My  own  blood  boiled  now  as  tempestuously  as  his ;  and,  with  a 
shout  of  reckless  triumph,  I  rose  him  at  the  gate.  Just  at  the 
instant  two  figures  appeared  before  it — the  copse  had  concealed 
their  approach  hitherto — but  they  stood  now,  as  if  transfixed ;  the 
wild  attitude  of  the  horse,  the  not  less  wild  cry  of  its  rider,  had  de- 
prived them  for  a  time  of  all  energy ;  and,  overcome  by  the  sudden 
danger,  they  seemed  rooted  to  the  ground.  What  I  said,  spoke, 
begged,  or  imprecated,  Heaven  knows — not  I.  But  they  stirred  not! 
One  moment  more  and  they  must  lie  trampled  beneath  my  horse's 
hoofs — he  was  already  on  his  haunches  for  the  bound ;  when,  wheel- 
ing half  aside,  I  faced  him  at  the  wall.  It  was  at  least  a  foot  higher, 
and  of  solid  stone  masonry,  and  as  I  did  so,  I  felt  I  was  perilling  my 
life  to  save  theirs.  One  vigorous  dash  of  the  spur  I  gave  him,  as  I 
lifted  him  to  the  leap — he  bounded  beneath  it  quick  as  lightning — 
still,  with  a  spring  like  a  rocket,  he  rose  into  the  air,  cleared  the 
wall,  and  stood  trembling  and  frightened  on  the  road  outside. 

"  Safe,  by  Jupiter !  and  splendidly  done  too,"  cried  a  voice  near 
me,  that  I  immediately  recognized  as  Sir  George  Dashwood's. 

"  Lucy,  my  love,  look  up — Lucy,  my  dear,  there's  no  danger  now. 
She  has  fainted.  O'Malley,  fetch  some  water — fast.  Poor  fellow — 
your  own  nerves  seem  shaken.  Why,  you've  let  your  horse  go ! 
Come  here,  for  Heaven's  sake ! — support  her  for  an  instant.  I'll 
fetch  some  water." 

It  appeared  to  me  like  a  dream — I  leaned  against  the  pillar  of  the 
gate — the  cold  and  death -like  features  of  Lucy  Dashwood  lay  mo- 
tionless upon  my  arm — her  hand,  falling  heavily  upon  my  shoulder, 
touched  my  cheek— the  tramp  of  my  horse,  as  he  galloped  onward, 
was  the  only  sound  that  broke  the  silence,  as  I  stood  there,  gazing 
steadfastly  upon  the  pale  brow  and  paler  cheek,  down  which  a  soli- 
tary tear  was  slowly  stealing.  I  knew  not  how  the  minutes  passed — 
my  memory  took  no  note  of  time ;  but  at  length  a  gentle  tremor 
31 


482  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

thrilled  her  frame,  a  slight,  scarce-perceptible  blush  colored  her  fair 
face,  her  lips  slightly  parted,  and  heaving  a  deep  sigh,  she  looked 
around  her.  Gradually  her  eyes  turned  and  met  mine.  Oh,  the 
bliss  unutterable  of  that  moment.  It  was  no  longer  the  look  of  cold 
scorn  she  had  given  me  last — the  expression  was  one  of  soft  and 
speaking  gratitude.  She  seemed  to  read  my  very  heart,  and  know 
its  truth ;  there  was  a  tone  of  deep  and  compassionate  interest  in 
the  glance;  and  forgetting  all— everything  that  had  passed— all 
save  my  unaltered,  unalterable  love,  I  kneeled  beside  her,  and,  in 
words  burning  as  my  own  heart  burned,  poured  out  my  tale  of  min- 
gled sorrow  and  affection  with  all  the  eloquence  of  passion.  I  vin- 
dicated my  unshaken  faith — reconciling  the  conflicting  evidences 
with  the  proofs  I  proffered  of  my  attachment.  If  my  moments  were 
measured,  I  spent  them  not  idly ;  I  called  to  witness  how  every 
action  of  my  soldier's  life  emanated  from  her — how  her  few  and 
chance  words  had  decided  the  character  of  my  fate— if  aught  of  fame 
or  honor  were  my  portion,  to  her  I  owed  it.  As,  hurried  onward 
by  my  ardent  hopes,  I  forgot  Power  and  all  about  him — a  step  up 
the  gravel  walk  came  rapidly  nearer,  and  I  had  but  time  to  assume 
my  former  attitude  beside  Lucy  as  her  father  came  up. 

"  Well,  Charley,  is  she  better?  Oh,  I  see  she  is.  Here  we  have 
the  whole  household  at  our  heels."  So  saying,  he  pointed  to  a 
string  of  servants  pressing  eagerly  forward  with  every  species  of 
restorative  that  Portuguese  ingenuity  has  invented. 

The  next  moment  we  were  joined  by  the  Senhora,  who,  pale  with 
fear,  seemed  scarcely  less  in  need  of  assistance  than  her  friend. 

Amid  questions  innumerable — explanations  sought  for  on  all 
sides — mistakes  and  misconceptions  as  to  the  whole  occurrence — we 
took  our  way  towards  the  villa,  Lucy  walking  between  Sir  George 
and  Donna  Inez,  while  I  followed,  leaning  upon  Power's  arm. 

"They've  caught  him  again,  O'Malley,"  said  the  General,  turn- 
ing half  round  to  me ;  he,  too,  seemed  as  much  frightened  as  any 
of  us. 

"  It  is  time,  Sir  George,  I  should  think  of  thanking  you.  I  never 
was  so  mounted  in  my  life " 

"  A  splendid  charger,  by  Jove  !"  said  Power ;  "  but,  Charley,  my 
lad,  no  more  feats  of  this  nature,  if  you  love  me.  No  girl's  heart 
will  stand  such  continued  assaults  as  your  winning  horsemanship 
submits  it  to." 

I  was  about  making  some  half-angry  reply,  when  he  continued : 

"There,  don't  look  sulky  ;  I  have  news  for  you.  Quill  has  just 
arrived  ;  I  met  him  at  Lisbon.  He  has  got  leave  of  absence  for  a 
few  days,  and  is  coming  to  our  masquerade  here  this  evening." 

"  This  evening !"  said  I,  in  amazement ;  "why,  is  it  so  soon  ?" 


MA  URICE.  483 

"  Of  course  it  is.  Have  you  not  got  all  your  trappings  ready  ? 
The  Dashwoods  came  out  here  on  purpose  to  spend  the  day.  But 
come,  I'll  drive  you  into  town.  My  tilbury  is  ready,  and  we'll  both 
look  out  for  our  costumes."  So  saying,  he  led  me  along  towards 
the  house,  when,  after  a  rapid  change  of  my  toilet,  we  set  out  for 
Lisbon. 


CHAPTEE  XIX. 

MAURICE. 

IT  seemed  a  conceded  matter  between  Power  and  myself  that 
we  should  never  recur  to  the  conversation  we  held  in  the  gar- 
den, and  so,  although  we  dined  tete  a  tete  that  day,  neither  of  us 
ventured,  by  any  allusion  the  most  distant,  to  what  it  was  equally 
evident  was  uppermost  in  the  minds  of  both. 

All  our  endeavors,  therefore,  to  seem  easy  and  unconcerned  were 
in  vain ;  a  restless  anxiety  to  seem  interested  about  things  and  per- 
sons we  were  totally  indifferent  to  pervaded  all  our  essays  at  con- 
versation. By  degrees  we  grew  weary  of  the  parts  we  were  acting, 
and  each  relapsed  into  a  moody  silence,  thinking  over  his  plans  and 
projects,  and  totally  forgetting  the  existence  of  the  other. 

The  decanter  was  passed  across  the  table  without  speaking,  a 
half  nod  intimated  that  the  bottle  was  standing,  and  except  an  oc- 
casional malediction  upon  an  intractable  cigar,  nothing  was  heard. 

Such  was  the  agreeable  occupation  we  were  engaged  in,  when, 
towards  nine  o'clock,  the  door  opened,  and  the  great  Maurice  him- 
self stood  before  us. 

"Pleasant  fellows,  upon  my  conscience,  and  jovial  over  their 
liquor !  Confound  your  smoking !  That  may  do  very  well  in  a 
bivouac.     Let  us  have  something  warm  !" 

Quill's  interruption  was  a  most  welcome  one  to  both  parties,  and 
we  rejoiced  with  a  sincere  pleasure  at  his  coming. 

"What  shall  it  be,  Maurice?  Port  or  sherry  mulled,  and  an 
anchovy  ?" 

"  Or  what  say  you  to  a  bowl  of  bishop  ?"  said  I. 

"  Hurrah  for  the  Church,  Charley !  Let  us  have  the  bishop ;  and 
not  to  disparage  Fred's  taste,  we'll  be  eating  the  anchovy  while  the 
liquor's  concocting." 

"Well,  Maurice,  and  now  for  the  news.  How  are  matters  at 
Torres  Vedras ?     Anything  like  movement  in  that  quarter?" 

"Nothing  very   remarkable.      Massena  made   a  reconnaissance 


484  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

some  days  since,  and  one  of  our  batteries  threw  a  shower  of  grape 
among  the  staff,  which  spoiled  the  procession,  and  sent  them  back 
in  very  disorderly  time.  Then  we've  had  a  few  skirmishes  to  the 
front,  with  no  great  results,  a  few.  courts-martial,  bad  grub,  and 
plenty  of  grumbling." 

"  Why,  what  would  they  have  ?  It's  a  great  thing  to  hold  the 
French  army  in  check  within  a  few  marches  of  Lisbon." 

"  Charley,  my  man,  who  cares  twopence  for  the  French  army,  or 
Lisbon,  or  the  Portuguese,  or  the  Junta,  or  anything  about  it  ? — 
every  man  is  pondering  over  his  own  affairs.  One  fellow  wants  to  get 
home  again  and  be  sent  upon  some  recruiting  station.  Another  wishes 
to  get  a  step  or  two  in  promotion,  to  come  to  Torres  Vedras,  where 
even  the  grande  arm6e  can't.  Then  some  of  us  are  in  love,  and  some 
of  us  are  in  debt.  There  is  neither  glory  nor  profit  to  be  had.  But 
here's  the  bishop,  smoking  and  steaming  with  an  odor  of  nectar !" 

"  And  our  fellows,  have  you  seen  them  lately  ?" 

"  I  dined  with  yours  on  Tuesday. — Was  it  Tuesday  ?  Yes ;  I 
dined  with  them.  By  the  bye,  Sparks  was  taken  prisoner  that 
morning." 

"  Sparks  taken  prisoner !  Poor  fellow !  I  am  sincerely  sorry. 
How  did  it  happen,  Maurice  ?" 

"  Very  simply.  Sparks  had  a  forage  patrol  towards  Vieda,  and  set 
out  early  in  the  morning  with  his  party.  It  seemed  that  they  suc- 
ceeded perfectly,  and  were  returning  to  the  lines,  when  poor 
Sparks,  always  susceptible  where  the  sex  are  concerned,  saw,  or 
thought  he  saw,  a  lattice  gently  open  as  he  rode  from  the  village, 
and  a  very  taper  finger  make  a  signal  to  him.  Dropping  a  little 
behind  the  rest,  he  waited  till  the  men  had  debouched  upon  the 
road,  when,  riding  quietly  up,  he  coughed  a  couple  of  times  to 
attract  the  fair  unknown  ;  a  handkerchief  waved  from  the  lattice  in 
reply,  which  was  speedily  closed,  and  our  valiant  Cornet  accord- 
ingly dismounted  and  entered  the  house. 

"  The  remainder  of  the  adventure  is  soon  told,  for  in  a  few 
seconds  after,  two  men  mounted  on  one  horse  were  seen  galloping 
at  top  speed  towards  the  French  lines, — the  foremost  being  a 
French  officer  of  the  4th  Cuirassiers — the  gentleman  with  his  face 
to  the  tail,  our  friend  Sparks.  The  lovely  unknown  was  a  vieille 
moustache  of  Loison's  corps,  who  had  been  wounded  in  a  skirmish 
some  days  before,  and  lay  waiting  an  opportunity  of  rejoining  his 
party.  One  of  our  prisoners  knew  the  fellow  well ;  he  had  been 
promoted  from  the  ranks,  and  was  an  Hercules  for  feats  of  strength; 
so  that,  after  all,  Sparks  could  not  help  himself." 

"  Well,  I'm  really  sorry ;  but,  as  you  say,  Sparks's  tender  nature 
is  always  the  ruin  of  him." 


MA  URIGE.  485 

"  Of  him  !  ay,  and  of  you,  and  of  Power,  and  of  myself — of  all  of 
us.  Isn't  it  the  sweet  creatures  that  make  fools  of  us  from  Father 
Adam  down  to  Maurice  Quill,  neither  sparing  age  nor  rank  in  the 
service,  half-pay,  nor  the  Veteran  Battalion — it's  all  one  ?  Pass  the 
jug,  there.     O'Shaughnessy " 

"  Ah,  by  the  bye,  how's  the  Major  ?" 

"  Charmingly ;  only  a  little  bit  in  a  scrape  just  now.  Sir  Arthur—* 
Lord  Wellington,  I  mean — had  him  up  for  his  fellows  being  caught 
pillaging,  and  gave  him  a  devil  of  a  rowing  a  few  days  ago. 

"  '  Very  disorderly  corps  yours,  Major  O'Shaughnessy,'  said  the 
General ;  '  more  men  up  for  punishment  than  any  regiment  in  the 
service.' 

"  Shaugh  muttered  something ;  but  his  voice  was  lost  in  a  loud 
cock-a-doo-do-doo,  that  some  bold  chanticleer  set  up  at  the 
moment. 

"  '  If  the  officers  do  their  duty,  Major  O'Shaughnessy,  these  acts 
of  insubordination  do  not  occur.' 

"  '  Cock-a-doo-do-doo,'  was  the  reply.  Some  of  the  staff  found  it 
hard  not  to  laugh  ;  but  the  General  went  on : 

" '  If,  therefore,  the  practice  does  not  cease,  I'll  draft  the  men 
into  West  India  regiments.' 

"  ■  Cock-a-doo-do-doo.' 

" '  And  if  any  articles  pillaged  from  the  inhabitants  are  detected 
in  the  quarters,  or  about  the  person  of  the  troops " 

"  '  Cock-a-doo-do-doo,'  screamed  louder  here  than  ever. 

"  '  D—  that  cock.     Where  is  it  ?' 

"  There  was  a  general  look  around  on  all  sides,  which  seemed  in 
vain,  when  a  tremendous  repetition  of  the  cry  resounded  from 
O'Shaughnessy 's  coat  pocket,  thus  detecting  the  valiant  Major  him-* 
self  in  the  very  practice  of  his  corps.  There  was  no  standing  this. 
Every  one  burst  out  into  a  peal  of  laughing,  and  Lord  Wellington 
himself  could  not  resist,  but  turned  away,  muttering  to  himself  as 
he  went,  '  D —  robbers,  every  man  of  them !'  while  a  final  war-note 
from  the  ^Major's  pocket  closed  the  interview." 

"Confound  you, Maurice,  you've  always  some  villainous  narrative 
or  other.  You  never  crossed  a  street  for  shelter  without  making 
something  out  of  it." 

"  True  this  time,  as  sure  as  my  name's  Maurice ;  but  the  bowl  is 
empty." 

"  Never  mind ;  here  comes  its  successor.  How  long  can  you  stay 
amongst  us  ?" 

"  A  few  days  at  most.  Just  took  a  run  off  to  see  the  sights.  I  was 
all  over  Lisbon  this  morning;  saw  the  Inquisition  and  the  cells, 
and  the  place  where  they  tried  the  fellows — the  kind  of  grand  jury 


486  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

room,  with  the  great  picture  of  Adam  and  Eve  at  the  end  of  it. 
What  a  beautiful  creature  she  is  !  hair  down  to  her  waist ;  and  such 
eyes  !  '  Ah,  ye  darling  !'  said  I  to  myself,  '  small  blame  to  him  for 
what  he  did.  Wouldn't  I  ate  every  crab  in  the  garden,  if  ye  asked 
me  V  " 

"  I  must  certainly  go  see  her,  Maurice.  Is  she  very  Portuguese 
in  her  style  ?" 

"  Devil  a  bit  of  it.  She  might  be  a  Limerick  woman,  with  elegant 
brown  hair,  and  blue  eyes,  and  a  skin  like  snow." 

"  Come,  come,  they've  pretty  girls  in  Lisbon  too,  Doctor." 

"  Yes,  faith,"  said  Power,  "  that  they  have." 

"  Nothing  like  Ireland,  boys — not  a  bit  of  it ;  they're  the  girls  for 
my  money  ;  and  where's  the  man  can  resist  them?  From  St.  Pat- 
rick, that  had  to  go  and  live  in  the  Wicklow  mountains " 

"  St.  Kevin,  you  mean,  Doctor." 

"  Sure  it's  all  the  same,  they  were  twins.  I  made  a  little  song 
about  them  one  evening  last  week — the  women,  I  mean." 

"  Let  us  have  it,  Maurice ;  let  us  have  it,  old  fellow.  What's  the 
measure  ?" 

"  Short  measure  ;  four  little  verses — devil  a  more." 

"  But  the  time,  I  mean  ?" 

"Whenever  you  like  to  sing  it;  here  it  is.  The  air  is  'Teddy  ye 
Gander.'" 

"  THE  GIRLS  OF  THE  WEST." 

*  You  may  talk,  if  you  please, 

Of  the  brown  Portuguese, 
But,  wherever  you  roam,  wherever  you  roam, 

You  nothing  will  meet 

Half  so  lovely  or  sweet 
As  the  girls  at  home,  the  girls  at  home. 

"  Their  eyes  are  not  sloes, 

Nor  so  long  is  their  nose, 
But,  between  me  and  you,  between  me  and  you, 

They  are  just  as  alarming, 

And  ten  times  more  charming, 
With  hazel  and  blue,  with  hazel  and  blue. 

"  They  don't  ogle  a  man, 

O'er  the  top  of  their  fan, 
'Till  his  heart's  in  a  flame,  his  heart's  in  a  flame ; 

But  though  bashful  and  shy, 

They've  a  look  in  their  eye, 
That  just  comes  to  the  same,  just  comes  to  the  same. 

"  No  mantillas  they  sport, 

But  a  petticoat  short 
Shows  an  ankle  the  best,  an  ankle  the  best, 

And  a  leg — but,  O  murther ! 

I  dare  not  go  further, 
So  here's  to  the  West :  so  here's  to  the  West." 


MA  URICE.  487 

"  Now  that  really  is  a  sweet  little  thing.    Moore's,  isn't  it." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it ;  my  own  muse,  every  word  of  it." 

"And  the  music?"  said  I. 

"  My  own,  too.  Too  much  spice  in  that  bowl ;  that's  an  invariable 
error  in  your  devisers  of  drink,  to  suppose  that  the  tipple  you  start 
with  can  please  your  palate  to  the  last ;  they  forget  that  as  we  ad- 
vance either  in  years  or  lush,  our  tastes  simplify." 

"Nous  revenons  d  nos  premieres  amours.     Isn't  that  it  ?" 

"No,  not  exactly,  for  we  go  even  further;  for  if  you  mark  the 
progression  of  a  sensible  man's  fluids,  you'll  find  what  an  emblem 
of  life  it  presents  to  you.  What  is  his  initiatory  glass  of  '  Chublis' 
that  he  throws  down  with  his  oysters  but  the  budding  expectancy  of 
boyhood — the  appetizing  sense  of  pleasure  to  come;  then  follows 
the  sherry  with  his  soup,  that  warming  glow  which  strength  and 
vigor  in  all  their  consciousness  impart,  as  a  glimpse  of  life  is  opening 
before  him.  Then  youth  succeeds — buoyant,  wild,  tempestuous 
youth — foaming  and  sparkling,  like  the  bright  champagne,  whose 
stormy  surface  subsides  into  a  myriad  of  bright  stars." 

"(Eil  deperdrix" 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it ;  woman's  own  eye ;  brilliant,  sparkling,  and  life- 
giving " 

"  Devil  take  the  fellow,  he's  getting  poetical." 

"  Ah,  Fred !  if  that  could  only  last ;  but  one  must  come  to  the 
burgundies  with  his  maturer  years.  Your  first  glass  of  hermitage  is 
the  algebraic  sign  for  five-and-thirty — the  glorious  burst  is  over ;  the 
pace  is  still  good,  to  be  sure,  but  the  great  enthusiasm  is  past.  You 
can  afford  to  look  forward,  but,  confound  it,  you've  a  long  way  to 
look  back  also." 

"I  say,  Charley,  our  friend  has  contrived  to  finish  the  bishop 
during  his  disquisition  ;  the  bowl's  quite  empty." 

"  You  don't  say  so,  Fred.  To  be  sure,  how  a  man  does  forget 
himself  in  abstract  speculations ;  but  let  us  have  a  little  more — I've 
not  concluded  my  homily." 

"  Not  a  glass,  Maurice  ;  it's  already  past  nine ;  we  are  all  pledged 
to  the  masquerade ;  before  we've  dressed  and  got  there,  'twill  be  late." 

"  But  I'm  not  disguised  yet,  my  boy,  nor  half." 

"  Well,  they  must  take  you  au  naturel,  as  our  countrymen  do  their 
potatoes." 

"  Yes,  Doctor,  Fred's  right ;  we  had  better  start." 

"  Well,  I  can't  help  it ;  I've  recorded  my  opposition  to  the  motion, 
but  I  must  submit ;  and  now  that  I'm  on  my  legs,  explain  to  me 
what's  that  very  dull-looking  old  lamp  up  there  ?" 

"  That's  the  moon,  man — the  full  moon." 

"Well,  I've  no  objection;  I'm  full  too;  so  come  along,  lads." 


488  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

THE   MASQUERADE. 

TO  form  one's  impression  of  a  masked  ball  from  the  attempts  at 
this  mode  of  entertainment  in  our  country,  is  but  to  conceive 
a  most  imperfect  and  erroneous  notion.  With  us  the  first  coup 
d'ceil  is  everything ;  the  nuns,  the  shepherdesses,  the  Turks,  sailors, 
eastern  princes,  watchmen,  moonshees,  milestones,  devils,  and 
Quakers,  are  all  very  well  in  their  way  as  they  pass  in  the  review 
before  us,  but  when  we  come  to  mix  in  the  crowd,  we  discover  that 
except  the  turban  and  the  cowl,  the  crook  and  the  broad-brim,  no 
further  disguise  is  attempted  or  thought  of.  The  nun,  forgetting 
her  vow  and  her  vestments,  is  flirting  with  the  devil ;  the  watchman, 
a  very  fastidious  elegant,  is  ogling  the  fishwomen  through  his  glass, 
while  the  Quaker  is  performing  a  pas  seul  Alberti  might  be  proud  of 
in  a  quadrille  of  riotous  Turks  and  half-tipsy  Hindoos  ;  in  fact,  the 
whole  wit  of  the  scene  consists  in  absurd  associations.  Apart  from 
this,  the  actors  have  rarely  any  claims  upon  your  attention  ;  for  even 
supposing  a  person  clever  enough  to  sustain  his  character,  whatever 
it  be,  you  must  also  supply  the  other  personages  of  the  drama,  or,  in 
stage  phrase,  he'll  have  nothing  to  "  play  up  to."  What  would  be 
Bardolph  without  Pistol?  what  Sir  Lucius  O'Trigger  without  Acres? 
It  is  the  relief  which  throws  out  the  disparities  and  contradictions 
of  life  that  afford  us  most  amusement ;  hence  it  is  that  one  swallow 
can  no  more  make  a  summer  than  one  well-sustained  character  can 
give  life  to  a  masquerade.  Without  such  sympathies,  such  points  of 
contact,  all  the  leading  features  of  the  individual,  making  him  act 
and  be  acted  upon,  are  lost;  the  characters  being  mere  parallel 
lines,  which,  however  near  they  approach,  never  bisect  or  cross  each 
other. 

This  is  not  the  case  abroad.  The  domino,  which  serves  for  mere 
concealment,  is  almost  the  only  dress  assumed,  and  the  real  disguise 
is  therefore  thrown  from  necessity  upon  the  talents,  whatever  they 
be,  of  the  wearer.  It  is  no  longer  a  question  of  a  beard  or  a  spangled 
mantle,  a  Polish  dress  or  a  pasteboard  nose ;  the  mutation  of  voice, 
the  assumption  of  a  different  manner,  walk,  gesture,  and  mode  of 
expression,  are  all  necessary,  and  no  small  tact  is  required  to  effect 
this  successfully. 

I  may  be  pardoned  this  little  digression,  as  it  serves  to  explain  in 
some  measure  how  I  felt  on  entering  the  splendidly  lit-up  salons  of 
the  villa,  crowded  with  hundreds  of  figures  in  all  the  varied  cos- 
tumes of  a  carnival.  The  sounds  of  laughter,  mingled  with  the  crash 
of  the  music ;  the  hurrying  hither  and  thither  of  servants  with  re- 


THE  MASQUERADE.  489 

freshments  ;  the  crowds  gathered  around  fortune-tellers,  whose  pre- 
dictions threw  the  parties  at  each  moment  into  shouts  of  merriment; 
the  eager  following  of  some  disappointed  domino,  interrogating  every- 
one to  find  out  a  lost  mask.  For  some  time  I  stood  an  astonished 
spectator  at  the  kind  of  secret  intelligence  which  seemed  to  pervade 
the  whole  assemblage,  when  suddenly  a  mask,  who  for  some  time 
had  been  standing  beside  me,  whispered  in  French, — 

"  If  you  pass  your  time  in  this  manner,  you  must  not  feel  sur 
prised  if  your  place  be  occupied." 

I  turned  hastily  round,  but  she  was  gone.  She,  I  say,  for  the 
voice  was  clearly  a  woman's ;  her  pink  domino  could  be  no  guide, 
for  hundreds  of  the  same  color  passed  me  every  instant ;  the  mean- 
ing of  the  allusion  I  had  little  doubt  of.  I  turned  to  speak  to 
Power,  but  he  was  gone ;  and  for  the  first  moment  of  my  life  the 
bitterness  of  rivalry  crossed  my  mind.  It  was  true  I  had  resigned 
all  pretensions  in  his  favor ;  my  last  meeting  with  Lucy  had  been 
merely  to  justify  my  own  character  against  an  impression  that 
weighed  heavily  on  me  ;  still  I  thought  he  might  have  waited ;  an- 
other day  and  I  should  be  far  away,  neither  to  witness  nor  grieve 
over  his  successes. 

"You  still  hesitate,"  whispered  some  one  near  me. 

I  wheeled  round  suddenly,  but  could  not  detect  the  speaker,  and 
was  again  relapsing  into  my  own  musings,  when  the  same  voice 
repeated, — 

"  The  white  domino  with  the  blue  cape.     Adieu." 

Without  waiting  to  reflect  upon  the  singularity  of  the  occurrence, 
I  now  hurried  along  through  the  dense  crowd,  searching  on  every 
side  for  the  domino. 

"  Isn't  that  O'Malley?"  said  an  Englishman  to  his  friend. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  other  ;  "  the  very  man  we  want.  O'Malley, 
find  a  partner ;  we  have  been  searching  a  vis-a-vis  this  ten  min- 
utes." 

The  speaker  was  an  officer  I  had  met  at  Sir  George  Dashwood's. 

"  How  did  you  discover  me  ?"  said  I,  suddenly. 

"  Not  a  very  difficult  thing,  if  you  carry  your  mask  in  your  hand 
that  way,"  was  the  answer. 

And  now  I  perceived  that  in  the  abstraction  of  my  thoughts  I 
had  been  carrying  my  mask  in  this  manner  since  my  coming  into 
the  room. 

"  There  now,  what  say  you  to  the  blue  domino  ?  I  saw  her  foot, 
and  a  girl  with  such  an  instep  must  be  a  waltzer." 

I  looked  round,  a  confused  effort  at  memory  passing  across  my 
mind ;  my  eyes  fell  at  the  instant  upon  the  embroidered  sleeve  of 
the  domino,  where  a  rosebud  worked  in  silver  at  once  reminded  me 


490  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

of  Catrina's  secret.  "Ah !"  thought  I,  "  la  Senhora  herself!"  She 
was  leaning  upon  the  arm  of  a  tall  and  portly  figure  in  black ;  who 
this  was  I  knew  not,  nor  sought  to  discover,  but  at  once  advancing 
towards  Donna  Inez,  asked  her  to  waltz. 

Without  replying  to  me,  she  turned  towards  her  companion,  who 
seemed,  as  it  were,  to  press  her  acceptance  of  my  offer ;  she  hesi- 
tated, however,  for  an  instant,  and,  curtseying  deeply,  declined  it. 
"  Well,"  thought  I,  "  she  at  least  has  not  recognized  me." 

"And  yet,  Senhora,"  said  I,  half  jestingly,  "  I  have  seen  you  join 
a  bolero  before  now." 

"  You  evidently  mistake  me,"  was  the  reply,  but  in  a  voice  so 
well  feigned  as  almost  to  convince  me  she  was  right. 

"  Nay,  more,"  said  I,  "  under  your  own  fair  auspices  did  I  myself 
first  adventure  one." 

"  Still  in  error,  believe  me ;  I  am  not  known  to  you." 

"And  yet  I  have  a  talisman  to  refresh  your  memory,  should  you 
dare  me  further." 

At  this  instant  my  hand  was  grasped  warmly  by  a  passing  mask. 
I  turned  round  rapidly,  and  Power  whispered  in  my  ear, — 

"Yours  forever,  Charley;  you've  made  my  fortune." 

As  he  hurried  on,  I  could  perceive  that  he  supported  a  lady  on  his 
arm,  and  that  she  wore  a  loose  white  domino  with  a  deep  blue  cape. 
In  a  second  all  thought  of  Inez  was  forgotten,  and  anxious  only  to 
conceal  my  emotion,  I  turned  away  and  mingled  with  the  crowd. 
Lost  to  all  around  me,  I  wandered  carelessly,  heedlessly  on,  neither 
noticing  the  glittering  throng  around,  nor  feeling  a  thought  in  com- 
mon with  the  gay  and  joyous  spirits  that  flitted  by.  The  night  wore 
on,  my  melancholy  and  depression  growing  ever  deeper;  yet  so 
spell-bound  was  I  that  I  could  not  leave  the  place.  A  secret  sense 
that  it  was  the  last  time  we  were  to  meet  had  gained  entire  posses- 
sion of  me,  and  I  longed  to  speak  a  few  words  ere  we  parted  for- 
ever. 

I  was  leaning  at  a  window  which  looked  out  upon  the  court-yard, 
when  suddenly  the  tramp  of  horses  attracted  my  attention,  and  I 
saw  by  the  clear  moonlight  a  group  of  mounted  men,  whose  long 
cloaks  and  tall  helmets  announced  dragoons,  standing  around  the 
porch.  At  the  same  moment  the  door  of  the  saloon  opened,  and  an 
officer  in  undress,  splashed  and  travel-stained,  entered.  Making  his 
way  rapidly  through  the  crowd,  he  followed  the  servant  who  intro- 
duced him  towards  the  supper-room.  Thither  the  dense  mass  now 
pressed  to  learn  the  meaning  of  the  singular  apparition,  while  my 
own  curiosity,  not  less  excited,  led  me  towards  the  door;  as  I  crossed 
the  hall,  however,  my  progress  was  interrupted  by  a  group  of  per- 
sons, among  whom  I  saw  an  aide-de-camp  of  Lord  Wellington's 


THE  MASQUERADE.  491 

staff,  narrating,  as  it  were,  some  piece  of  newly-arrived  intelligence. 
I  had  no  time  for  further  inquiry,  when  a  door  opened  near  me,  and 
Sir  George  Dashwood,  accompanied  by  several  general  officers,  came 
forth,  the  officer  I  had  first  seen  enter  the  ball-room  along  with  them. 
Every  one  was  by  this  unmasked,  and  eagerly  looking  to  hear  what 
had  occurred. 

"  Then,  Dashwood,  you'll  send  off  an  orderly  at  once  ?"  said  an 
old  general  officer  beside  me. 

"This  instant,  my  lord.  I'll  despatch  an  aide-de-camp.  The 
troops  shall  be  in  marching  order  before  noon.  Oh,  here's  the  man  I 
want!  O'Malley,  come  here.  Mount  your  horse  and  dash  into 
town.  Send  for  Brotherton  and  McGregor  to  quarters,  and  announce 
the  news  as  quickly  as  possible." 

"  But  what  am  I  to  announce,  Sir  George  ?" 

"  That  the  French  are  in  retreat — Massena  in  retreat,  my  lad." 

A  tremendous  cheer  at  this  instant  burst  from  the  hundreds  in  the 
salon,  who  now  heard  the  glorious  tidings.  Another  cheer  and  an- 
other followed — ten  thousand  vivas  rose  amid  the  crash  of  the  band, 
as  it  broke  into  a  patriotic  war  chant.  Such  a  scene  of  enthusiasm 
and  excitment  I  had  never  witnessed.  Some  wept  for  joy.  Others 
threw  themselves  into  their  friends'  arms. 

"They're  all  mad,  every  mother's  son  of  them!"  said  Maurice 
Quill,  as  he  elbowed  his  way  through  the  mass ;  "  and  here's  an  old 
vestal  won't  leave  my  arm.  She  has  already  embraced  me  three 
times,  and  we've  finished  a  flask  of  Malaga  between  us." 

"  Come,  O'Malley,  are  you  ready  for  the  road  ?" 

My  horse  was  by  this  time  standing  saddled  at  the  front.  I  sprang 
at  once  to  the  saddle,  and,  without  waiting  for  a  second  order,  set 
out  for  Lisbon.  Ten  minutes  had  scarce  elapsed — the  very  shouts 
of  joy  of  the  delighted  city  were  still  ringing  in  my  ears — when  I 
was  once  again  back  at  the  villa.  As  I  mounted  the  steps  into  the 
hall,  a  carriage  drew  up ;  it  was  Sir  George  Dashwood's ;  he  came 
forward — his  daughter  leaning  upon  his  arm. 

"  Why,  O'Malley,  I  thought  you  had  gone." 

"  I  have  returned,  Sir  George.  Colonel  Brotherton  is  in  waiting, 
and  the  staff  also.  I  have  received  orders  to  set  out  for  Benejos, 
where  the  14th  are  stationed,  and  have  merely  delayed  to  say 
adieu." 

"Adieu,  my  dear  boy,  and  God  bless  you !"  said  the  warm-hearted 
old  man,  as  he  pressed  my  hand  between  both  his.  "  Lucy,  here's 
your  old  friend  about  to  leave ;  come  and  say  good-bye." 

Miss  Dashwood  had  stopped  behind  to  adjust  her  shawl.  I  flew 
to  her  assistance.  "Adieu,  Miss  Dashwood,  and  forever  !"  said  I,  in 
a  broken  voice,  as  I  took  her  hand  in  mine.     "  This  is  not  your 


492  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

domino,"  said  I  eagerly,  as  a  blue  silk  one  peeped  from  beneath  her 
mantle ;  "  and  the  sleeve,  too — did  you  wear  this  ?"  She  blushed 
slightly,  and  assented. 

"  I  changed  with  the  Senhora,  who  wore  mine  all  the  evening." 

"  And  Power,  then,  was  not  your  partner  ?" 

"  I  should  think  not — for  I  never  danced." 

"  Lucy,  my  love,  are  you  ready  ?     Come,  be  quick." 

"Good-bye,  Mr.  O'Malley,  and  au  revoir,  n' est-ce pas f" 

I  drew  her  glove  from  her  hand  as  she  spoke,  and,  pressing  my 
lips  upon  her  ringers,  placed  her  within  the  carriage.  "Adieu,  and 
au  revoir!"  said  I ;  the  carriage  turned  away,  and  a  white  glove  was 
all  that  remained  to  me  of  Lucy  Dashwood  ! 

The  carriage  had  turned  the  angle  of  the  road,  and  its  retiring 
sounds  were  growing  gradually  fainter,  ere  I  recovered  myself  suffi- 
ciently to  know  where  I  stood.  One  absorbing  thought  alone  pos- 
sessed me.  Lucy  was  not  lost  to  me  forever ;  Power  was  not  my 
rival  in  that  quarter — that  was  enough  for  me.  I  needed  no  more 
to  nerve  my  arm  and  steel  my  heart.  As  I  reflected  thus,  the  long 
loud  blast  of  a  trumpet  broke  upon  the  silence  of  the  night,  and 
admonished  me  to  depart.  I  hurried  to  my  room  to  make  my  few 
preparations  for  the  road,  but  Mike  had  already  anticipated  every- 
thing here,  and  all  was  in  readiness. 

But  one  thing  now  remained — to  make  my  adieu  to  the  Senhora. 
With  this  intent,  I  descended  a  narrow  winding  stair  which  led 
from  my  dressing-room,  and  opened  by  a  little  terrace  upon  the 
flower-garden  beside  her  apartments. 

As  I  crossed  the  gravelled  alley,  I  could  not  but  think  of  the  last 
time  I  had  been  there.  It  was  on  the  eve  of  departure  for  the 
Douro.  I  recalled  the  few  and  fleeting  moments  of  our  leave- 
taking,  and  a  thought  flashed  upon  me — what  if  she  cared  for  me! 
— what  if,  half  in  coquetry,  half  in  reality,  her  heart  was  mixed  up 
in  those  passages  which  daily  associations  give  rise  to  ? 

I  could  not  altogether  acquit  myself  of  all  desire  to  make  her 
believe  me  her  admirer ;  nay,  more,  with  the  indolent  abandon  of 
my  country,  I  had  fallen  into  a  thousand  little  schemes  to  cheat  the 
long  hours  away,  which  having  no  other  object  than  the  happiness 
of  the  moment,  might  yet  color  all  her  after-life  with  sorrow. 

Let  no  one  rashly  pronounce  me  a  coxcomb,  vain  and  pretentious, 
for  all  this.  In  my  inmost  heart  I  had  no  feeling  of  selfishness 
mingled  with  the  consideration.  It  was  from  no  sense  of  my  own 
merits,  no  calculation  of  my  own  chances  of  success,  that  I  thought 
thus.  Fortunately,  at  eighteen  one's  heart  is  uncontaminated  with 
such  an  alloy  of  vanity.  The  first  emotions  of  youth  are  pure  and 
holy  things,  tempering  our  fiercer  passions,  and  calming  the  rude 


THE  MASQUERADE.  493 

effervescence  of  our  boyish  spirit ;  and  when  we  strive  to  please,  and 
hope  to  win  affection,  we  insensibly  fashion  ourselves  to  nobler  and 
higher  thoughts,  catching  from  the  source  of  our  devotion  a  portion 
of  that  charm  that  idealizes  daily  life,  and  makes  our  path  in  it  a 
glorious  and  a  bright  one. 

Who  would  not  exchange  all  the  triumph  of  his  later  days,  the 
proudest  moments  of  successful  ambition,  the  richest  trophies  of 
hard-won  daring,  for  the  short  and  vivid  flash  that  first  shot  through 
his  heart  and  told  him  he  was  loved?  It  is  the  opening  conscious- 
ness of  life,  the  first  sense  of  power,  that  makes  of  the  mere  boy  a 
man — a  man  in  all  his  daring  and  his  pride — and  hence  it  is  that 
in  early  life  we  feel  ever  prone  to  indulge  those  fancied  attachments 
which  elevate  and  raise  us  in  our  own  esteem.  Such  was  the  frame 
of  my  mind  as  I  entered  the  little  boudoir,  where  once  before  I  had 
ventured  on  a  similar  errand. 

As  I  closed  the  sash-door  behind  me,  the  gray  dawn  of  breaking 
day  scarcely  permitted  my  seeing  anything  around  me,  and  I  felt 
my  way  towards  the  door  of  an  adjoining  room,  where  I  supposed  it 
was  likely  I  should  find  the  Senhora.  As  I  proceeded  thus  with 
cautious  step  and  beating  heart,  I  thought  I  heard  a  sound  near  me. 
I  stopped  and  listened,  and  was  again  about  to  move  on,  when  a 
half-stifled  sob  fell  upon  my  ear.  Slowly  and  silently  guiding  my 
steps  towards  the  sounds,  I  reached  a  sofa,  when,  my  eyes  growing 
by  degrees  more  accustomed  to  the  faint  light,  I  could  detect  a 
figure  which,  at  a  glance,  I  recognized  as  Donna  Inez.  A  cashmere 
shawl  was  loosely  thrown  round  her,  and  her  face  was  buried  in  her 
hands.  As  she  lay,  to  all  seeming,  still  and  insensible  before  me, 
her  beautiful  hair  fell  heavily  upon  her  back  and  across  her  arm, 
and  her  whole  attitude  denoted  the  very  abandonment  of  grief.  A 
short  convulsive  shudder  which  slightly  shook  her  frame  alone  gave 
evidence  of  life,  except  when  a  sob,  barely  audible,  in  the  death- 
like silence,  escaped  her. 

I  knelt  silently  down  beside  her,  and,  gently  withdrawing  her 
hand,  placed  it  within  mine.  A  dreadful  feeling  of  self-condemna- 
tion shot  through  me  as  I  felt  the  gentle  pressure  of  her  taper 
fingers,  which  rested  without  a  struggle  in  my  grasp.  My  tears  fell 
hot  and  fast  upon  that  pale  hand,  as  I  bent  in  sadness  over  it, 
unable  to  utter  a  word.  A  rush  of  conflicting  thoughts  passed 
through  my  brain,  and  I  knew  not  what  to  do.  I  now  had  no  doubt 
Upon  my  mind  that  she  loved  me,  and  that  her  present  affliction 
was  caused  by  my  approaching  departure. 

"Dearest  Inez!"  I  stammered  out  at  length,  as  I  pressed  her 
hands  to  my  lips;  "dearest  Inez!" — a  faint  sob,  and  a  slight  pres- 
sure of  her  hand,  was  the  only  reply.     "  I  have  come  to  say  good- 


494  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

bye,"  continued  I,  gaining  a  little  courage  as  I  spoke;  "a  long 
good-bye,  too,  in  all  likelihood.  You  have  heard  that  we  are 
ordered  away, — there,  don't  sob,  dearest,  and,  believe  me,  I  had 
wished  ere  we  parted  to  have  spoken  to  you  calmly  and  openly ; 
but  alas !  I  cannot, — I  scarcely  know  what  I  say." 

"  You  will  not  forget  me  ?"  said  she,  in  a  low  voice,  that  sank  into 
my  very  heart.  "  You  will  not  forget  me  ?"  As  she  spoke,  her 
hand  dropped  heavily  upon  my  shoulder,  and  her  rich  luxuriant 
hair  fell  upon  my  cheek.  What  a  devil  of  a  thing  is  proximity  to 
a  downy  cheek  and  a  black  eyelash,  more  especially  when  they  be- 
long to  one  whom  you  are  disposed  to  believe  not  indifferent  to  you ! 
What  I  did  at  this  precise  moment  there  is  no  necessity  for  record- 
ing, even  had  not  an  adage  interdicted  such  confessions,  nor  can  I 
now  remember  what  I  said ;  but  I  can  well  recollect  how,  gradually 
warming  with  my  subject,  I  entered  into  a  kind  of  half-declaration 
of  attachment,  intended  most  honestly  to  be  a  mere  expose  of  my 
own  unworthiness  to  win  her  favor,  and  my  resolution  to  leave 
Lisbon  and  its  neighborhood  forever. 

Let  not  any  one  blame  me  rashly  if  he  has  not  experienced  the 
difficulty  of  my  position.  The  impetus  of  love-making  is  like  the 
ardor  of  a  fox-hunt.  You  care  little  that  the  six-bar  gate  before 
you  is  the  boundary  of  another  gentleman's  preserves  or  the  fence 
of  his  pleasure-ground.  You  go  slap  along  at  a  smashing  pace,  with 
your  head  up,  and  your  hand  low,  clearing  all  before  you,  the  oppo- 
sing difficulties  to  your  progress  giving  half  the  zest,  because  all  the 
danger,  to  your  career.  So  it  is  with  love.  The  gambling  spirit 
urges  one  ever  onward,  and  the  chance  of  failure  is  a  reason  for 
pursuit,  where  no  other  argument  exists. 

"And  you  do  love  me?"  said  the  Senhora,  with  a  soft,  low  whisper, 
that  most  unaccountably  suggested  anything  but  comfort  to  me. 

"  Love  you,  Inez  ?  By  this  kiss — I'm  in  an  infernal  scrape !"  said 
I,  muttering  this  last  half  of  my  sentence  to  myself. 

"And  you'll  never  be  jealous  again?" 

"  Never,  by  all  that's  lovely  ! — your  own  sweet  lips.  That's  the 
very  last  thing  to  reproach  me  with." 

"And  you  promise  me  not  to  mind  that  foolish  boy?  For,  after 
all,  you  know  it  was  mere  flirtation — if  even  that." 

"  I'll  never  think  of  him  again,"  said  I,  while  my  brain  was 
burning  to  make  out  her  meaning.  "  But,  dearest,  there  goes  the 
trumpet-call " 

"  And,  as  for  Pedro  Mascarenhas,  I  never  liked  him." 

"Are  you  quite  sure,  Inez?" 

"  I  swear  it ! — so  no  more  of  him.  Gonzales  Cordenza — I've  broke 
with  him  long  since.    So  that  you  see,  dearest  Frederic " 


THE  MASQUERADE.  495 

*  Frederic  I"  said  I,  starting  almost  to  my  feet  with  amazement, 
while  she  continued  : — 

"  I'm  your  own — all  your  own  !" 

"Oh!  the  coquette,  the  heartless  jilt!"  groaned  I,  half  aloud. 
"  And  O'Malley,  Inez,  poor  Charley  I — what  of  him  ?" 

"Poor  thing!  I  can't  help  him.  But  he's  such  a  puppy,  the 
lesson  may  do  him  good." 

"  But  perhaps  he  loved  you,  Inez  ?" 

"  To  be  sure  he  did ;  I  wished  him  to  do  so, — I  can't  bear  not  to  be 
loved.  But,  Frederic,  tell  me,  may  I  trust  you — will  you  keep  faith- 
ful to  me  ?" 

"  Sweetest  Inez !  by  this  last  kiss  I  swear,  that  such  as  I  kneel 
before  you  now,  you'll  ever  find  me." 

A  foot  upon  the  gravel-walk  without  now  called  me  to  my  feet.  I 
sprang  towards  the  door,  and  before  Inez  had  lifted  her  head  from 
the  sofa,  I  had  reached  the  garden.  A  figure  muffled  in  a  cavalry 
cloak  passed  near  me,  but  without  noticing  me,  and  the  next  mo- 
ment I  had  cleared  the  paling,  and  was  hurrying  towards  the  stable, 
where  I  had  ordered  Mike  to  be  in  waiting. 

The  faint  streak  of  dull  pink  which  announces  the  coming  day, 
stretched  beneath  the  dark  clouds  of  the  night,  and  the  chill  air  of 
the  morning  was  already  stirring  in  the  leaves. 

As  I  passed  along  by  a  low  beech  hedge  which  skirted  the  avenue, 
I  was  struck  by  the  sound  of  voices  near  me.  I  stopped  to  listen, 
and  soon  detected  in  one  of  the  speakers  my  friend  Mickey  Free ; 
of  the  other  I  was  not  long  in  ignorance. 

"  Love  you,  is  it — bathershin  ?  It's  worship  you — adore  you,  my 
darling — that's  the  word — there,  acushla,  don't  cry — dry  your  eyes — 
oh,  murther !  it's  a  cruel  thing  to  tear  one's  self  away  from  the  best 
of  living,  with  the  run  of  the  house  in  drink  and  kissing.  Bad  luck 
to  it  for  campaigning,  anyway,  I. never  liked  it!" 

Catrina's  reply,— for  it  was  she— I  could  not  gather  j  but  Mike 
resumed  : — 

"Ay,  Just  so,  sore  bones  and  wet  grass,  accadente  and  half  rations. 
Oh,  that  I  ever  saw  the  day  when  I  took  to  it !  Listen  to  me  now, 
honey ;  here  it  is,  on  my  knees  I  am  before  you,  and  throth  it's  not 
more  nor  three,  maybe  four,  young  women  I'd  say  the  like  to ;  bad 
scran  to  me  if  I  wouldn't  marry  you  out  of  a  face  this  blessed  morn- 
ing just  as  soon  as  I'd  look  at  ye.  Arrah,  there  now,  don't  be 
screeching  and  bawling ;  what'll  the  neighbors  think  of  us,  and  my 
own  heart's  destroyed  with  grief  entirely." 

Poor  Catrina's  voice  returned  an  inaudible  answer,  and  not  wishing 
any  longer  to  play  the  eavesdropper,  I  continued  my  path  towards 
the  stable.     The  distant  noises  from  the  city  announced  a  state  of 


496  CHARLES  0 'M  ALLEY. 

movement  and  preparation,  and  more  than  one  orderly  passed  the 
road  near  me  at  a  gallop.  As  I  turned  into  the  wide  court-yard, 
Mike,  breathless  and  flurried  with  running,  overtook  me. 

"Are  the  horses  ready,  Mike?"  said  I;  "we  must  start  this 
instant." 

"  They've  just  finished  a  peck  of  oats  apiece,  and  faix  that  same 
may  be  a  stranger  to  them  this  day  six  months." 

"  And  the  baggage,  too  ?" 

"  On  the  cars,  with  the  staff  and  the  light  brigade.  It  was  down 
there  I  was  now,  to  see  all  was  right." 

"  Oh,  I'm  quite  aware ;  and  now  bring  out  the  cattle.  I  hope 
Catrina  received  your  little  consolations  well.  That  seems  a  very 
sad  affair." 

"  Murder,  real  murder,  devil  a  less  !  It's  no  matter  where  you  go, 
from  Clonmel  to  Chayney,  it's  all  one ;  they've  a  way  of  getting 
round  you.     Upon  my  soul,  it's  like  the  pigs  they  are." 

"  Like  pigs,  Mike  ?  That  appears  a  strange  compliment  you've 
selected  to  pay  them." 

"  Ay,  just  like  the  pigs,  no  less.  Maybe  you  never  heard  what 
happened  to  myself  up  at  Moronha  ?" 

"  Look  to  that  girth  there.     Well,  go  on." 

"  I  was  coming  along  one  morning  just  as  day  was  beginning  to 
break,  when  I  sees  a  slip  of  a  pig  trotting  before  me>  with  nobody 
near  him ;  but  as  the  road  was  lonely,  and  myself  rather  down  in 
heart,  I  thought,  Musha  !  but  yer  fine  company,  anyhow,  av  a  body 
could  only  keep  you  with  him.  But,  ye  see,  a  pig — saving  your 
presence — is  a  baste  not  easily  flattered,  so  I  didn't  waste  time  and 
blarney  upon  him,  but  I  took  off  my  belt  and  put  it  round  its  neck 
as  neat  as  need  be  ;  but  as  the  devil's  luck  would  have  it,  I  didn't  go 
half  an  hour  when  a  horse  came  galloping  up  behind  me.  I  turned 
round,  and  by  the  blessed  light,  it  was  Sir  Dinny  himself  was  on  it!" 

"Sir  Dennis  Pack?" 

"  Yes,  bad  luck  to  his  hook  nose.  '  What  are  you  doing  there,  my 
fine  fellow  V  says  he.  '  What's  that  you  have  dragging  there  behind 
you  V 

" '  A  boneen,  sir,'  says  I.  '  Isn't  he  a  fine  crayture  ? — av  he  wasn't 
so  troublesome.' 

"  ' Troublesome,  troublesome — what  do  you  mean?' 

"  '  Just  so,'  says  I.  'Isn't  he  parsecuting  the  life  out  of  me  the 
whole  mornin',  following  me  about  everywhere  I  go?  Contrary 
bastes  they  always  was.' 

" '  I  advise  you  to  try  and  part  company,  my  friend,  notwith~ 
standing,'  says  he  ;  'or  maybe  it's  the  same  end  you'll  be  coming  to,, 
and  not  long  either.'     And,  faix,  I  took  his  advice ;   and  ye  see? 


THE  LINES.  497 

Mister  Charles,  it's  just  as  I  was  saying,  they're  like  the  women,  the 
least  thing  in  life  is  enough  to  bring  them  after  us,  av  ye  only  put 
the  '  comether'  upon  them." 

"  And  now  adieu  to  the  Villa  Nuova,"  said  I,  as  I  rode  slowly  down 
the  avenue,  turning  ever  and  anon  in  my  saddle  to  look  back  on 
each  well-known  spot. 

A  heavy  sigh  from  Mike  responded  to  my  words. 

"  A  long,  a  last  farewell !"  said  I,  waving  my  hand  towards  the 
trellised  walls,  now  half  hidden  by  the  trees ;  and  as  I  spoke,  that 
heaviness  of  the  heart  came  over  me  that  seems  inseparable  from 
leave-taking.  The  hour  of  parting  seems  like  a  warning  to  us 
that  all  our  enjoyments  and  pleasures  here  are  destined  to  a  short 
and  merely  fleeting  existence ;  and,  as  each  scene  of  life  passes  away 
never  to  return,  we  are  made  to  feel  that  youth  and  hope  are  passing 
with  them ;  and  that,  although  the  fair  world  be  as  bright,  and  its 
pleasures  as  rich  in  abundance,  our  capacity  of  enjoyment  is  daily, 
hourly  diminishing ;  and  while  all  around  us  smiles  in  beauty  and 
happiness,  that  we,  alas !  are  not  what  we  were. 

Such  was  the  tenor  of  my  thoughts  as  I  reached  the  road,  when 
they  were  suddenly  interrupted  by  my  man  Mike,  whose  medita- 
tions were  following  a  somewhat  similar  channel,  though  at  last 
inclining  to  different  conclusions.  He  coughed  a  couple  of  times, 
as  if  to  attract  my  attention,  and  then,  as  it  were  half  thinking 
aloud,  he  muttered : — 

"  I  wonder  if  we  treated  the  young  ladies  well>  anyhow,  Mister 
Charles,  for,  faix,  I've  my  doubts  on  it." 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

THE  LINES. 

WHEN  we  reached  Lescas,  we  found  that  an  officer  of  Lord 
Wellington's  staff  had  just  arrived  from  the  lines,  and  was 
occupied  in  making  known  the  general  order  from  head- 
quarters ;  this  set  forth,  with  customary  brevity,  that  the  French 
armies,  under  the  command  of  Massena,  had  retired  from  their  posi- 
tion, and  were  in  full  retreat ;  the  second  and  third  corps  which  had 
been  stationed  at  Villa  Franca,  having  marched  during  the  night  of 
the  15th,  in  the  direction  of  Manal.  The  officers  in  command  of 
divisions  were  ordered  to  repair  instantly  to  Pero  Negro  to  consult 
upon  a  forward  movement,  Admiral  Berkeley  being  written  to  to  pro- 
32 


498  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

vide  launches  to  pass  over  General  Hill's,  or  any  other  corps  which 
might  be  selected,  to  the  left  bank  of  the  Tagus.  All  was  now  ex- 
citement, heightened  by  the  unexpected  nature  of  an  occurrence 
which  not  even  speculation  had  calculated  upon.  It  was  but  a  few 
days  before,  and  the  news  had  reached  Torres  Vedras  that  a  power- 
ful reinforcement  was  in  march  to  join  Massena's  army,  and  their 
advanced  guard  had  actually  reached  Santarem.  The  confident 
expectation  was,  therefore,  that  an  attack  upon  the  lines  was  medi- 
tated. Now,  however,  this  prospect  existed  no  longer ;  for  scarcely 
had  the  heavy  mists  of  the  lowering  day  disappeared,  when  the  vast 
plain,  so  lately  peopled  by  the  thickened  ranks  and  dark  masses'  of 
a  great  army,  was  seen  in  its  whole  extent  deserted  and  untenanted. 

The  smouldering  fires  of  the  pickets  alone  marked  where  the 
troops  had  been  posted,  but  not  a  man  of  that  immense  force  was  to 
be  seen.  General  Fane,  who  had  been  despatched  with  a  brigade  of 
Portuguese  cavalry  and,  some  artillery,  hung  upon  the  rear  of  the 
retiring  army,  and  from  him  we  learned  that  the  enemy  were  con- 
tinuing their  retreat  northward,  having  occupied  Santarem  with  a 
strong  force  to  cover  the  movement.  Craufurd  was  ordered  to  the 
front  with  the  light  division,  the  whole  army  following  in  the  same 
direction,  except  Hill's  corps,  which,  crossing  the  river  at  Velada, 
was  intended  to  harass  the  enemy's  flank,  and  assist  our  future 
operations. 

Such,  in  brief,  was  the  state  of  affairs  when  I  reached  Villa  Franca 
towards  noon,  and  received  orders  to  join  my  regiment,  then  form- 
ing part  of  Sir  Stapleton  Cotton's  brigade. 

It  must  be  felt,  to  be  thoroughly  appreciated,  the  enthusiastic 
pleasure  with  which  one  greets  his  old  corps  after  some  months  of 
separation ;  the  bounding  ecstasy  with  which  the  weary  eye  rests 
on  the  old  familiar  faces,  dear  by  every  association  of  affection  and 
brotherhood  ;  the  anxious  look  for  this  one,  and  for  that;  the  thrill 
of  delight  sent  through  the  heart  as  the  well-remembered  march 
swells  upon  the  ear ;  the  very  notes  of  that  rough  voice  which  we 
have  heard  amid  the  crash  of  battle  and  the  rolling  of  artillery, 
speaks  softly  to  our  senses,  like  a  father's  welcome  ;  from  the  well- 
tattered  flag  that  waves  above  us,  to  the  proud  steed  of  the  war-worn 
trlimpeter — each  has  a  niche  in  our  affections. 

If  ever  there  was  a  corps  calculated  to  increase  and  foster  these 
sentiments,  the  14th  Light  Dragoons  was  such.  The  warm  affection, 
the  truly  heartfelt  regard,  which  existed  among  my  brother  officers 
made  of  our  mess  a  happy  home.  Our  veteran  Colonel,  grown  gray 
in  campaigning,  was  like  a  father  to  us ;  while  the  senior  officers, 
tempering  the  warm  blood  of  impetuous  youth  with  their  hard-won 
experience,  threw  a  charm  of  peace  and  tranquillity  over  all  our 


THE  LINES.  499 

intercourse  that  made  us  happy  when  together,  and  taught  us  to  feel 
that,  whether  seated  around  the  watch-fire,  or  charging  amid  the 
squadrons  of  the  enemy,  we  were  surrounded  by  those  devoted  heart 
and  soul  to  aid  us. 

Gallant  14th  I — ever  first  in  every  gay  scheme  of  youthful  jollity, 
as  foremost  in  the  van  to  meet  the  foe — how  happy  am  I  to  recall 
the  memory  of  your  bright  looks  and  bold  hearts ! — of  your  manly 
daring  and  your  bold  frankness — of  your  merry  voices,  as  I  have 
heard  them  in  the  battle  or  in  the  bivouac!  Alas,  and  alas !  that  I 
should  indulge  such  recollections  alone !  How  few — how  very  few — 
are  left  of  those  with  whom  I  trod  the  early  steps  of  life !  whose  bold 
cheer  I  have  heard  above  the  clashing  sabres  of  the  enemy — whose 
broken  voice  I  have  listened  to  above  the  grave  of  a  comrade !  The 
dark  pines  of  the  Pyrenees  wave  over  some,  the  burning  sands  of 
India  cover  others,  and  the  wide  plans  of  Salamanca  are  now  your 
abiding-places. 

"  Here  comes  O'Malley !"  shouted  a  well-known  voice,  as  I  rode 
down  the  little  slope,  at  the  foot  of  which  a  group  of  officers  were 
standing  beside  their  horses. 

"  Welcome,  thou  man  of  Gal  way  !"  cried  Hampden.;  "  delighted 
to  have  you  once  more  amongst  us.  How  confoundedly  well  the 
fellow  is  looking !" 

"  Lisbon  beef  seems  better  prog  than  commissariat  biscuit !"  said 
another. 

"A'weel,  Charley  !"  said  my  friend,  the  Scotch  Doctor;  "  how's 
a'  wi'  ye,  man  ?  Ye  seem  to  thrive  on  your  mishaps !  How  cam' 
ye  by  that  braw  beastie  ye're  mounted  on  ?" 

"A  present,  Doctor  ;  the  gift  of  a  very  warm  friend." 

"I  hope  you  invited  him  to  the  mess,  O'Malley  !  For,  by  Jove, 
our  stables  stand  in  need  of  his  kind  offices  !  There  he  goes !  Look 
at  him !  What  a  slashing  pace  for  a  heavy  fellow !"  This  observa- 
tion wras  made  with  reference  to  a  well-known  officer  on  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chiefs staff,  whose  weight — some  two-and-twenty  stone — 
was  never  any  impediment  to  his  bold  riding. 

"  Egad,  O'Malley,  you'll  soon  be  as  pretty  a  light-weight  as  our 
friend  yonder.  Ah  I  there's  a  storm  going  on  there  !  Here  comes 
the  Colonel !" 

"  Well,  O'Malley,  are  you  come  back  to  us  ?  Happy  to  see  you, 
boy  ! — hope  we  shall  not  lose  you  again  in  a  hurry ! — We  can't  spare 
the  scapegraces  !  There's  plenty  of  skirmishing  going  on ! — Crau- 
furd  always  asks  for  the  scapegraces  for  the  pickets  !" 

I  shook  my  gallant  Colonel's  hand,  while  I  acknowledged,  as  best 
I  might,  his  ambiguous  compliment. 

"I  say,  lads,"  resumed  the  Colonel,  "squad  your  men  and  form 


500  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

on  the  road !  Lord  Wellington's  coming  down  this  way  to  have  a 
look  at  you !  O'Malley,  I  have  General  Craufurd's  orders  to  offer 
you  your  old  appointment  on  his  staff;  without  you  prefer  remain- 
ing with  the  regiment." 

"  I  can  never  be  sufficiently  grateful,  sir,  to  the  General ;  but,  in 
fact — I  think — that  is,  I  believe " 

"  You'd  rather  be  among  your  own  fellows.  Out  with  it,  boy  ! 
I  like  you  all  the  better !  but  come,  we  mustn't  let  the  General 
know  that;  so  that  I  shall  forget  to  tell  you  all  about  it.  Eh? 
isn't  that  best?  But  join  your  troop  now;  I  hear  the  staff  coming 
this  way." 

As  he  spoke  a  crowd  of  horsemen  were  seen  advancing  towards  us 
at  a  sharp  trot ;  their  waving  plumes  and  gorgeous  aiguillettes  de- 
noting their  rank  as  generals  of  division.  In  the  midst,  as  they 
came  nearer,  I  could  distinguish  one  whom,  once  seen,  there  was  no 
forgetting ;  his  plain  blue  frock  and  his  gray  trousers  unstrapped 
beneath  his  boots,  not  a  little  unlike  the  trim  accuracy  of  costume 
around  him.  As  he  rode  to  the  head  of  the  leading  squadron,  the 
staff  fell  back  and  he  stood  alone  before  us ;  for  a  second  there  was 
a  dead  silence,  but  the  next  instant — by  what  impulse  tell  who  can — 
one  tremendous  cheer  burst  from  the  entire  regiment.  It  was  like 
the  act  of  one  man — so  sudden,  so  spontaneous.  While  every 
cheek  glowed,  and  every  eye  sparkled  with  enthusiasm,  he  alone 
seemed  cool  and  unexcited,  as  gently  raising  his  hand,  he  motioned 
them  to  silence. 

"  Fourteenth,  you  are  to  be  where  you  always  desire  to  be — in  the 
advanced  guard  of  the  army.  I  have  nothing  to  say  on  the  subject 
of  your  conduct  in  the  field.  I  know  you;  but  if,  in  pursuit  of  the 
enemy,  I  hear  of  any  misconduct  towards  the  people  of  the  country, 
or  any  transgression  of  the  general  orders  regarding  pillage,  by  G — , 
I'll  punish  you  as  severely  as  the  worst  corps  in  the  service,  and  you 
know  me." 

"  Oh  !  tear  an'  ages,  listen  to  that ;  and  there's  to  be  no  plunder 
after  all !"  said  Mickey  Free  ;  and  for  an  instant  the  most  I  could 
do  was  not  to  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter.  The  word  "  Forward  !" 
was  given  at  the  moment,  and  we  moved  past  in  close  column,  while 
that  penetrating  eye,  which  seemed  to  read  our  very  thoughts, 
scanned  us  from  one  end  of  the  line  to  the  other. 

"I  say,  Charley,"  said  the  captain  of  my  troop  in  a  whisper — "I 
say,  that  confounded  cheer  we  gave  got  us  that  lesson ;  he  can't  stand 
that  kind  of  thing." 

"  By  Jove !  I  never  felt  more  disposed  than  to  repeat  it,"  said  I. 

"  No,  no,  my  boy,  we'll  give  him  the  honors,  nine  times  nine;  but 
wait  till  evening.     Look  at  old  Merivale  there.     I'll  swear  he's  say- 


THE  RETREAT  OF  THE  FRENCH.  501 

ing  something  devilish  civil  to  him.  Do  you  see  the  old  fellow's 
happy  look  ?" 

And  so  it  was ;  the  bronzed,  hard-east  features  of  the  veteran  sol- 
dier were  softened  into  an  expression  of  almost  boyish  delight,  as  he 
sat  bare-headed,  bowing  to  his  very  saddle,  while  Lord  Wellington 
was  speaking. 

As  I  looked,  my  heart  throbbed  painfully  against  my  side,  my 
breath  came  quick,  and  I  muttered  to  myself,  "  What  would  I  not 
give  to  be  in  his  place  now !" 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

THE  RETREAT  OF  THE  FRENCH. 

IT  is  not  my  intention,  were  I  even  adequate  to  the  task,  to  trace 
with  anything  like  accuracy  the  events  of  the  war  at  this  period. 
In  fact,  to  those  who,  like  myself,  were  performing  a  mere  sub- 
altern character,  the  daily  movements  of  our  own  troops,  not  to  speak 
of  the  continual  changes  of  the  enemy,  were  perfectly  unknown,  and 
an  English  newspaper  was  more  ardently  longed  for  in  the  Penin- 
sula than  by  the  most  eager  crowd  of  a  London  coffee-room ;  nay, 
the  results  of  the  very  engagements  we  were  ourselves  concerned  in, 
more  than  once,  first  reached  us  through  the  press  of  our  own  country. 
It  is  easy  enough  to  understand  this.  The  officer  in  command  of  the 
regiment,  and,  how  much  more  the  captain  of  a  troop,  or  the  sub- 
altern under  him,  knows  nothing  beyond  the  sphere  of  his  own 
immediate  duty:  by  the  success  or  failure  of  his  own  party  his 
knowledge  is  bounded,  but  how  far  he  or  his  may  influence  the  for- 
tune of  the  day,  or  of  what  is  taking  place  elsewhere,  he  is  totally 
ignorant ;  and  an  old  14th  man  did  not  badly  explain  his  ideas  on 
the  matter  who  described  Busaco  as  "  a  great  noise  and  a  great 
smoke,  booming  artillery  and  rattling  small-arms,  infernal  confu- 
sion, and,  to  all  seeming,  incessant  blundering,  orders  and  counter- 
orders,  ending  with  a  crushing  charge,  when,  not  being  hurt  himself 
nor  having  hurt  anybody,  he  felt  much  pleased  to  learn  that  they 
had  gained  a  victory."  It  is,  then,  sufficient  for  all  the  purposes  of 
my  narrative  when  I  mention  that  Massena  continued  his  retreat  by 
Santarem  and  Thomar,  followed  by  the  allied  army,  who,  however 
desirous  of  pressing  upon  the  rear  of  their  enemy,  were  still  obliged 
to  maintain  their  communication  with  the  lines,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  watch  the  movement  of  the  large  armies  which,  under  Ney 


502  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

and  Soult,  threatened  at  any  unguarded  moment  to  attack  them  in 
flank. 

The  position  which  Massena  occupied  at  Santarem,  naturally  one 
of  great  strength,  and  further  improved  by  intrenchments,  defied 
any  attack  on  the  part  of  Lord  Wellington,  until  the  arrival  of  the 
long-expected  reinforcements  from  England.  These  had  sailed  in 
the  early  part  of  January,  but,  delayed  by  adverse  winds,  only 
reached  Lisbon  on  the  2d  of  March,  and  so  correctly  was  the  French 
Marshal  apprised  of  the  circumstance,  and  so  accurately  did  he 
anticipate  the  probable  result,  that  on  the  4th  he  broke  up  his 
encampment,  and  recommenced  his  retrograde  movement,  with  an 
army  now  reduced  to  forty  thousand  fighting  men,  and  with  two 
thousand  sick,  destroying  all  his  baggage  and  guns  that  could  not 
be  horsed.  By  a  demonstration  of  advancing  upon  the  Zezere,  by 
which  he  held  the  allies  in  check,  he  succeeded  in  passing  his 
wounded  to  the  rear,  while  Ney,  appearing  with  a  large  force  sud- 
denly at  Leiria,  seemed  bent  upon  attacking  the  lines.  By  these 
stratagems  two  days'  march  were  gained,  and  the  French  retreated 
upon  Torres  Novas  and  Thomar,  destroying  the  bridges  behind 
them  as  they  passed. 

The  day  was  breaking,  on  the  12th  of  March,  when  the  British 
first  came  in  sight  of  the  retiring  enemy.  We  were  then  ordered 
to  the  front,  and,  broken  up  into  small  parties,  threw  out  our  skir- 
mishers. The  French  chasseurs,  usually  not  indisposed  to  accept 
this  species  of  encounter,  showed  now  less  of  inclination  than  usual, 
and  either  retreated  before  us  or  hovered  in  masses  to  check  our 
advance.  In  this  way  the  morning  was  passed,  when  towards  noon 
we  perceived  that  the  enemy  was  drawn  up  in  battle  array,  occupy- 
ing the  height  above  the  village  of  Redinha.  This  little  straggling 
village  is  situated  in  a  hollow,  traversed  by  a  narrow  causeway, 
which  opens  by  a  long  and  dangerous  defile  upon  a  bridge,  on 
either  side  of  which  a  dense  wood  afforded  a  shelter  for  light  troops, 
while  upon  the  commanding  eminence  above  a  battery  of  heavy 
guns  was  seen  in  position. 

In  front  of  the  village  a  brigade  of  artillery  and  a  division  of  in- 
fantry were  drawn  up  so  skilfully  as  to  give  the  appearance  of  a 
considerable  force,  so  that  when  Lord  Wellington  came  up,  he  spent 
some  time  in  examining  the  enemy's  position,  Erskine's  brigade 
was  immediately  ordered  up,  and  the  52d  and  94th,  and  a  company 
of  the  43d,  were  led  against  the  wooded  slopes  upon  the  French 
right.  Picton  simultaneously  attacked  the  left.  In  less  than  an 
hour  both  were  successful,  and  Ney's  position  was  laid  bare.  His 
skirmishers,  however,  continued  to  hold  their  ground  in  front,  and 
La  Ferriere,  a  colonel  of  hussars,  dashing  boldly  forward  at  this  very 


THE  RETREAT  OF  THE  FRENCH.  503 

moment,  carried  off  fourteen  prisoners  from  the  very  front  of  our 
line.  Deceived  by  the  confidence  of  the  enemy,  Lord  Wellington 
now  prepared  for  an  attack  in  force.  The  infantry  were  therefore 
formed  into  line,  and,  at  the  signal  of  three  shots  fired  from  the 
centre,  began  their  forward  movement. 

Bending  up  a  gentle  curve,  the  whole  plain  glistened  with  the 
glancing  bayonets,  and  the  troops  marched  majestically  onward, 
while  the  light  artillery  and  the  cavalry,  bounding  forward  from 
the  left  and  centre,  rushed  eagerly  towards  the  foe.  One  deafening 
discharge  from  the  French  guns  opened  at  the  moment,  with  a 
general  volley  of  small-arms.  The  smoke  for  an  instant  obscured 
everything,  and  when  that  cleared  away,  no  enemy  was  to  be  seen. 

The  British  pressed  madly  on,  like  heated  bloodhounds;  but 
when  they  descended  the  slope,  the  village  of  Redinha  was  in 
flames,  and  the  French  were  in  full  retreat  beyond  it.  A  single 
howitzer  seemed  our  only  trophy,  and  even  this  we  were  not  des- 
tined to  boast  of,  for  from  the  midst  of  the  crashing  flame  and  dense 
smoke  of  the  burning  village  a  troop  of  dragoons  rushed  forward, 
and,  charging  our  infantry,  carried  it  off.  The  struggle,  though  but 
for  a  moment,  cost  them  dear — twenty  of  their  comrades  lay  dead 
upon  the  spot ;  but  they  were  resolute  and  determined,  and  the 
officer  who  led  them  on,  fighting  hand  to  hand  with  a  soldier  of  the 
42d,  cheered  them  as  they  retired.  His  gallant  bearing,  and  his 
coat  covered  with  decorations,  bespoke  him  one  of  note,  and  well  it 
might ;  he  who  thus  perilled  his  life  to  maintain  the  courage  of  his 
soldiers  at  the  commencement  of  a  retreat,  was  no  other  than  Ney 
himself — le  plus  brave  des  braves.  The  British  pressed  hotly  on,  and 
the  light  troops  crossed  the  river  almost  at  the  same  time  with  the 
French.  Ney,  however,  fell  back  upon  Condeixa,  where  his  main 
body  was  posted,  and  all  further  pursuit  was  for  the  present  aban- 
doned. 

At  Casa  Noval  and  at  Foz  d'Aronce  the  allies  were  successful ; 
but  the  French  still  continued  to  retire,  burning  the  towns  and  vil- 
lages in  their  rear,  and  devastating  the  country  along  the  whole  line 
of  march  by  every  expedient  of  cruelty  the  heart  of  man  has  ever 
conceived.  In  the  words  of  one  whose  descriptions,  however  fraught 
with  the  most  wonderful  power  of  painting,  are  equally  marked  by 
truth, — "  Every  horror  that  could  make  war  hideous  attended  this 
dreadful  march.  Distress,  conflagration,  death  in  all  modes, — from 
wounds,  from  fatigue,  from  water,  from  the  flames,  from  starvation, 
— vengeance,  unlimited  vengeance — was  on  every  side.  The  country 
was  a  desert !" 

Such  was  the  exhaustion  of  the  allies,  who  suffered  even  greater 
privations  than  the  enemy,  that  they  halted  upon  the  16th,  unable 


504  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

to  proceed  farther,  and  the  river  Ceira,  swollen  and  unfordable, 
flowed  between  the  rival  armies. 

The  repose  of  even  one  day  was  a  most  grateful  interruption  to 
the  harassing  career  we  had  pursued  for  some  time  past;  and  it 
seemed  that  my  comrades  felt,  like  myself,  that  such  an  opportunity 
was  by  no  means  to  be  neglected.  But  while  I  am  devoting  so  much 
space,  and  trespassing  on  my  reader's  patience  thus  far,  with  narra- 
tive of  flood  and  field,  let  me  steal  a  chapter  for  what  will  some- 
times seem  a  scarcely  less  congenial  topic,  and  bring  back  the  recol- 
lection of  a  glorious  night  in  the  Peninsula. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

PATRICK'S  DAY  IN  THE  PENINSULA. 

THE  reveille  had  not  yet  sounded,  when  I  felt  my  shoulder 
shaken  gently  as  I  lay  wrapped  up  in  my  cloak  beneath  a 
prickly  pear-tree. 
"  Lieutenant  O'Malley,  sir ;  a  letter,  sir ;  a  bit  of  a  note,  your 
honor,"  said  a  voice  which  bespoke  that  the  bearer  and  myself  were 
countrymen.     I  opened  it,  and,  with  difficulty,  by  the  uncertain 
light  read  as  follows  : — 

"  Dear  Charley  : — As  Lord  Wellington,  like  a  good  Irishman 
as  he  is,  wouldn't  spoil  Patrick's  Day  by  marching,  we've  got  a  little 
dinner  at  our  quarters  to  celebrate  the  holy  times,  as  my  uncle 
would  call  it.  Maurice,  Phil  Grady,  and  some  regular  trumps,  will 
all  come,  so  don't  disappoint  us.  I've  been  making  punch  all  night, 
and  Casey,  who  has  a  knack  at  pastry,  has  made  a  goose-pie  as  big 
as  a  portmanteau.  Sharp  seven,  after  parade.  The  second  battalion 
of  the  Fusiliers  are  quartered  at  MelantS,  and  we  are  next  them. 
Bring  any  of  yours  worth  their  liquor.  Power  is,  I  know,  absent 
with  the  staff.  Perhaps  the  Scotch  Doctor  would  come — try  him. 
Carry  over  a  little  mustard  with  you,  if  there  be  such  in  your  parts. 
'  ^   ■  "Yours, 

"D.  O'Shaughnessy. 

"  Patrick's  Day,  and  raining  like  blazes." 

Seeing  that  the  bearer  expected  an  answer,  I  scrawled  the  words 
"  I'm  there"  with  my  pencil  on  the  back  of  the  note,  and  again 
turned  myself  round  to  sleep.  My  slumbers  were,  however,  soon 
interrupted  once  more,  for  the  bugles  of  the  light  infantry  and  the 


PATRICK'S  DA  Y  IN  THE  PENINSULA.  505 

hoarse  trumpet  of  the  cavalry  sounded  the  call,  and  I  found  to  my 
surprise  that,  though  halted,  we  were  by  no  means  destined  to  a  day 
of  idleness.  Dragoons  were  already  mounted,  carrying  orders  hither 
and  thither,  and  staff  officers  were  galloping  right  and  left.  A  gene- 
ral order  commanded  an  inspection  of  the  troops,  and  within  less 
than  an  hour  from  daybreak  the  whole  army  was  drawn  up  under 
arms.  A  thin,  drizzling  rain  continued  to  fall  during  the  early  part 
of  the  day,  but  the  sun  gradually  dispelled  the  heavy  vapor,  and  as 
the  bright  verdure  glittered  in  its  beams,  sending  up  all  the  per- 
fumes of  a  southern  clime,  I  thought  I  had  never  seen  a  more  lovely 
morning.  The  staff  were  stationed  upon  a  little  knoll  beside  the 
river,  round  the  base  of  which  the  troops  defiled,  at  first  in  orderly, 
then  in  quick  time,  the  bands  playing  and  the  colors  flying.  In  the 
same  brigade  with  us  the  88th  came,  and  as  they  neared  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief, their  quick  step  was  suddenly  stopped,  and  after  a 
pause  of  a  few  seconds,  the  band  struck  up  "  St.  Patrick's  Day ;" 
the  notes  were  caught  up  by  the  other  Irish  regiments,  and,  amid 
one  prolonged  cheer  from  the  whole  line,  the  gallant  fellows  moved 
past. 

The  grenadier  company  was  drawn  up  beside  the  road,  and  I  was 
not  long  in  detecting  my  friend  O'Shaughnessy,  who  wore  a  tre- 
mendous shamrock  in  his  shako. 

"Left  face,  wheel!  quick  march!  Don't  forget  the  mustard!" 
said  the  bold  Major ;  and  a  loud  roar  of  laughter  from  my  brother 
officers  followed  him  off  the  ground.  I  soon  explained  the  injunc- 
tion, and,  having  invited  some  three  or  four  to  accompany  me  to 
the  dinner,  waited  with  all  patience  for  the  conclusion  of  the 
parade. 

The  sun  was  setting  as  I  mounted,  and,  joined  by  Hampden, 
Baker,  the  Doctor,  and  another,  set  out  for  O'Shaughnessy's  quar- 
ters. As  we  rode  along,  we  were  continually  falling  in  with  others 
bent  upon  the  same  errand  as  ourselves,  and  ere  we  arrived  at  Me* 
lante  our  party  was  some  thirty  strong ;  and  truly  a  most  extraordi- 
nary procession  did  we  form.  Few  of  the  invited  came  without 
some  contribution  to  the  general  stock;  and  while  a  staff-officer 
flourished  a  ham,  a  smart  hussar  might  be  seen  with  a  plucked 
turkey,  trussed  for  roasting ;  most  carried  bottles,  as  the  consump- 
tion of  fluid  was  likely  to  be  considerable ;  and  one  fat  old  major 
jogged  along  on  a  broken-winded  pony,  with  a  basket  of  potatoes 
on  his  arm.  Good  fellowship  was  the  order  of  the  day,  and  cer- 
tainly a  more  jovial  squadron  seldom  was  met  together  than  ours. 
As  we  turned  the  angle  of  a  rising  ground,  a  hearty  cheer  greeted 
us,  and  we  beheld  in  front  of  an  old  ordnance  marquee  a  party  of 
some  fifty  fellows  engaged  in  all  the  pleasing  duties  of  the  cui&.ne. 


506  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Maurice,  conspicuous  above  all,  with  a  white  apron,  and  a  ladle  in 
his  hand,  was  running  hither  and  thither,  advising,  admonishing, 
instructing,  and  occasionally  imprecating.  Ceasing  for  a  second  his 
functions,  he  gave  us  a  cheer  and  a  yell  like  that  of  an  Indian  sav- 
age, and  then  resumed  his  duties  beside  a  huge  boiler,  which,  from 
the  frequency  of  his  explorations  into  its  contents,  we  judged  to  be 
punch. 

"  Charley,  my  son,  I've  a  place  for  you ;  don't  forget.  Where's 
my  learned  brother? — haven't  you  brought  him  with  you?  Ah, 
Doctor,  how  goes  it  ?" 

"  Nae  that  bad,  Master  Quell,  a'  things  considered ;  we've  had  an 
awfu'  time  of  it  lately."  " 

"You  know  my  friend  Hampden,  Maurice.  Let  me  introduce 
Mr.  Baker — Mr.  Maurice  Quill.     Where's  the  Major?" 

"Here  I  am,  my  darling,  and  delighted  to  see  you.  Some  of 
yours,  O'Malley,  ain't  they  ?  Proud  to  have  you,  gentlemen.  Char- 
ley, we  are  obliged  to  have  several  tables ;  but  you  are  to  be  beside 
Maurice,  so  take  your  friends  with  you.  There  goes  the  'Roast 
Beef;'  my  heart  warms  to  that  old  tune." 

Amid  a  hurried  recognition,  and  shaking  of  hands  on  every  side, 
I  elbowed  my  way  into  the  tent,  and  soon  reached  a  corner,  where, 
at  a  table  for  eight,  I  found  Maurice  seated  at  one  end ;  a  huge, 
purple-faced  old  major,  whom  he  presented  to  us  as  Bob  Mahon, 
occupied  the  other.  O'Shaughnessy  presided  at  the  table  next  to 
us,  but  near  enough  to  join  in  all  the  conviviality  of  ours. 

One  must  have  lived  for  some  months  upon  hard  biscuit  and 
harder  beef  to  relish  as  we  did  the  fare  before  us,  and  to  form  an 
estimate  of  our  satisfaction.  If  the  reader  cannot  fancy  Van  Am- 
burgh's  lions  in  red  coats  and  epaulettes,  he  must  be  content  to  lose 
the  effect  of  the  picture.  A  turkey  rarely  fed  more  than  two  people, 
and  few  were  abstemious  enough  to  be  satisfied  with  one  chicken. 
The  order  of  the  viands,  too,  observed  no  common  routine,  each 
party  being  happy  to  get  what  he  could,  and  satisfied  to  follow  up 
his  pudding  with  fish,  or  his  tart  with  a  sausage.  Sherry,  cham- 
pagne, London  porter,  Malaga,  and  even,  I  believe,  Harvey's  sauce, 
were  hobnobbed  in,  while  hot  punch,  in  teacups  or  tin  vessels,  was 
unsparingly  distributed  on  all  sides.  Achilles  himself,  they  say,  got 
tired  of  eating,  and  though  he  consumed  something  like  a  prize  ox 
to  his  own  cheek,  he  at  length  had  to  call  for  cheese,  so  that  we  at 
last  gave  in,  and,  having  cleared  away  the  broken  tumbrels  and 
baggage-carts  of  our  army,  cleared  for  a  general  action. 

"Now, lads!"  cried  the  Major,  "I'm  not  going  to  lose  your  time 
and  mine  by  speaking ;  but  there  are  a  couple  of  toasts  I  must  insist 
upon  you  drinking  with  all  the  honors  :  and  as  I  like  despatch,  we'll 


PATRICK'S  DA  Y  IN  THE  PENINSULA.  507 

m 

couple  them.  It  so  happens  that  our  old  island  boasts  of  two  of  the 
finest  fellows  that  ever  wore  Eussia  ducks.  None  of  your  non- 
sensical geniuses,  like  poets,  or  painters,  or  anything  like  that ;  but 
downright,  straightforward,  no-humbug  sort  of  devil-may-care  and 
bad-luck-to-you  kind  of  chaps — real  Irishmen  !  Now,  it's  a  strange 
thing  that  they  both  had  such  an  antipathy  to  vermin,  they  spent 
their  life  in  hunting  them  down  and  destroying  them ;  and  whether 
they  met  toads  at  home,  or  Johnny  Crapaud  abroad,  it  was  all  one. 
(Cheers.)  Just  so,  boys;  they  made  them  leave  that.  But  I  see 
you  are  getting  impatient,  so  I'll  not  delay  you,  but  fill  to  the 
brim,  and,  with  the  best  cheer  in  your  body,  drink  with  me  the 
two  greatest  Irishmen  that  ever  lived,  '  St.  Patrick  and  Lord  Wel- 
lington.' " 

The  Englishmen  laughed  long  and  loud,  while  we  cheered  with 
an  energy  that  satisfied  even  the  Major. 

"Who  is  to  give  us  the  chant?  Who  is  to  sing  St.  Patrick?" 
cried  Maurice.     "  Come,  Bob,  out  with  it." 

"  I'm  four  tumblers  too  low  for  that  yet,"  growled  out  the  Major. 

"  Well,  then,  Charley,  be  you  the  man ;  or  why  not  Dennis  him- 
self ?  Come,  Dennis,  we  cannot  better  begin  our  evening  than  with 
a  song ;  let  us  have  our  old  friend  '  Larry  M'Hale.' " 

"  Larry  M'Hale !"  resounded  from  all  parts  of  the  room,  while 
O'Shaughnessy  rose  once  more  to  his  legs. 

"Faith,  boys,  I'm  always  ready  to  follow  your  lead;  but  what 
analogy  can  exist  between  '  Larry  M'Hale '  and  the  toast  we  have 
just  drunk,  I  can't  see  for  the  life  of  me ;  not  but  Larry  would  have 
made  a  strapping  light  company  man  had  he  joined  the  army." 

"  The  song,  the  song !"  cried  several  voices. 

"  Well,  if  you  will  have  it,  here  goes." 

"LARRY  M'HALE." 

"Oh!  Larry  M'Hale  he  had  little  to  fear, 

And  never  could  want  when  the  crops  didn't  fail, 
He'd  a  house  and  demesne  and  eight  hundred  a  year, 

And  the  heart  for  to  spend  it,  had  Larry  M'Hale ! 
The  soul  of  a  party, — the  life  of  a  feast, 

And  an  illigant  song  he  could  sing,  I'll  he  bail ; 
He  would  ride  with  the  rector,  and  drink  with  the  priest, 

Oh !  the  broth  of  a  boy  was  old  Larry  M'Hale. 

"  It's  little  he  cared  for  the  judge  or  recorder, 

His  house  was  as  big  and  as  strong  as  a  gaol ; 
With  a  cruel  four-pounder  he  kept  in  great  order, 

He'd  murder  the  country,  would  Larry  M'Hale. 
He'd  a  blunderbuss,  too ;  of  horse-pistols  a  pair ; 

But  his  favorite  weapon  was  always  a  flail ; 
I  wish  you  could  see  how  he'd  empty  a  fair, 

For  he  handled  it  neatly,  did  Larry  M'Hale. 


508  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  His  ancestors  were  kings  before  Moses  was  born, 

His  mother  descended  from  great  Grana  Uaile ; 
He  laughed  all  the  Blakes  and  the  Frenches  to  scorn ; 

They  were  mushrooms  compared  to  old  Larry  M'Hale. 
He  sat  down  every  day  to  a  beautiful  dinner, 

With  cousins  and  uncles  enough  for  a  tail ; 
And,  though  loaded  with  debt,  oh !  the  devil  a  thinner 

Could  law  or  the  sheriif  make  Larry  M'Hale. 

"  With  a  larder  supplied  and  a  cellar  well  stored, 

None  lived  half  so  well,  from  Fair-Head  to  Kinsale ; 
As  he  piously  said,  '  I've  a  plentiful  board, 

And  the  Lord  he  is  good  to  old  Larry  M'Hale.' 
So  fill  up  your  glass,  and  a  high  bumper  give  him, 

It's  little  we'd  care  for  the  tithes  or  repale ; 
For  ould  Erin  would  be  a  fine  country  to  live  in, 

If  we  only  had  plenty  like  Larry  M'Hale." 

"  Very  singular  style  of  person  your  friend  Mr.  M'Hale,"  lisped 
a  spoony-looking  Cornet  at  the  end  of  the  table. 

"  Not  in  the  country  he  belongs  to,  I  assure  you,"  said  Maurice ; 
"  but  I  presume  you  were  never  in  Ireland." 

"  You  are  mistaken  there,"  resumed  the  other ;  "  I  was  in  Ireland 
though  I  confess  not  for  a  long  time." 

"  If  I  might  be  so  bold,"  cried  Maurice,  "  how  long  ?" 

"  Half  an  hour,  by  a  stop-watch,"  said  the  other,  pulling  up  his 
stock ;  "  and  I  had  quite  enough  of  it  in  that  time. 

"Pray  give  us  your  experiences,"  cried  out  Bob  Mahon.  "They 
should  be  interesting,  considering  your  opportunities." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  the  Cornet ;  "  they  were  so  ;  and  as  they 
illustrate  a  feature  in  your  amiable  country,  you  shall  have  them." 

A  general  knocking  upon  the  table  announced  the  impatience  of 
the  company,  and  when  silence  was  restored,  the  Cornet  began : 

"  When  the  Bermuda  transport  sailed  from  Portsmouth  for  Lisbon, 
I  happened  to  make  one  of  some  four  hundred  interesting  individ- 
uals who,  before  they  became  food  for  powder,  were  destined  to  try 
their  constitutions  on  pickled  pork.  The  second  day  after  our  sail- 
ing, the  winds  became  adverse ;  it  blew  a  hurricane  from  every  corner 
of  the  compass  but  the  one  it  ought,  and  the  good  ship,  that  should 
have  been  standing  straight  for  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  was  scudding 
away  under  a  double-reefed  topsail  towards  the  coast  of  Labrador. 
For  six  days  we  experienced  every  sea-manceuvre  that  usually  pre- 
ludes a  shipwreck,  and  at  length,  when  from  sea-sickness  and  fear, 
we  had  become  utterly  indifferent  to  the  result,  the  storm  abated, 
the  sea  went  down,  and  we  found  ourselves  lying  comfortably  in  the 
harbor  of  Cork,  with  a  strange  suspicion  on  our  minds  that  the 
frightful  scenes  of  the  past  week  had  been  nothing  but  a  dream. 

" '  Come  Mr.  Medlicot/  said  the  Skipper  to  me,  'we  shall  be  here 


PATRICK'S  DA  Y  IN  THE  PENINSULA.  509 

for  a  couple  of  days  to  refit ;  had  you  not  better  go  ashore  and  see 
the  country?' 

"  I  sprang  to  my  legs  with  delight ;  visions  of  cowslips,  larks, 
daisies,  and  mutton  chops  floated  before  my  excited  imagination, 
and  in  ten  minutes  I  found  myself  standing  at  that  pleasant  little 
inn  at  Cove  which,  opposite  Spike  Island,  rejoices  in  the  name  of  the 
'  Goat  and  Garters.' 

" '  Breakfast,  waiter,'  said  I ;  '  a  beefsteak — fresh  beef,  mark  ye ; 
fresh  eggs,  bread,  milk,  and  butter,  all  fresh. — No  more  hard  tack,' 
thought  I ;  '  no  salt  butter,  but  a  genuine  land  breakfast.' 

"  '  Up  stairs,  No.  4,  sir/  said  the  waiter,  as  he  flourished  a  dirty 
napkin,  indicating  the  way. 

"  Up  stairs  I  went,  and  in  due  time  the  appetizing  little  meal  made 
its  appearance.  Never  did  a  minor's  eye  revel  over  his  broad  acres 
with  more  complacent  enjoyment  than  did  mine  skim  over  the  beef- 
steak and  the  muffin,  the  teapot,  the  trout,  and  the  devilled  kidney, 
so  invitingly  spread  out  before  me.  '  Yes,'  thought  I,  as  I  smacked 
my  lips,  '  this  is  the  reward  of  virtue  !  pickled  pork  is  a  probationary 
state  that  admirably  fits  us  for  future  enjoyments.'  I  arranged  my 
napkin  upon  my  knee,  seized  my  knife  and  fork,  and  proceeded  with 
most  critical  acumen  to  bisect  a  beefsteak.  Scarcely,  however,  had 
I  touched  it,  when  with  a  loud  crash,  the  plate  smashed  beneath  it, 
and  the  gravy  ran  piteously  across  the  cloth.  Before  I  had  time  to 
account  for  the  phenomenon,  the  door  opened  hastily,  and  the  waiter 
rushed  into  the  room,  his  face  beaming  with  smiles,  while  he  rubbed 
his  hands  in  an  ecstasy  of  delight. 

"  '  It's  all  over,  sir,'  said  he ;  '  glory  be  to  God  I  it's  all  done.' 

"  '  What's  over  ?  what's  done  ?'  inquired  I,  with  impatience. 

"  '  Mr.  M'Mahon  is  satisfied,'  replied  he,  '  and  so  is  the  other  gen- 
tleman.' 

"  '  Who  and  what  the  devil  do  you  mean  V 

"  '  It's  over,  sir,  I  say,'  replied  the  waiter  again ;  '  he  fired  in  the 
air.' 

"  '  Fired  in  the  air  !     Was  there  a  duel  in  the  room  below  stairs?' 

"  '  Yes,  sir,'  said  the  waiter,  with  a  benign  smile. 

" '  That  will  do,'  said  I,  as,  seizing  my  hat,  I  rushed  out  of  the 
house,  and,  hurrying  to  the  beach,  took  a  boat  for  the  ship.  Exactly 
half  an  hour  had  elapsed  since  my  landing,  but  even  those  short 
thirty  minutes  had  fully  as  many  reasons  that,  although  there  may 
be  few  more  amusing,  there  are  some  safer  places  to  live  in  than  the 
Green  Isle." 

A  general  burst  of  laughter  followed  the  Cornet's  story,  which 
was  heightened  in  its  effect  by  the  gravity  with  which  he  told  it. 

"And,  after  all,"'  said  Maurice  Quill,  "  now  that  people  have  given 


510  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

up  making  fortunes  for  the  insurance  companies,  by  living  to  the 
age  of  Methuselah,  there's  nothing  like  being  an  Irishman.  In  what 
other  part  of  the  habitable  globe  can  you  cram  so  much  of  adventure 
into  one  year  ?  Where  can  you  be  so  often  in  love,  in  liquor,  or  in 
debt?  and  where  can  you  get  so  merrily  out  of  the  three?  Where 
are  promises  to  marry  and  promises  to  pay  treated  with  the  same 
gentlemanlike  forbearance?  and  where,  when  you  have  lost  your 
heart  and  your  fortune,  are  people  found  so  ready  to  comfort  you  in 
your  reverses?  Yes,"  said  Maurice,  as  he  filled  his  glass  up  to  the 
brim,  and  eyed  it  lusciously  for  a  moment — "yes,  darling,  here's 
your  health  ;  the  only  girl  I  ever  loved — in  that  part  of  the  country, 
I  mean.     Give  her  a  bumper,  lads,  and  I'll  give  you  a  chant !" 

"  Name !  name  I  name 1"  shouted  several  voices  from  different  parts 
of  the  table. 

"  Mary  Draper  I"  said  Maurice,  filling  his  glass  once  more,  while 
the  name  was  re-echoed  by  every  lip  at  table. 

"  The  song !  the  song  !" 

"  Faith,  I  hope  I  haven't  forgotten  it,"  quoth  Maurice.  "  No  ; 
here  it  is." 

So  saying,  after  a  couple  of  efforts  to  assure  the  pitch  of  his  voice, 
the  worthy  Doctor  began  the  following  words  to  that  very  popular 
melody,  "  Nancy  Dawson :" 

"MARY  DRAPER." 

"  Don't  talk  to  me  of  London  dames, 
Nor  rave  about  your  foreign  flames, 
That  never  lived, — except  in  drames, 

Nor  shone,  except  on  paper ; 
I'll  sing  you  'bout  a  girl  I  knew, 
Who  lived  in  Ballywhacmacrew, 
And,  let  me  tell  you,  mighty  few 

Could  equal  Mary  Draper. 

"  Her  cheeks  were  red,  her  eyes  were  blue, 
Her  hair  was  brown,  of  deepest  hue, 
Her  foot  was  small,  and  neat  to  view, 

Her  waist  was  slight  and  taper ; 
Her  voice  was  music  to  your  ear, 
A  lovely  brogue,  so  rich  and  clear, 
Oh,  the  like  I  ne'er  again  shall  hear, 
As  from  sweet  Mary  Draper. 

"  She'd  ride  a  wall,  she'd  drive  a  team, 
Or  with  a  fly  she'd  whip  a  stream, 
Or  may  be  sing  you  '  Rousseau's  Dream,' 

For  nothing  could  escape  her ; 
I've  seen  her,  too — upon  my  word — 
At  sixty  yards  bring  down  her  bird. 
Oh  !  she  charmed  all  the  Forty-third, 
Did  lovely  Mary  Draper. 


PATRICK'S  DA  Y  IN  THE  PENINSULA.  511 

"  And  at  the  spring  assizes'  ball, 
The  junior  bar  would  oneand  all 
For  all  her  fav'rite  dances  call, 

And  Harry  Deane  would  caper ; 
Lord  Clare  would  then  forget  his  lore, 
King's  Counsel,  voting  law  a  bore, 
"Were  proud  to  figure  on  the  floor, 

For  love  of  Mary  Draper. 

"  The  parson,  priest,  sub-sheriff  too, 
"Were  all  her  slaves,  and  so  would  you, 
If  you  had  only  but  one  view 

Of  such  a  face  and  shape,  or 
Her  pretty  ankles — but,  ohone, 
It's  only  west  of  old  Athlone 
Such  girls  were  found— and  now  they're  gone— 

So  here's  to  Mary  Draper !" 

"  So  here's  to  Mary  Draper  !"  sang  out  every  voice,  in  such  efforts 
to  catch  the  tune  as  pleased  the  taste  of  the  motley  assembly. 

"  For  Mary  Draper  and  Co.,  I  thank  you,"  said  Maurice.  "  Quill 
drinks  to  Dennis,"  added  he,  in  a  grave  tone,  as  he  nodded  to 
O'Shaughnessy.  "Yes,  Shaugh,  few  men  better  than  ourselves 
know  these  matters ;  and  few  have  had  more  experience  of  the  three 
perils  of  Irishmen — love,  liquor,  and  the  law  of  arrest." 

"  It's  little  the  latter  has  ever  troubled  my  father's  son,"  replied 
O'Shaughnessy ;  "  our  family  have  been  writ  proof  for  centuries, 
and  he'd  have  been  a  bold  man  who  would  have  ventured  with  an 
original  or  a  true  copy  within  the  precincts  of  Killinahoula." 

"  Your  father  had  a  touch  of  Larry  M'Hale  in  him,"  said  I,  "  ap- 
parently." 

"  Exactly  so,"  replied  Dennis  ;  "  not  but  they  caught  him  at  last; 
and  a  scurvy  trick  it  was,  and  well  worthy  of  him  who  did  it !  Yes," 
said  he,  with  a  sigh,  "  it  is  only  another  among  the  many  instances 
where  the  better  features  of  our  nationality  have  been  used  by  our 
enemies  as  instruments  for  our  destruction ;  and  should  we  seek  for 
the  causes  of  unhappiness  in  our  wretched  country,  we  should  find 
them  rather  in  our  virtues  than  in  our  vices,  and  in  the  bright 
rather  than  in  the  darker  phases  of  our  character." 

"Metaphysics,  by  Jove!"  cried  Quill;  "but  all  true  at  the  same 
time.  There  was  a  messmate  of  mine  in  the  Roscommon,  who  never 
paid  car-hire  in  his  life.  '  Head  or  Harp,  Paddy !'  he  would  cry. 
1  Two  tenpennies,  or  nothing.  Harp !  for  the  honor  of  ould  Ireland,' 
was  the  invariable  response,  and  my  friend  was  equally  sure  to 
make  head  come  uppermost;  and,  upon  my  soul,  they  seem  to  know 
the  trick  at  the  Home  Office." 

"  That  must  have  been  the  same  fellow  that  took  my  father," 
cried  O'Shaughnessy,  with  energy. 


612  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Let  us  hear  the  story,  Dennis,"  said  I. 

"  Yes,"  said  Maurice,  "  for  the  benefit  of  self  and  fellows,  let  us 
hear  the  stratagem !" 

"  The  way  of  it  was  this,"  resumed  O'Shauglmessy ;  "  my  lather, 
who,  for  reasons  registered  in  the  King's  Bench,  spent  a  great  many 
years  of  his  life  in  that  part  of  Ireland  geographically  known  as 
lying  west  of  the  law,  was  obliged  for  certain  reasons  of  family  to 
come  up  to  Dublin.  This  he  proceeded  to  do  with  due  caution. 
Two  trusty  servants  formed  an  advanced  guard,  and  patrolled  the 
country  for  at  least  five  miles  in  advance;  after  them  came  a  skir- 
mishing body  of  a  few  tenants,  who,  for  the  consideration  of  never 
paying  rent,  would  have  charged  the  whole  Court  of  Chancery,  if 
needful.  My  father  himself,  in  an  old  chaise  victualled  like  a  fort- 
ress, brought  up  the  rear ;  and,  as  I  said  before,  he  was  a  bold  man 
who  would  have  attempted  to  have  laid  siege  to  him.  As  the  column 
advanced  into  the  enemy's  country,  they  assumed  a  closer  order,  the 
patrol  and  the  picket  falling  back  upon  the  main  body  ;  and  in  this 
way  they  reached  that  most  interesting  city  called  Kilbeggan.  "What 
a  fortunate  thing  it  is  for  us  in  Ireland  that  we  can  see  so  much  of 
the  world  without  foreign  travel,  and  that  any  gentleman  for  six- 
and-eightpence  can  leave  Dublin  in  the  morning  and  visit  Tim- 
buctoo  against  dinner-time !  Don't  stare  !  it's  truth  I'm  telling ;  for 
dirt,  misery,  smoke,  unaffected  behavior,  and  black  faces,  I'll  back 
Kilbeggan  against  all  Africa.  Free-and-easy,  pleasant  people  ye 
are,  with  a  skin  as  begrimed  and  as  rugged  as  your  own  potatoes  ! 
But,  to  resume.  The  sun  was  just  rising  in  a  delicious  morning  of 
June,  when  my  father — whose  loyal  antipathies  I  have  mentioned 
made  him  also  an  early  riser — was  preparing  for  the  road.  A  stout 
escort  of  his  followers  were  as  usual  under  arms  to  see  him  safe  in 
the  chaise,  the  passage  to  and  from  which  every  day  being  the  crit- 
ical moment  of  my  father's  life. 

" '  It's  all  right,  your  honor,'  said  his  own  man,  as,  armed  with  a 
blunderbuss,  he  opened  the  bedroom  door. 

"'Time  enough,  Tim,'  said  my  father;  'close  the  door,  for  I 
haven't  finished  my  breakfast/ 

"Now,  the  real  truth  was,  that  my  father's  attention  was  at  that 
moment  withdrawn  from  his  own  concerns,  by  a  scene  which  was 
taking  place  in  a  field  beneath  his  window. 

"  But  a  few  minutes  before,  a  hack-chaise  had  stopped  upon  the 
road-side,  out  of  which  sprang  three  gentlemen,  who,  proceeding 
into  the  field,  seemed  bent  upon  something,  which,  whether  a  sur- 
vey or  a  duel,  my  father  could  not  make  out.  He  was  not  long, 
however,  to  remain  in  ignorance.  One,  with  an  easy,  lounging  gait, 
strode  towards  a  distant  corner;  another  took  an  opposite  direction; 


PATRICK'S  DA  Y  IN  THE  PENINSULA.  513 

while  a  third,  a  short,  pursy  gentleman,  in  a  red  handkerchief  and 
rabbit-skin  waistcoat,  proceeded  to  open  a  mahogany  box,  which,  to 
the  critical  eyes  of  my  respected  father,  was  agreeably  suggestive  of 
bloodshed  and  murder. 

"  'A  duel,  by  Jupiter !'  said  my  father,  rubbing  his  hands.  'What 
a  heavenly  morning  the  scoundrels  have !  not  a  leaf  stirring,  and  a 
sod  like  a  billiard-table  !' 

"Meanwhile,  the  little  man  who  officiated  as  second,  it  would 
appear,  to  both  parties,  bustled  about  with  an  activity  little  conge- 
nial to  his  shape ;  and,  what  between  snapping  the  pistols,  examin- 
ing the  flints,  and  ramming  down  the  charges,  had  got  himself  into 
a  sufficient  perspiration  before  he  commenced  to  measure  out  the 
ground. 

" '  Short  distance  and  no  quarter  !'  shouted  one  of  the  combatants, 
from  the  corner  of  the  field. 

"  'Across  a  handkerchief,  if  you  like !'  roared  the  other. 

" l  Gentlemen,  every  inch  of  them !'  responded  my  father. 

"  '  Twelve  paces  !'  cried  the  little  man.  '  No  more  and  no  less. 
Don't  forget  that  I  am  alone  in  this  business.' 

"  'A  very  true  remark  V  observed  my  father ;  f  and  an  awkward 
predicament  yours  will  be  if  they  are  not  both  shot !' 

"  By  this  time  the  combatants  had  taken  their  places,  and  the 
little  man,  having  delivered  the  pistols,  was  leisurely  retiring  to  give 
the  word.  My  .^ather,  however,  whose  critical  eye  was  never  at  fault, 
detected  a  circumstance  which  promised  an  immense  advantage  to 
one  at  the  expense  of  the  other ;  in  fact,  one  of  the  parties  was  so 
placed  with  his  back  to  the  sun,  that  his  shadow  extended  in  a 
straight  line  to  the  very  foot  of  his  antagonist. 

" '  Unfair,  unfair !'  cried  my  father,  opening  the  window  as  he 
spoke,  and  addressing  himself  to  him  of  the  rabbit-skin.  'I  crave 
your  pardon  for  the  interruption/  said  he ;  -  but  I  feel  bound  to 
observe  that  that  gentleman's  shadow  is  likely  to  make  a  shade  of 
him.' 

"  'And  so  it  is/  observed  the  short  man  ;  '  a  thousand  thanks  for 
your  kindness ;  but  the  truth  is,  I  am  totally  unaccustomed  to  this 
kind  of  thing,  and  the  affair  will  not  admit  of  delay.' 

"  "  Not  an  hour  !'  said  one. 

" '  Not  five  minutes !'  growled  the  other  of  the  combatants. 

" '  Put  them  up  north  and  south !'  said  my  father, 

"'Is  it  thus?' 

" '  Exactly  so.  But  now  again,  the  gentleman  in  the  brown  coat 
is  covered  with  the  ash-tree.' 

"  'And  so  he  is  !'  said  rabbit-skin,  wiping  his  forehead  with  agita- 
tion. 

33 


514  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 


"  '  Move  them  a  little  to  the  left,'  said  he. 

That  brings  me  upon  an  eminence,'  said  the  gentleman  in  blue. 


'I'll  be  d—  if  I'll  be  made  a  cock-shot  of!' 

What  an  awkward  little  thief  it  is  in  the  hairy  waistcoat !'  said 
my  father;  '  he's  lucky  if  he  don't  get  shot  himself!' 

"  '  May  I  never,  if  I'm  not  sick  of  you  both !'  ejaculated  rabbit- 
skin,  in  a  passion.  '  I've  moved  you  round  every  point  of  the  com- 
pass, and  devil  a  nearer  we  are  than  ever.' 

"  '  Give  us  the  word,'  said  one. 

"' The  word!' 

"  '  Downright  murder,'  said  my  father. 

" '  I  don't  care,'  cried  the  little  man ;  '  we  shall  be  here  till 
doomsday.' 

" '  I  can't  permit  this,'  said  my  father ;  '  allow  me.'  So  saying, 
he  stepped  upon  the  window-sill,  and  leaped  down  into  the  field. 

" '  Before  I  can  accept  of  your  politeness,'  said  he  of  the  rabbit- 
skin,  'may  I  beg  to  know  your  name  and  position  in  society  ?' 

" '  Nothing  more  reasonable,'  said  my  father.  '  I'm  Miles 
O'Shaughnessy,  Colonel  of  the  Eoyal  Easpers ;  here  is  my  card.' 

"  The  piece  of  pasteboard  was  complacently  handed  from  one  to 
the  other  of  the  party,  who  saluted  my  father  with  a  smile  of  most 
courteous  benignity. 

"  '  Colonel  O'Shaughnessy,'  said  one. 

"  \  Miles  O'Shaughnessy,'  said  the  other. 

" '  Of  Killinahoula  Castle,'  said  the  third. 

"  'At  your  service,'  said  my  father,  bowing  as  he  presented  his 
snuff-box;  'and  now  to  business,  if  you  please;  for  my  time  also 
js  limited.' 

("  Very  true,'  observed  he  of  the  rabbit-skin,  'and,  as  you  ob- 
serve, now  to  business  ;  in  virtue  of  which,  Colonel  Miles  O'Shaugh- 
nessy, J  hereby  arrest  you  in  the  King's  name.  Here  is  the  writ : 
it's  at  the  suit  of  Barnaby  Kelly,  of  Loughrea,  for  the  sum  of 
£1,482  19s,  7J£,  which ' 

"  Before  he  could  conclude  the  sentence,  my  father  discharged  one 
obligation,  by  implanting  his  closed  knuckles  in  his  face.  The  blow, 
well  aimed  and  well  intentioned,  sent  the  little  fellow  summerset- 
ting  like  a  sugar  hogshead.  But,  alas  J  it  was  no  use ;  the  others,- 
strong  and  able-bodied,  fell  both  upon  him,  and  after  a  desperate 
Struggle  succeeded  in  getting  him  down.  To  tie  his  hands  and 
convey  him  to  a  chaise  was  the  work  of  a  few  moments ;  and,  as  my 
father  drove  by  the  inn,  the  last  object  which  caught  his  view  was  a 
bloody  encounter  between  his  own  people  and  the  myrmidons  of  the 
law,  who,  in  great  numbers,  had  laid  siege  to  the  house  during  his 
capture.     Thus  was  my  father  taken ;  and  thus,  in  reward  for  yield- 


PATRICK'S  DA  Y  IN  THE  PENINSULA.  515 

ing  to  a  virtuous  weakness  in  his  character,  was  he  consigned  to  the 
ignominious  durance  of  a  prison.  Was  I  not  right,  then,  in  saying 
that  such  is  the  melancholy  position  of  our  country,  the  most 
beautiful  traits  in  our  character  are  converted  into  the  elements  of 
our  ruin  ?" 

"I  dinna  think  ye  hae  made  out  your  case,  Major,"  said  the 
Scotch  Doctor,  who  felt  sorely  puzzled  at  my  friend's  logic.  "  If 
your  faither  had  nae  gi'en  the  bond " 

"  There  is  no  saying  what  he  wouldn't  have  done  to  the  bailiffs," 
interrupted  Dennis,  who  was  following  up  a  very  different  train  of 
reasoning. 

"I  fear  me,  Doctor,"  observed  Quill,  "you  are  much  behind  us 
in  Scotland.  Not  but  that  some  of  your  chieftains  are  respectable 
men,  and  wouldn't  get  on  badly  even  in  Gal  way." 

"  I  thank  ye  muckle  for  the  compliment,"  said  the  Doctor,  dryly  ; 
"  but  I  hae  my  doubts  they'd  think  it  ane,  and  they're  crusty  carles 
that's  no'  ower  safe  to  meddle  wi'." 

"  I'd  as  soon  propose  a  hand  of  spoiled  five  to  the  Pope  of  Rome, 
as  a  joke  to  one  of  them,"  returned  Maurice. 

"  Maybe  ye  are  na  wrang  there,  Maister  Quell." 

"  Well,"  cried  Hampden,  "  if  I  may  be  allowed  an  opinion,  I  can 
safely  aver  I  know  no  quarters  like  Scotland.  Edinburgh  beyond 
anything  or  anywhere  I  was  ever  placed  in." 

"Always  after  Dublin,"  interposed  Maurice,  while  a  general 
chorus  of  voices  re-echoed  the  sentiment. 

"  You  are  certainly  a  strong  majority,"  said  my  friend,  "  against 
me;  but  still  I  recant  not  my  original  opinion.  Edinburgh  before 
the  world.  For  a  hospitality  that  never  tires ;  for  pleasant  fellows 
that  improve  every  day  of  your  acquaintance ;  for  pretty  girls  that 
make  you  long  for  a  repeal  of  the  canon  about  being  only  singly, 
blessed,  and  lead  you  to  long  for  a  score  of  them,  Edinburgh,  I  say 
again,  before  the  world." 

"  Their  ankles  are  devilish  thick,"  whispered  Maurice. 

"A  calumny,  a  base  calumny!" 

"And  then  they  drink " 

"Oh " 

"  Yes ;  they  drink  very  strong  tea." 

"Shall  we  hae  a  glass  o'  sherry  together,  Hampden?"  said  the 
Scotch  Doctor,  willing  to  acknowledge  his  defence  of  Auld  Reekie. 

"  And  we'll  take  O'Malley  in,"  said  Hampden ;  "  he  looks  im- 
ploringly." 

"And  now  to  return  to  the  charge,"  quoth  Maurice.  "In  what 
particular  dare  ye  contend  the  palm  with  Dublin?  We'll  not  speak 
of  beauty.     I  can't  suffer  any  such  profane  turn  in  the  conversation 


516  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

as  to  dispute  the  superiority  of  Irishwomen's  lips,  eyes,  noses,  and 
eyebrows,  to  anything  under  heaven.  We'll  not  talk  of  gay  fellows; 
egad,  we  needn't.  I'll  give  you  the  garrison — a  decent  present ;  and 
I'll  back  the  Irish  bar  for  more  genuine  drollery,  more  wit,  more 
epigram,  more  ready,  sparkling  fun,  than  the  whole  rest  of  the 
empire — ay,  and  all  her  colonies — can  boast  of." 

"  They  are  nae  remarkable  for  passing  the  bottle,  if  they  resemble 
their  gifted  advocate,"  observed  the  Scotchman. 

"  But  they  are  for  filling  and  emptying  both,  making  its  current, 
as  it  glides  by,  like  a  rich  stream  glittering  in  the  sunbeams  with  the 
sparkling  lustre  of  their  wit.  Lord,  how  I'm  blown !  Fill  my  pan- 
nikin, Charley.  There's  no  subduing  a  Scot.  Talk  with  him,  drink 
with  him,  fight  with  him,  and  he'll  always  have  the  last  of  it: 
there's  only  one  way  of  concluding  the  treaty " 

"  And  that  is " 

"  Blarney  him.  Lord  bless  you !  he  can't  stand  it.  Tell  him 
Holyrood's  like  Versailles,  and  the  Trossachs  finer  than  Mont 
Blanc;  that  Geordie  Buchanan  was  Homer,  and  the  Canongate, 
Herculaneum, — then  ye  have  him  on  the  hip.  Now,  ye  can  never 
humbug  an  Irishman  that  way;  he'll  know  you're  quizzing  him 
when  you  praise  his  country." 

"  Ye  are  right,  Hampden,"  said  the  Scotch  Doctor,  in  reply  to 
some  observation.  "  We  are  vara  primitive  in  the  Hielands,  and  we 
keep  to  our  ain  national  customs  in  dress  and  everything ;  and  we 
are  vara  slow  to  learn ;  and  even  when  we  try,  we  are  nae  ower  suc- 
cessful' in  our  imitations,  which  sometimes  cost  us  dearly  enough. 
Ye  may  have  heard,  maybe,  of  the  M'Nab  o'  that  ilk,  and  what 
happened  him  with  the  King's  equerry  ?" 

"  I  am  not  quite  certain,"  said  Hampden,  "  if  I  ever  heard  the 
.story." 

"  It's  nae  muckle  of  a  story ;  but  the  way  of  it  was  this  : — When 
Montrose  came  back  from  London,  he  brought  with  him  a  few  Eng- 
lishes to  show  them  the  Hielands,  and  let  them  see  something  of 
deer-stalking;  among  the  rest,  a  certain  Sir  George  Sowerby,  an 
aide-de-camp  or  an  equerry  of  the  Prince.  He  was  a  vara  fine 
gentleman,  that  never  loaded  his  ain  gun,  and  a'most  thought  it  too 
much  trouble  to  pull  the  trigger.  He  went  out  every  morning  to 
shoot  with  his  hair  curled  like  a  woman,  and  dressed  like  a  dancing- 
master.  Now,  there  happened  to  be  at  the  same  time  at  the  castle 
the  Laird  o'  M'Nab;  he  was  a  kind  of  cousin  of  the  Montrose,'and 
a  rough  old  tyke  of  the  true  Hieland  breed,  wha  thought  that  the 
head  of  a  clan  was  fully  equal  to  any  king  or  prince.  He  sat  oppo- 
site to  Sir  George  at  dinner  the  day  of  his  arrival,  and  could  not 
conceal  his  surprise  at  the  many  new-fangled  ways  of  feeding  him- 


PATRICK'S  DAY  IN  THE  PENINSULA.  517 

self  the  Englisher  adopted.  He  ate  his  saumon  wi'  his  fork  in  ae 
hand  and  a  bittock  of  bread  in  the  other;  he  wouldna  touch  the 
whisky;  helped  himself  to  a  cutlet  wi'  his  fingers;  but,  what  was 
maist  extraordinary  of  all,  he  wore  a  pair  of  braw  white  gloves 
during  the  whole  time  o'  dinner ;  and  when  they  came  to  tak'  away 
the  cloth,  he  drew  them  off  with  a  great  air,  and  threw  them  into 
the  middle  of  it,  and  then,  leisurely-taking  another  pair  off  a  silver 
salver  which  his  ain  man  presented,  he  pat  them  on  for  the  dessert. 
The  M'Nab,  who,  although  an  auld-fashioned  carle,  was  aye  fond  of 
bringing  something  new  home  to  his  friends,  remarked  the  Eng- 
lisher's  proceeding  with  great  care,  and  the  next  day  he  appeared  at 
dinner  wi'  a  huge  pair  of  Hieland  mittens,  which  he  wore,  to  the 
astonishment  of  all  and  the  amusement  of  most,  through  the  whole 
three  courses,  and  exactly  as  the  Englishman  changed  his  gloves,  the 
M'Nab  produced  a  fresh  pair  of  goat's  wool,  four  times  as  large  as 
the  first,  which  drawing  on  with  prodigious  gravity,  he  threw  the 
others  into  the  middle  of  the  cloth,  remarking  as  he  did  so, — 

" '  Ye  see,  Captain,  we  are  never  ower  auld  to  learn/ 

"  All  propriety  was  now  at  an  end,  and  a  hearty  burst  of  laughter 
from  one  end  of  the  table  to  the  other  convulsed  the  whole  com- 
pany ;  the  M'Nab  and  the  Englishman  being  the  only  two  persons 
who  did  not  join  in  it,  but  sat  glowering  at  each  other  like  twa 
tigers ;  and,  indeed,  it  needed  a'  the  Montrose's  interferences  that 
they  hadna  quarrelled  upon  it  in  the  morning." 

"  The  M'Nab  was  a  man  after  my  own  heart,"  said  Maurice ; 
"  there  was  something  very  Irish  in  the  lesson  he  gave  the  English- 
man." 

"  I'd  rather  ye'd  told  him  that  than  me,"  said  the  Doctor,  dryly; 
"he  wouldna  hae  thanked  ye  for  mistaking  him  for  ane  of  your 
countrymen." 

"Come,  Doctor!"  said  Dennis,  "could  ye  not  give  us  a  stave? 
Have  ye  nothing  that  smacks  of  the  brown  fern  and  the  blue  lakes 
in  your  memory  ?" 

"I  havena  a  sang  in  my  mind  just  noo  except  Johnny  Cope; 
which,  maybe,  might  no'  be  ower  pleasant  for  the  Englishers  to 
listen  to." 

"  I  never  heard  a  Scotch  song  worth  sixpence,"  quoth  Maurice, 
who  seemed  bent  on  provoking  the  Doctor's  ire.  "They  contain 
nothing  save  some  puling  sentimentality  about  lasses  with  lint- 
white  locks,  or  some  absurd  laudations  of  the  barley  bree." 

"Hear  till  him — hear  till  him!"  said  the  Doctor,  reddening  with 
impatience. 

"Show  me  anything,"  said  Maurice,  "like  the  'Cruiskeen  Lawn'  or 
the  '  Jug  of  Punch  ;'  but  who  can  blame  them,  after  all  ?    You  can't 


518  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

expect  much  from  a  people  with  an  imagination  as  naked  as  their 
own  knees." 

"Maurice!  Maurice!"  cried  O'Shaughnessy,  reprovingly,  who 
saw  that  he  was  pushing  the  other's  endurance  beyond  all  bounds. 

'*  I  mind  weel,"  said  the  Scotchman,  "  what  happened  to  ane  o' 
your  countrymen  wha  took  upon  him  to  jest  as  you  are  doing  now. 
It  was  to  Laurie  Cameron  he  did  it." 

"  And  what  said  the  redoubted  Laurie  in  reply  ?" 

"  He  didna  say  muckle,  but  he  did  something." 

"And  what  might  it  be  ?"  inquired  Maurice. 

"  He  threw  him  ower  the  brig  of  Ayr  into  the  water,  and  he  was 
drowned." 

"  And  did  Laurie  come  to  no  harm  about  the  matter?" 

"  Ay !  they  tried  him  for  it,  and  found  him  guilty ;  but  when  they 
asked  him  what  he  had  to  say  in  his  defence,  he  merely  replied, 
'  When  the  carle  sneered  about  Scotland,  I  didna  suspect  that  he 
didna  ken  how  to  swim ;'  and  so  the  end  of  it  was,  they  did  naething 
to  Laurie." 

"  Cool  that,  certainly,"  said  I. 

"  I  prefer  your  friend  with  the  mittens,  I  confess,"  said  Maurice ; 
"though  I'm  sure  both  were  most  agreeable  companions.  But  come, 
Doctor,  couldn't  you  give  us, — 

"  Sit  ye  down,  my  heartie,  and  gie  us  a  crack, 

Let  the  wind  tak'  the  care  o'  the  world  on  its  back." 

"  You  maunna  attempt  English  poetry,  my  freend  Quell ;  for  it 
must  be  confessed  you've  a  d —  accent  of  your  ain." 

"  Milesian-Phoenician-Corkacian — nothing  more,  my  boy ;  and  a 
coaxing  kind  of  recitative  it  is,  after  all.  Don't  tell  me  of  your  soft 
Etruscan — your  plethoric  Hoch-Deutsch — your  flattering  French. 
To  woo  and  win  the  girl  of  your  heart,  give  me  a  rich  brogue  and 
the  least  taste  in  life  of  blarney !  There's  nothing  like  it,  believe 
me — every  inflection  of  your  voice  suggesting  some  tender  pressure 
of  her  soft  hand  or  taper  waist ;  every  cadence  falling  on  her  gentle 
heart  like  a  sea-breeze  on  a  burning  coast,  or  a  soft  sirocco  over  a 
rose-tree ;  and  then  think,  my  boys, — and  it  is  a  fine  thought  after 
all, — what  a  glorious  gift  that  is,  out  of  the  reach  of  kings  to  give 
or  to  take,  what  neither  depends  upon  the  act  of  Union  nor  the 
Habeas  Corpus.  No!  they  may  starve  us — laugh  at  us — tax  us — 
transport  us.  They  may  take  our  mountains,  our  valleys,  and  our 
bogs ;  but,  bad  luck  to  them,  they  can't  steal  our  *■  blarney ;'  that's 
the  privilege  one  and  indivisible  with  our  identity ;  and  while  an 
Englishman  raves  of  his  liberty — a  Scotchman  of  his  oaten  meal — 
blarney's  our  birthright,  and  a  prettier  portion  I'd  never  ask  to  leave 


F  UENTES  D '  ONOR  0.  519 

behind  me  to  my  sons.  If  I'd  as  large  a  family  as  the  ould  gentle- 
man called  Priam  we  used  to  hear  of  at  school,  it's  the  only  inheri- 
tance I'd  give  them ;  and  one  comfort  there  would  be  besides — the 
legacy  duty  would  be  only  a  trifle.  Charley,  my  son,  I  see  you're 
listening  to  me,  and  nothing  satisfies  me  more  than  to  instruct 
aspiring  youth ;  so  never  forget  the  old  song, — 

"  If  at  your  ease,  the  girls  you'd  please, 
And  win  them,  like  Kate  Kearney, 
There's  but  one  way,  I've  heard  them  say, 
Go  kiss  the  'Stone  of  Blarney.' " 

"  What  do  you  say,  Shaugh,  if  we  drink  it  with  all  the  honors  ?" 

"  But  gently :  do  I  hear  a  trumpet  there  ?" 

u  Ah,  there  go  the  bugles.     Can  it  be  daybreak  already  ?" 

"  How  short  the  nights  are  at  this  season  !"  said  Quill. 

"  What  an  infernal  rumpus  they're  making !  it's  not  possible  the 
troops  are  to  march  so  early." 

" It  wouldn't  surprise  me  in  the  least;"  quoth  Maurice;  "there 
is  no  knowing  what  the  Commander-in-Chief's  not  capable  of:  the 
reason's  clear  enough." 

"  And  why,  Maurice  ?" 

"  There's  not  a  bit  of  blarney  about  him." 

The  reveille  rang  out  from  every  brigade,  and  the  drums  beat  to 
fall  in,  while  Mike  came  galloping  up  at  full  speed  to  say  that  the 
bridge  of  boats  was  complete,  and  that  the  12th  were  already  ordered 
to  cross.  Not  a  moment  was  therefore  to  be  lost ;  one  parting  cup 
was  drained  to  our  next  meeting,  and  amid  a  hundred  "  good-byes  " 
we  mounted  our  horses.  Poor  Hampden's  brains  being  sadly  con- 
fused by  the  wine  and  the  laughing,  he  knew  little  of  what  was 
going  on  around  him,  and  passed  the  entire  time  of  our  homeward 
ride  in  a  vain  endeavor  to  adapt  Mary  Draper  to  the  air  of  "Rule 
Britannia." 


CHAPTEE   XXIV. 

FUENTES   D'ONOKO. 

FROM  this  period  the  French  continued  their  retreat,  closely 
followed  by  the  allied  armies,  and  on  the  5th  of  April  Mas- 
sena  once  more  crossed  the  frontier  into  Spain,  leaving  thirty 
thousand  of  his  bravest  troops  behind  him,  fourteen  thousand  of 
whom  had  fallen,  or  been  taken  prisoners  ;  reinforcements,  however, 


620  CHARLES  0' M ALLEY. 

came  rapidly  pouring  in.  Two  divisions  of  the  ninth  corps  had 
already  arrived,  and  Drouet,  with  eleven  thousand  infantry  and 
cavalry,  was  preparing  to  march  to  his  assistance.  Thus  strength- 
ened, the  French  army  marched  towards  the  Portuguese  frontier, 
and  Lord  Wellington,  who  had  determined  not  to  hazard  much  by 
his  blockade  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo,  fell  back  upon  the  large  table-land 
beyond  the  Turones  and  the  Dos  Casas,  with  his  left  at  Fort  Con- 
ception, and  his  right  resting  upon  Fuentes  d'Onoro.  His  position 
extended  to  about  five  miles ;  and  here,  although  vastly  inferior  in 
numbers,  yet  relying  upon  the  bravery  of  the  troops,  and  the  moral 
ascendency  acquired  by  their  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  he  finally  re- 
solved upon  giving  them  battle. 

Being  sent  with  despatches  to  Pack's  Brigade,  which  formed  the 
blockading  force  at  Almeida,  I  did  not  reach  Fuentes  d'Onoro  until 
the  evening  of  the  3d.  The  thundering  of  the  guns,  which,  even  at 
the  distance  I  was  at,  was  plainly  heard,  announced  then  an  attack 
had  taken  place,  but  it  by  no  means  prepared  me  for  the  scene 
which  presented  itself  on  my  return. 

The  village  of  Fuentes  d'Onoro,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in 
Spain,  is  situated  in  a  lovely  valley,  where  all  the  charms  of  ver- 
dure so  peculiar  to  the  Peninsula  seemed  to  have  been  scattered 
with  a  lavish  hand.  The  citron  and  the  arbutus,  growing  wild, 
sheltered  every  cottage  door,  and  the  olive  and  the  laurel  threw 
their  shadows  across  the  little  rivulet  which  traversed  the  village. 
The  houses,  observing  no  uniform  arrangement,  stood  wherever  the 
caprice  or  the  inclination  of  the  builder  suggested,  surrounded  with 
little  gardens,  the  inequality  of  the  ground  imparting  a  picturesque 
feature  to  even  the  lowliest  hut,  while,  upon  a  craggy  eminence 
above  the  rest,  an  ancient  convent  and  a  ruined  chapel  looked  down 
upon  the  little  peaceful  hamlet  with  an  air  of  tender  protection. 

Hitherto,  this  lovely  spot  had  escaped  all  the  ravages  of  war. 
The  light  division  of  our  army  had  occupied  it  for  months  long ; 
and  every  family  was  gratefully  remembered  by  some  one  or  other  of 
our  officers ;  and  more  than  one  of  our  wounded  found  in  the  kind 
and  affectionate  watching  of  these  poor  peasants  the  solace  which 
sickness  rarely  meets  with  when  far  from  home  and  country. 

It  was  with  an  anxious  heart  that  I  pressed  my  horse  forward 
into  a  gallop  as  the  night  drew  near.  The  artillery  had  been  dis- 
tinctly heard  during  the  day,  and  while  I  burned  with  eagerness  to 
know  the  result,  I  felt  scarcely  less  anxious  for  the  fate  of  that  little 
hamlet  whose  name  many  a  kind  story  had  implanted  in  my  memory. 
The  moon  was  shining  brightly  as  I  passed  the  outpost ;  leading  my 
horse  by  the  bridle,  I  descended  the  steep  and  rugged  causeway  to 
the  village  beneath  me.     The  lanterns  were  moving  rapidly  to  and 


F  UENTES  B '  ON  OR  0.  521 

fro ;  the  measured  tread  of  infantry  at  night — that  ominous  sound, 
which  falls  upon  the  heart  so  sadly— told  me  that  they  were  burying 
the  dead.  The  air  was  still  and  breathless  ;  not  a  sound  was  stirring 
save  the  step  of  the  soldiery,  and  the  harsh  clash  of  the  shovel  as  it 
struck  the  earth.  I  felt  sad,  and  sick  at  heart,  and  leaned  against  a 
tree.  A  nightingale  concealed  in  the  leaves  was  pouring  forth  its 
plaintive  notes  to  the  night  air,  and  its  low  warble  sounded  like  the 
dirge  of  the  departed.  Far  beyond,  in  the  plain,  the  French  watch- 
fires  were  burning,  and  I  could  see  from  time  to  time  the  fatigue- 
parties  moving  in  search  of  their  wounded.  At  this  moment  the 
clock  of  the  convent  struck  eleven,  and  a  merry  chime  rang  out, 
and  was  taken  up  by  the  echoes,  till  it  melted  away  in  the  distance. 
Alas !  where  were  those  whose  hearts  were  wont  to  feel  cheered  at 
that  happy  peal? — whose  infancy  it  had  gladdened,  whose  old  age  it 
has  hallowed  ?  The  fallen  walls,  the  broken  roof-trees,  the  ruin  and 
desolation  on  every  side,  told  plainly  that  they  had  passed  away 
forever.  The  smoking  embers,  the  torn-up  pathway,  denoted  the 
hard-fought  struggle ;  and,  as  I  passed  along,  I  could  see  that  every 
garden  where  the  cherry  and  the  apple-blossom  were  even  still  per- 
fuming the  air,  had  now  its  sepulchre. 

"  Halt,  there  !"  cried  a  hoarse  voice  in  front.  "You  cannot  pass 
this  way — the  Commander-in-Chief's  quarters." 

I  looked  up,  and  beheld  a  small  but  neat-looking  cottage,  which 
seemed  to  have  suffered  less  than  the  others  around.  Lights  were 
shining  brightly  from  the  windows,  and  I  could  even  detect  from 
time  to  time  a  figure  muffled  up  in  a  cloak,  passing  to  and  fro  across 
the  window,  while  another,  seated  at  a  table,  was  occupied  in  writ- 
ing. I  turned  into  a  narrow  path  which  led  into  the  little  square  of 
the  village,  and  here,  as  I  approached,  the  hum  and  murmur  of 
voices  announced  a  bivouac  party.  Stopping  to  ask  what  had  been 
the  result  of  the  day,  I  learned  that  a  tremendous  attack  had  been 
made  by  the  French  in  column  upon  the  village,  which  was  at  first 
successful,  but  that  afterwards  the  71st  and  79th,  marching  down 
from  the  heights,  had  repulsed  the  enemy,  and  driven  them  beyond 
the  Dos  Casas.  Five  hundred  had  fallen  in  that  fierce  encounter, 
which  was  continued  through  every  street  and  alley  of  the  little 
hamlet.  The  gallant  Highlanders  now  occupied  the  battle-field; 
and  hearing  that  the  cavalry  brigade  was  some  miles  distant,  I  wil- 
lingly accepted  their  offer  to  share  their  bivouac,  and  passed  the 
remainder  of  the  night  among  them. 

When  day  broke,  our  troops  were  under  arms,  but  the  enemy 
showed  no  disposition  to  renew  the  attack.  We  could  perceive, 
however,  from  the  road  to  the  southward,  by  the  long  columns  of 
dust,  that  reinforcements  were  still  arriving,  and  learned  during  the 


522  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

morning,  from  a  deserter,  that  Massena  himself  had  come  up,  and 
Bessieres  also,  with  twelve  hundred  cavalry,  and  a  battery  of  the 
Imperial  Guard. 

From  the  movements  observable  among  the  enemy,  it  was  soon 
evident  that  the  battle,  though  deferred,  was  not  abandoned,  and 
the  march  of  a  strong  force  towards  the  left  of  their  position  in- 
duced our  Commander-in-Chief  to  despatch  the  seventh  division, 
under  Houston,  to  occupy  the  height  of  Naval  d'Aver, — our  ex- 
treme right, — in  support  of  which  our  brigade  of  cavalry  marched 
as  a  covering  force.  The  British  position  was  thus  unavoidably  ex- 
tended to  the  enormous  length  of  seven  miles,  occupying  a  succes- 
sion of  small  eminences,  from  the  division  at  Fort  Conception  to  the 
height  of  Naval  d'Aver,  Fuentes  d'Onoro  forming  nearly  the  centre 
of  the  line. 

It  was  evident,  from  the  thickening  combinations  of  the  French, 
that  a  more  dreadful  battle  was  still  in  reserve  for  us;  and  yet  never 
did  men  look  more  anxiously  for  the  morrow. 

As  for  myself,  I  felt  a  species  of  exhilaration  I  had  never  before 
experienced.  The  events  of  the  preceding  day  came  dropping  in 
upon  me  from  every  side,  and  at  every  new  tale  of  gallantry  or  dar- 
ing I  felt  my  heart  bounding  with  excited  eagerness  to  win  also  my 
meed  of  honorable  praise. 

Craufurd,  too,  had  recognized  me  in  the  kindest  manner,  and 
while  saying  that  he  did  not  wish  to  withdraw  me  from  my  regi- 
ment on  a  day  of  battle,  added  that  he  would  make  use  of  me  for 
the  present  on  his  staff.  Thus  was  I  engaged  from  early  morning 
till  late  in  the  evening  bringing  orders  and  despatches  along  the 
line.  The  troop-horse  I  rode — for  I  reserved  my  gray  for  the  fol- 
lowing day — was  scarcely  able  to  carry  me  along,  as  towards  dusk  I 
jogged  along  in  the  direction  of  Naval  d'Aver.  When  I  did  reach 
our  quarters,  the  fires  were  lighted,  and  around  one  of  them  I  had 
the  good  fortune  to  find  a  party  of  the  14th  occupied  in  discussing 
a  very  ^appetizing  little  supper.  The  clatter  of  plates  and  the  pop- 
ping of  champagne  corks  were  most  agreeable  sounds.  Indeed,  the 
latter  appeared  to  me  so  much  too  flattering  an  illusion,  that  I  hesi- 
tated to  credit  my  senses  in  the  matter,  when  Baker  called  out, — 

"  Come,  Charley,  sit  down  ;  you're  just  in  the  nick.  Tom  Mart- 
den  is  giving  us  a  benefit.     You  know  Tom  ?" 

And  here  he  presented  me  in  due  form  to  that  best  of  commis- 
saries and  most  hospitable  of  horse-dealers. 

"  I  can't  introduce  you  to  my  friend  on  my  right,"  continued 
Baker",  "for  my  Spanish  is  only  a  skeleton  battalion.  But  he's  a 
trump — that  I'll  vouch  for ;  never  flinches  his  glass,  and  looks  as 
though  he  enjoyed  all  our  nonsense." 


THE  BATTLE  OF  FUENTES  D'ONORO.  523 

The  Spaniard,  who  appeared  to  comprehend  that  he  was  alluded 
to,  gravely  saluted  me  with  a  low  bow,  and  offered  his  glass  to  hob- 
nob with  me.  I  returned  the  compliment  with  becoming  ceremony, 
while  Hampden  whispered  in  my  ear, — 

"A  fine-looking  fellow.  You  know  who  he  is?  Julian,  the 
Guerilla  chief." 

I  had  heard  much  of  both  the  strangers.  Tom  Marsden  was  a 
household  word  in  every  cavalry  brigade,  equally  celebrated  for  his 
contracts  and  his  claret.  He  knew  every  one,  from  Lord  Welling- 
ton to  the  last-joined  cornet ;  and,  while  upon  a  march,  there  was 
no  piece  of  better  fortune  than  to  be  asked  to  dine  with  him.  So,  in 
the  very  thick  of  a  battle,  Tom's  critical  eye  was  scanning  the  squad- 
rons engaged,  with  an  accuracy  as  to  the  number  of  fresh  horses 
that  would  be  required  upon  the  morrow  that  nothing  but  long 
practice  and  infinite  coolness  could  have  conferred. 

Of  the  Guerilla  I  need  not  speak.  The  bold  feats  he  accom- 
plished, the  aid  he  rendered  to  the  cause  of  his  country,  have  made 
his  name  historical.  Yet  still,  with  all  this,  fatigue,  more  powerful 
than  my  curiosity,  prevailed,  and  I  sank  into  a  heavy  sleep  upon  the 
grass,  while  my  merry  companions  kept  up  their  revels  till  near 
morning.  The  last  piece  of  consciousness  I  am  sensible  of  was  see- 
ing Julian  spreading  his  wide  mantle  over  me  as  I  lay,  while  I 
heard  his  deep  voice  whisper  a  kind  wish  for  my  repose. 


CHAPTEK    XXV. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  FUENTES  D'ONOEO. 

SO  soundly  did  I  sleep,  that  the  tumult  and  confusion  of  the 
morning  never  awoke  me ;  and  the  Guerilla,  whose  cavalry 
were  stationed  along  the  edge  of  the  ravine  near  the  heights 
of  Echora,  would  not  permit  of  my  being  roused  before  the  last 
moment.  Mike  stood  near  me  with  my  horses,  and  it  was  only  when 
the  squadrons  were  actually  forming  that  I  sprang  to  my  feet  and 
looked  around  me. 

The  day  was  just  breaking.  A  thick  mist  lay  upon  the  parched 
earth,  and  concealed  everything  a  hundred  yards  from  where  we 
stood.  From  this  dense  vapor  the  cavalry  defiled  along  the  ba$e  of 
the  hill,  followed  by  the  horse  artillery  and  the  Guards,  disappear- 
ing as  they  passed  us,  but  proving,  by  the  mass  of  troops  now 


524  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

assembled,  that  our  position  was  regarded  as  the  probable  point  of 
attack. 

While  the  troops  continued  to  take  up  their  position,  the  sun 
shone  out,  and  a  light  breeze  blowing  at  the  same  moment,  the 
heavy  clouds  moved  past,  and  we  beheld  the  magnificent  panorama 
of  the  battle-field.  Before  us,  at  the  distance  of  less  than  half  a 
league,  the  French  cavalry  were  drawn  up  in  three  strong  columns. 
The  Cuirassiers  of  the  Guard,  plainly  distinguishable  by  their  steel 
cuirasses,  flanked  by  the  Polish  lancers  and  a  strong  hussar  brigade; 
a  powerful  artillery  train  supported  the  left,  and  an  infantry  force 
occupied  the  entire  space  between  the  right  and  the  rising  ground 
opposite  P090  Velho.  Farther  to  the  right  again,  the  columns  des- 
tined for  the  attack  of  Fuentes  d'Onoro  were  forming,  and  we  could 
see  that,  profiting  by  their  past  experience,  they  were  bent  upon 
attacking  the  village  with  an  overwhelming  force. 

For  above  two  hours  the  French  continued  to  manoeuvre,  more 
than  one  alteration  having  taken  place  in  their  disposition.  Fresh 
battalions  were  moved  towards  the  front,  and  gradually  the  whole 
of  their  cavalry  were  assembled  on  the  extreme  left  in  front  of  our 
position.  Our  people  were  ordered  to  breakfast  where  we  stood  ; 
and  a  little  after  seven  o'clock  a  staff  officer  came  riding  down  the 
line,  followed  in  a  few  moments  after  by  General  Craufurd,  when  no 
sooner  was  his  well-known  brown  cob  recognized  by  the  troops,  than 
a  hearty  cheer  greeted  him  along  the  whole  division. 

"  Thank  ye,  boys  ;  thank  ye,  boys,  with  all  my  heart !  No  man 
feels  more  sensibly  what  that  cheer  means  than  I  do.  Guards! 
Lord  Wellington  relies  upon  your  maintaining  this  position,  which 
is  essential  to  the  safety  of  the  whole  line.  You  will  be  supported 
by  the  light  division.  I  need  say  no  more.  If  such  troops  cannot 
keep  their  ground,  none  can.  There's  your  place,  14th  ;  the  artil- 
lery and  the  16th  are  with  you.  They've  the  odds  of  us  in  numbers, 
lads ;  but  it  will  tell  all  the  better  in  the  Gazette.  I  see  they're 
moving ;  so  fall  in,  now,  fall  in  ;  and,  Merivale,  move  to  the  front. 
Eamsey,  prepare  at  once  to  open  your  fire  on  the  attacking  squad- 
rons." 

As  he  spoke,  the  low  murmuring  sound  of  distantly-moving  cav- 
alry crept  along  the  earth,  growing  louder  and  louder,  till  at  length 
we  could  detect  the  heavy  tramp  of  the  squadrons  as  they  cam.e  on 
in  a  trot,  our  pace  being  merely  a  walk.  While  we  thus  advanced 
into  the  plain,  the  artillery  unlimbered  behind  us,  and  the  Spanish 
cavalry,  breaking  into  skirmishers,  dashed  boldly  to  the  front. 

It  was  an  exciting  moment.  The  ground  dipped  between  the  two 
armies,  so  as  to  conceal  the  head  of  the  advancing  column  of  the 
French,   and  as  the  Spanish  skirmishers  disappeared  down   the 


THE  BATTLE  OF  FUENTES  D'ONORO.  525 

ridge,  our  beating  hearts  and  straining  eyes  followed  their  last 
horseman. 

"  Halt !  halt !"  was  passed  from  squadron  to  squadron,  and  the 
same  instant  the  sharp  ring  of  the  pistol-shots  and  the  clash  of  steel 
from  the  valley  told  us  the  battle  had  begun.  We  could  hear  the 
Guerilla  war-cry  mingle  with  the  French  shout,  while  the  thickening 
crash  of  fire-arms  implied  a  sharper  conflict.  Our  fellows  were 
already  manifesting  some  impatience  to  press  on,  when  a  Spanish 
horseman  appeared  above  the  ridge ;  another  followed,  and  another, 
and  then  pell-mell,  broken  and  disordered,  they  fell  back  before  the 
pursuing  cavalry  in  flying  masses ;  while  the  French,  charging  them 
hotly  home,  utterly  routed  and  repulsed  them. 

The  leading  squadrons  of  the  French  now  fell  back  upon  their 
support;  the  column  of  attack  thickened,  and  a  thundering  noise 
between  their  masses  announced  their  brigade  of  light  guns  as  they 
galloped  to  the  front.  It  was  then  for  the  first  time  I  felt  dispirited; 
far  as  my  eye  could  stretch,  the  dense  mass  of  sabres  extended,  de- 
filing from  the  distant  hills  and  winding  its  slow  length  across  the 
plain.  I  turned  to  look  at  our  line,  scarce  one  thousand  strong,  and 
could  not  help  feeling  that  our  hour  was  come.  The  feeling  flashed 
vividly  across  my  mind,  but  the  next  instant  I  felt  my  cheek  redden 
with  shame  as  I  gazed  upon  the  sparkling  eyes  and  bold  looks  around 
me— the  lips  compressed,  the  hands  knitted  to  their  sabres  ;  all  were 
motionless,  but  burning  to  advance. 

The  French  had  halted  on  the  brow  of  the  hill  to  form,  when 
Merivale  came  cantering  up  to  us. 

"  Fourteenth,  are  you  ready  ?    Are  you  ready,  lads  ?" 

"  Eeady,  sir !  ready  !"  re-echoed  along  the  line. 

"  Then  push  them  home  and  charge !  Charge I"  cried  he,  raising 
his  voice  to  a  shout  at  the  last  word. 

Heavens  !  what  a  crash  was  there !  Our  horses,  in  top  condition, 
no  sooner  felt  the  spur  than  they  bounded  madly  onwards.  The 
pace — for  the  distance  did  not  exceed  four  hundred  yards — was  like 
racing.  To  resist  the  impetus  of  our  approach  was  impossible  ;  and 
without  a  shot  fired,  scarcely  a  sabre-cut  exchanged,  we  actually 
rode  down  their  advanced  squadrons — hurling  them  headlong  upon 
their  supporting  division,  and  rolling  men  and  horses  beneath  us  on 
every  side.  The  French  fell  back  upon  their  artillery ;  but  before 
they  could  succeed  in  opening  their  fire  upon  us,  we  had  wheeled, 
and,  carrying  off  about  seventy  prisoners,  galloped  back  to  our  posi- 
tion with  the  loss  of  but  two  men  in  the  affair.  The  whole  thing 
was  so  sudden,  so  bold,  and  so  successful,  that  I  remember  well,  as 
we  rode  back,  a  hearty  burst  of  laughter  was  ringing  through  the 
squadron  at  the  ludicrous  display  of  horsemanship  the  French  pre- 


526  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

sented  as  they  tumbled  headlong  down  the  hill ;  and  I  cannot  help 
treasuring  the  recollection,  for,  from  that  moment,  all  thought  of 
anything  short  of  victory  completely  quitted  my  mind,  and  many  of 
my  brother  officers,  who  had  participated  in  my  feelings  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  day,  confessed  to  me  afterwards  that  it  was  then 
for  the  first  time  they  felt  assured  of  beating  the  enemy. 

While  we  slowly  fell  back  to  our  position,  the  French  were  seen 
advancing  in  great  force  from  the  village  of  Almeida,  to  the  attack 
of  Poco  Velho ;  they  came  on  at  a  rapid  pace,  their  artillery  upon 
their  front  and  flank,  large  masses  of  cavalry  hovering  around  them. 
The  attack  upon  the  village  was  now  opened  by  the  large  guns ;  and 
amid  the  booming  of  the  artillery  and  the  crashing  volleys  of  small 
fire-arms,  rose  the  shout  of  the  assailants,  and  the  wild  cry  of  the 
Guerilla  cavalry,  who  had  formed  in  front  of  the  village.  The 
French  advanced  firmly,  driving  back  the  pickets,  and  actually 
inundated  the  devoted  village  with  a  shower  of  grape ;  the  blazing 
fires  burst  from  the  ignited  roofs ;  and  the  black,  dense  smoke  rising 
on  high,  seemed  to  rest  like  a  pall  over  the  little  hamlet. 

The  conflict  now  was  a  tremendous  one.  Our  seventh  division  held 
the  village  with  the  bayonet ;  but  the  French,  continuing  to  pour  in 
mass  upon  mass,  drove  them  back  with  loss,  and,  at  the  end  of  an 
hour's  hard  fighting,  took  possession  of  the  place. 

The  wood  upon  the  left  flank  was  now  seen  to  swarm  with  light 
infantry,  and  the  advancement  of  their  whole  left  proved  that  they 
meditated  to  turn  our  flank.  The  space  between  the  village  and  the 
hill  of  Naval  d'Aver  thus  became  the  central  position ;  and  here 
the  Guerilla  force,  led  on  by  Julian  Sanches,  seemed  to  await  the 
French  with  confidence.  Soon,  however,  the  cuirassiers  came  gal- 
loping to  the  spot,  and,  almost  without  exchanging  a  sabre-cut,  the 
Guerillas  fell  back,  and  retired  behind  the  Turones.  This  move- 
ment of  Julian  was  more  attributable  to  anger  than  to  fear ;  for  his 
favorite  lieutenant,  being  mistaken  for  a  French  officer,  was  shot  by 
a  soldier  of  the  Guards  a  few  minutes  before. 

Montbrun  pursued  the  Guerillas  with  some  squadrons  of  horse,  but 
they  turned  resolutely  upon  the  French,  and  not  till  overwhelmed 
by  numbers  did  they  show  any  disposition  to  retreat. 

The  French,  however,  now  threw  forward  their  whole  cavalry,  and, 
driving  back  the  English  horse,  succeeded  in  turning  the  right  of 
the  seventh  division.  The  battle  by  this  time  was  general.  The 
staff  officers  who  came  up  from  the  left  informed  us  that  Fuentes 
d'Onoro  was  attacked  in  force,  Massena  himself  leading  the  assault 
in  person ;  while  thus  for  seven  miles  the  fight  was  maintained 
hotly  at  intervals,  it  was  evident  that  upon  the  maintenance  of  our 
position  the  fortune  of  the  day  depended.     Hitherto  we  had  been 


THE  BATTLE  OF  FUENTES  D'ONORO.  527 

repulsed  from  the  village  and  the  wood ;  and  the  dark  masses  of 
infantry  which  were  assembled  upon  our  right  seemed  to  threaten 
the  hill  of  Naval  d'Aver  with  as  sad  a  catastrophe. 

Craufurd  now  came  galloping  up  amongst  us,  his  eye  flashing  fire, 
and  his  uniform  splashed  and  covered  with  foam. 

"  Steady,  16th,  steady !  Don't  blow  your  horses !  Have  your 
fellows  advanced,  Malcolm?"  said  he,  turning  to  an  officer  who 
stood  beside  him.  "Ay,  there  they  go I"  pointing  with  his  finger  to 
the  wood,  where,  as  he  spoke,  the  short  ringing  of  the  British  rifle 
proclaimed  the  advance  of  that  brigade.  "  Let  the  cavalry  prepare 
to  charge  1     And  now,  Ramsey,  let  us  give  it  them  home 1" 

Scarcely  were  the  words  spoken,  when  the  squadrons  were  formed, 
and  in  an  instant  after  the  French  light  infantry  were  seen  retreat- 
ing from  the  wood,  and  flying  in  disorderly  masses  across  the  plain. 
Our  squadrons,  riding  down  amongst  them,  actually  cut  them  to 
atoms,  while  the  light  artillery,  unlimbering,  threw  in  a  deadly  dis- 
charge of  grape-shot. 

"  To  the  right,  14th,  to  the  right !"  cried  General  Stewart.  "  Have 
at  their  hussars  f 

Whirling  by  them,  we  advanced  at  a  gallop,  and  dashed  towards 
the  enemy,  who,  not  less  resolutely  bent,  came  boldly  forward  to 
meet  us.  The  shock  was  terrific!  the  leading  squadrons  on  both 
sides  went  down  almost  to  a  man,  and,  all  order  being  lost,  the  en- 
counter became  one  of  hand  to  hand. 

The  struggle  was  deadly ;  neither  party  would  give  way ;  and, 
while  fortune  now  inclined  hither  and  thither,  Sir  Charles  Stewart 
singled  out  the  French  General  Lamotte,  and  carried  him  off  his 
prisoner.  Meanwhile,  Montbrun's  cavalry  and  the  cuirassiers  came 
riding  up,  and,  the  retreat  now  sounding  through  our  ranks,  we 
were  obliged  to  fall  back  upon  the  infantry.  The  French  pursued 
us  hotly  ;  and  so  rapid  was  their  movement,  that,  before  Ramsey's 
brigade  could  limber  up  and  away,  their  squadrons  had  surrounded 
him  and  captured  his  guns. 

"  Where  is  Ramsey  ?"  cried  Craufurd,  as  he  galloped  to  the  head 
of  our  division.  "  Cut  off— cut  off !  Taken,  by  G — !  There  he 
goes !"  said  he,  pointing  with  his  finger,  as  a  dense  cloud  of  mingled 
smoke  and  dust  moved  darkly  across  the  plain.  "  Form  into  column 
once  more !" 

As  he  spoke,  the  dense  mass  before  us  seemed  agitated  by  some 
mighty  commotion  ;  the  flashing  of  blades,  and  the  rattling  of  small 
arms,  mingled  with  shouts  of  triumph  or  defiance,  burst  forth,  and 
the  ominous  cloud,  lowering  more  darkly,  seemed  peopled  by  those 
in  deadly  strife.  An  English  cheer  pealed  high  above  all  other 
sounds  ;  a  second  followed  ;  the  mass  was  rent  asunder,  and,  like  the 


528  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

forked  lightning  from  a  thunder-cloud,  Ramsey  rode  forth  at  the 
head  of  his  battery,  the  horses  bounding  madly,  while  the  guns 
sprang  behind  them  like  things  of  no  weight ;  the  gunners  leaped  to 
their  places,  and  fighting  hand  to  hand  with  the  French  cavalry, 
they  flew  across  the  plain. 

"  Nobly  done,  gallant  Ramsey  !"  said  a  voice  behind  me.  I  turned 
at  the  sound ;  it  was  Lord  Wellington  who  spoke.  My  eye  fixed 
upon  his  stern  features,  I  forgot  all  else ;  when  he  suddenly  recalled 
me  to  my  recollection  by  saying, 

"  Follow  your  brigade,  sir.     Charge !" 

In  an  instant  I  was  with  my  people,  who,  intervening  betwixt 
Ramsey  and  his  pursuers,  repulsed  the  enemy  with  loss,  and  carried 
off  several  prisoners.  The  French,  however,  came  up  in  greater 
strength ;  overwhelming  masses  of  cayalry  came  sweeping  upon  us, 
and  we  were  obliged  to  retire  behind  the  light  division,  which  rapidly 
formed  into  squares  to  resist  the  cavalry.  The  seventh  division, 
which  was  more  advanced,  were,  however,  too  late  for  this  movement, 
and,  before  they  could  effect  their  formation,  the  French  were  upon 
them.  At  this  moment  they  owed  their  safety  to  the  Chasseurs 
Britanniques,  who  poured  in  a  flanking  fire,  so  close,  and  with  so 
deadly  an  aim,  that  their  foes  recoiled,  beaten  and  bewildered. 

Meanwhile,  the  French  had  become  masters  of  P090  Velho ;  the 
formidable  masses  had  nearly  outflanked  us  on  the  right.  The  battle 
was  lost,  if  we  could  not  fall  back  upon  our  original  position,  and 
concentrate  our  force  upon  Fuentes  d'Onoro.  To  effect  this  was  a 
work  of  great  difficulty  ;  but  no  time  was  to  be  lost.  The  seventh 
division  were  ordered  to  cross  the  Turones,  while  Craufurd,  form- 
ing the  light  division  into  squares,  covered  their  retreat,  and,  sup- 
ported by  the  cavalry,  sustained  the  whole  force  of  the  enemy's 
attack. 

Then  was  the  moment  to  witness  the  cool  and  steady  bravery  of 
British  infantry ;  the  squares  dotted  across  the  enormous  plain 
seemed  as  nothing  amid  that  confused  and  flying  multitude,  com- 
posed of  commissariat  baggage,  camp-followers,  peasants,  and, 
finally,  broken  pickets  and  videttes  arriving  from  the  wood.  A 
cloud  of  cavalry  hovered  and  darkened  around  them ;  the  Polish 
lancers  shook  their  long  spears,  impatient  of  delay,  and  the  wild 
huzzas  burst  momentarily  from  their  squadrons  as  they  waited  for 
the  word  to  attack.  But  the  British  stood  firm  and  undaunted ;  and 
although  the  enemy  rode  round  their  squares,  Montbrun  himself 
at  their  head,  they  never  dared  to  charge  them.  Meanwhile,  the 
seventh  division  fell  back,  as  if  on  a  parade,  and  crossing  the  river, 
took  up  their  ground  at  Frenada,  pivoting  upon  the  first  division  ; 
the  remainder  of  the  line  also  fell  back,  and  assumed  a  position  at 


THE  BATTLE  OF  FUENTES  D'ONORO.  529 

right  angles  with  their  former  one,  the  cavalry  forming  in  front,  and 
holding  the  French  in  check  during  the  movement.  This  was  a 
splendid  manoeuvre,  and,  when  made  in  face  of  an  overnumbering 
enemy,  one  unmatched  during  the  whole  war. 

At  sight  of  this  new  front  the  French  stopped  short,  and  opened 
a  fire  from  their  heavy  guns.  The  British  batteries  replied  with 
vigor,  and  silenced  the  enemy's  cannon.  The  cavalry  drew  out  of 
range,  and  the  infantry  gradually  fell  back  to  their  former  position. 
While  this  was  going  on,  the  attack  upon  Fuentes  d'Onoro  was  con- 
tinued with  unabated  vigor.  The  three  British  regiments  in  the 
lower  town  were  pierced  by  the  French  tirailleurs,  who  poured  upon 
them  in  overwhelming  numbers ;  the  79th  were  broken,  ten  com- 
panies taken,  and  Cameron,  their  colonel,  mortally  wounded.  Thus 
the  lower  village  was  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  while  from  the 
upper  town  the  incessant  roll  of  musketry  proclaimed  the  obstinate 
resistance  of  the  British. 

At  this  period  our  reserves  were  called  up  from  the  right,  in  time 
to  resist  the  additional  troops  which  Drouet  continued  to  bring  on. 
The  French,  reinforced  by  the  whole  sixth  corps,  now  came  forward 
at  a  quick  step.  Dashing  through  the  ruined  streets  of  the  lower 
town,  they  crossed  the  rivulet,  fighting  bravely,  and  charged  against 
the  height.  Already  their  leading  files  had  gained  the  crag  beside 
the  chapel.  A  French  colonel,  holding  his  cap  upon  his  sword-point, 
waved  on  his  men. 

The  grizzly  features  of  the  grenadiers  soon  appeared,  and  the  dark 
column,  half  climbing,  half  running,  were  seen  scaling  the  height. 
A  rifle-bullet  sent  the  French  leader  tumbling  from  the  precipice ; 
and  a  cheer — mad  and  reckless  as  the  war-cry  of  an  Indian — rent 
the  sky,  as  the  71st  and  79th  Highlanders  sprang  upon  the  enemy. 

Our  part  was  a  short  one  ;  advancing  in  half-squadrons,  we  were 
concealed  from  the  observation  of  the  enemy  by  the  thick  vineyards 
which  skirted  the  lower  town,  waiting  with  impatience  the  moment 
when  our  gallant  kifantry  should  succeed  in  turning  the  tide  of 
battle.  We  were  ordered  to  dismount,  and  stood  with  our  bridles 
on  our  arms,  anxious  and  expectant.  The  charge  of  the  French 
column  was  made  close  to  where  we  were  standing — th^  inspiriting 
cheers  of  the  officers,  the  loud  vivas  of  the  men,  were  plainly  heard 
by  us  as  they  rushed  to  the  assault ;  but  the  space  between  us  was 
intersected  by  walls  and  brushwood,  which  totally  prevented  the 
movements  of  cavalry. 

Fearlessly  their  dark  column  moved  up  the  heights,  fixing  the 

bayonets  as  they  went.     No  tirailleurs  preceded  them,  but  the  tall 

shako  of  the  Grenadier  of  the  Guard  was  seen  in  the  first  rank. 

Long  before  the  end  of  the  column  had  passed  us,  the  leading  files 

34 


530  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

were  in  action.  A  deafening  peal  of  musketry — so  loud,  so  dense,  it 
seemed  like  artillery — burst  forth.  A  volume  of  black  smoke  rolled 
heavily  down  from  the  heights  and  hid  all  from  our  view,  except 
when  the  vivid  lightning  of  the  platoon  firing  rent  the  veil  asunder, 
and  showed  us  the  troops  almost  in  hand  to  hand  conflict. 

"  It's  Picton's  division,  I'm  certain,"  cried  Merivale ;  "  I  hear  the 
bagpipes  of  the  Highlanders." 

"  You  are  right,  sir,"  said  Hampden  ;  "  the  71st  are  in  the  same 
brigade,  and  I  know  their  bugles  well.     There  they  go  again  1" 

"  Fourteenth !  Fourteenth  !"  cried  a  voice  from  behind,  and  at  the 
same  moment  a  staff  officer,  without  his  hat,  and  his  horse  bleeding 
from  a  recent  sabre-cut,  came  up.  "  You  must  move  to  the  rear, 
Colonel  Merivale ;  the  French  have  gained  the  heights !  Move 
round  by  the  causeway — bring  up  your  squadrons  as  quickly  as  you 
can,  and  support  the  infantry !" 

In  a  moment  we  were  in  our  saddles ;  but  scarcely  was  the  word 
to  fall  in  given,  when  a  loud  cheer  rent  the  very  air ;  the  musketry 
seemed  suddenly  to  cease,  and  the  dark  mass  which  continued  to 
struggle  up  the  heights  wavered,  broke,  and  turned. 

"  What  can  that  be  ?"  said  Merivale.     "  What  can  it  mean  ?" 

"  I  can  tell  you,  sir,"  said  I,  proudly,  while  I  felt  my  heart  as 
though  it  would  bound  from  my  bosom. 

"  And  what  is  it,  boy  ?    Speak !" 

"  There  it  goes  again !  That  was  an  Irish  shout !  The  88th  are 
at  them I" 

"By  Jove!  here  they  come!"  said  Hampden.  "God  help  the 
Frenchmen  now !" 

The  words  were  not  well  spoken,  when  the  red  coats  of  our  gallant 
fellows  were  seen  dashing  through  the  vineyard. 

"  The  steel,  boys — nothing  but  the  steel !"  shouted  a  loud  voice 
from  the  crag  above  our  heads. 

I  looked  up.     It  was  the  stern  Picton  himself  who  spoke. 

The  88th  now  led  the  pursuit,  and  sprang  from  rock  to  rock  in  all 
the  mad  impetuosity  of  battle;  and  like  some  mighty  billow  rolling 
before  the  gale,  the  French  went  down  the  heights. 

"  Gallant  88th !  Gloriously  done !"  cried  Picton,  as  he  waved  his 
hat. 

"  Aren't  we  Connaught  robbers,  now  ?"  shouted  a  rich  brogue,  as 
its  owner,  breathless  and  bleeding,  pressed  forward  in  the  charge. 

A  hearty  burst  of  laughter  mingled  with  the  din  of  the  battle. 

"  Now  for  it,  boys  !  Now  for  our  work  !"  said  old  Merivale,  draw- 
ing his  sabre  as  he  spoke.     "  Forward  !  and  charge !" 

We  waited  not  a  second  bidding,  but  bursting  from  our  conceal- 
ment, galloped  down  into  the  broken  column.     It  was  no  regular 


THE  BATTLE  OF  FUENTES  D'ONORO.  531 

charge,  but  an  indiscriminate  rush.  Scarcely  offering  resistance, 
the  enemy  fell  beneath  our  sabres,  or  the  still  more  deadly  bayonets 
of  the  infantry,  who  were  inextricably  mixed  up  in  the  conflict. 

The  chase  was  followed  up  for  above  half  a  mile,  when  we  fell 
back,  fortunately  in  good  time ;  for  the  French  had  opened  a  heavy 
fire  from  their  artillery,  and,  regardless"  of  their  own  retreating 
column,  poured  a  shower  of  grape  among  our  squadrons.  As  we 
retired,  the  struggling  files  of  the  Eangers  joined  us — their  faces  and 
accoutrements  blackened  and  begrimed  with  powder;  many  of  them, 
themselves  wounded,  had  captured  prisoners ;  and  one  huge  fellow 
of  the  grenadier  company  was  seen  driving  before  him  a  no  less 
powerful  Frenchman,  and  to  whom,  as  he  turned  from  time  to  time 
reluctantly,  and  scowled  upon  his  gaoler,  the  other  vociferated  some 
Irish  imprecation,  whose  harsh  intentions  were  made  most  palpably 
evident  by  a  flourish  of  a  drawn  bayonet. 

"  Who  is  he  V  said  Mike  ;  "  who  is  he,  ahagur?" 

"  Sorra  one  o'  me  knows,"  said  the  other  ;  "  but  it's  the  chap  that 
shot  Lieutenant  Mahony,  and  I  never  took  my  eye  off  him  after ; 
and  if  the  Lieutenant's  not  dead,  sure  it'll  be  a  satisfaction  to  him 
that  I  cotch  him." 

**■****••*■* 

The  lower  town  was  now  evacuated  by  the  French,  who  retired 
beyond  the  range  of  our  artillery  ;  the  upper  continued  in  the  occu- 
pation of  our  troops.  Worn  out  and  exhausted,  surrounded  by 
dead  and  dying,  both  parties  abandoned  the  contest — and  the  battle 
was  over. 

Both  sides  laid  claim  to  the  victory ;  the  French,  because,  having 
taken  the  village  of  P090  Velho,  they  had  pierced  the  British  line, 
and  compelled  them  to  fall  back  and  assume  a  new  position ;  the 
British,  because  the  attack  upon  Fuentes  d'Onoro  had  been  success- 
fully resisted,  and  the  blockade  of  Almeida — the  real  object  of  the 
battle — maintained.  The  loss  to  each  was  tremendous  :  fifteen  hun- 
dred men  and  officers,  of  whom  three  hundred  were  prisoners,  were 
lost  by  the  allies,  and  a  far  greater  number  fell  among  the  forces  of 
the  enemy. 

After  the  action,  a  brigade  of  the  light  division  released  the  troops 
in  the  village,  and  the  armies  bivouacked  once  more  in  sight  of  each 
other. 


532  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 

A  RENCONTRE. 

THE  day  after  the  battle,  as  I  awoke  from  a  sound  and  heavy 
slumber,  the  result  of  thirteen  hours  on  horseback,  the  first 
paragraph  of  a  general  order,  dated  Fuentes  d'Onoro,  arrested 
my  attention.  "  Lieutenant  O'Malley,  14th  Light  Dragoons,  to  serve 
as  extra  aide-de-camp  to  Major-General  Craufurd,  until  the  pleasure 
of  his  Eoyal  Highness  the  Prince  Eegent  is  known." 

A  staff  appointment  was  not  exactly  what  I  desired  at  the  mo- 
ment ;  but  I  knew  that  with  Craufurd,  my  duties  were  more  likely 
to  be  at  the  pickets  and  advanced  posts  of  the  army  than  in  the 
mere  details  of  note-writing  or  despatch-bearing ;  besides  that,  I  felt, 
whenever  anything  of  importance  was  to  be  done,  I  should  always 
obtain  his  permission  to  do  duty  "with  my  regiment. 

Taking  a  hurried  breakfast,  therefore,  I  mounted  my  horse,  and 
cantered  over  to  Villa  Formosa,  where  the  General's  quarters  were, 
to  return  thanks  for  my  promotion,  and  take  the  necessary  steps  for 
assuming  my  new  functions. 

Although  the  sun  had  risen  about  two  hours,  the  fatigue  of  the 
previous  day  had  impressed  itself  upon  all  around.  The  cavalry, 
men  and  horses,  were  still  stretched  upon  the  sward,  sunk  in  sleep ; 
the  videttes,  weary  and  tired,  seemed  anxiously  watching  for  the 
relief,  and  the  disordered  and  confused  appearance  of  everything 
bespoke  that  discipline  had  relaxed  its  stern  features,  in  compassion 
for  the  bold  exertions  of  the  preceding  day.  The  only  contrast  to 
this  general  air  of  exhaustion  and  weariness  on  every  side  was  a 
corps  of  sappers,  who  were  busily  employed  upon  the  high  grounds 
above  the  village.  Early  as  it  was,  they  seemed  to  have  been  at 
work  some  hours — at  least  so  their  labors  bespoke ;  for  already  a 
rampart  of  considerable  extent  had  been  thrown  up,  stockades  im- 
planted, and  a  breastwork  was  in  a  state  of  active  preparation.  The 
officer  of  the  party,  wrapped  up  in  a  loose  cloak,  and  mounted  upon 
a  sharp-looking  hackney,  rode  hither  and  thither,  as  the  occasion 
warranted,  and  seemed,  as  well  as  from  the  distance  I  could  guess, 
something  of  a  tartar.  At  least  I  could  not  help  remarking  how  at 
his  approach  the  several  inferior  officers  seemed  "suddenly  so  much 
more  on  the  alert,  and  the  men  worked  with  an  additional  vigor  and 
activity.  I  stopped  for  some  minutes  to  watch  him,  and  seeing  an 
engineer  captain  of  my  acquaintance  among  the  party,  couldn't  re- 
sist calling  out : 

"  I  say,  Hachard,  your  friend  on  the  chestnut  mare  must  have  had 
an  easier  day  yesterday  than  some  of  us,  or  I'll  be  hanged  if  he'd  be 


A  RENCONTRE.  533 

so  active  this  morning."  Hachard  hung  his  head  in  some  confu- 
sion, and  did  not  reply ;  and,  on  my  looking  round,  whom  should  I 
see  before  me  but  the  identical  individual  I  had  been  so  coolly  criti- 
cising, and  who,  to  my  utter  horror  and  dismay,  was  no  other  than 
Lord  Wellington  himself.  I  did  not  wait  for  a  second  peep.  Hel- 
ter-skelter, through  water,  thickets,  and  brambles,  away  I  went, 
clattering  down  the  causeway  like  a  madman.  If  a  French  squad- 
ron had  been  behind  me,  I  should  have  had  a  stouter  heart,  although 
I  did  not  fear  pursuit.  I  felt  his  eye  was  upon  me — his  sharp  and 
piercing  glance,  that  shot  like  an  arrow  into  me;  and  his  firm  look 
stared  at  me  in  every  object  around. 

Onward  I  pressed,  feeling  in  the  very  recklessness  of  my  course 
some  relief  to  my  sense  of  shame,  and  ardently  hoping  that  some 
accident— some  smashed  arm  or  broken  collar-bone — might  befall 
me,  and  rescue  me  from  any  notice  my  conduct  might  otherwise  call 
for.  I  never  drew  rein  till  I  reached  the  Villa  Formosa,  and  pulled 
up  short  at  a  small  cottage,  where  a  double  sentry  apprised  me  of 
the  General's  quarters.  As  I  came  up,  the  low  lattice  sprang  quickly 
open,  and  a  figure,  half  dressed  and  more  than  half  asleep,  protruded 
his  head. 

"Well,  what  has  happened?  Anything  wrong?"  said  he,  whom 
I  now  recognized  to  be  General  Craufurd. 

"No;  nothing  wrong, sir,"  stammered  I,  with  evident  confusion. 
"  I'm  merely  come  to  thank  you  for  your  kindness  in  my  behalf." 

"  You  seemed  in  a  devil  of  a  hurry  to  do  it,  if  I'm  to  judge  by  the 
pace  you  came  at.  Come  in  and  take  your  breakfast  with  us ;  I 
shall  be  dressed  presently,  and  you'll  meet  some  of  your  brother 
aides-de-camp." 

Having  given  my  horse  to  an  orderly,  I  walked  into  a  little  room, 
whose  humble  accommodations  and  unpretending  appearance 
seemed  in  perfect  keeping  with  the  simple  and  unostentatious  char- 
acter of  the  General.  The  preparations  for  a  good  and  substantial 
breakfast  were,  however,  before  me,  and  an  English  newspaper  of  a 
late  date  spread  its  most  ample  pages  to  welcome  me.  I  had  not 
been  long  absorbed  in  my  reading,  when  the  door  opened,  and  the 
General,  whose  toilet  was  not  yet  completed,  made  his  appearance. 

"  Egad,  O'Malley,  you  startled  me  this  morning.  I  thought  we 
were  in  for  it  again." 

I  took  this  as  the  most  seasonable  opportunity  to  recount  my  mis- 
hap of  the  morning,  and  accordingly,  without  more  ado,  detailed  the 
unlucky  meeting  with  the  Commander-in-Chief.  When  I  came  to 
the  end,  Craufurd  threw  himself  into  a  chair  and  laughed  till  the 
very  tears  coursed  down  his  bronzed  features. 

"  You  don't  say  so,  boy  ?    You  don't  really  tell  me  you  said  that? 


534  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

By  Jove !  I  would  rather  have  faced  a  whole  platoon  of  musketry 
than  have  stood  in  your  shoes!  You  did  not  wait  for  a  reply,  I 
think?" 

"  No,  faith,  sir,  that  I  did  not !" 

"  Do  you  suspect  he  knows  you?" 

"  I  trust  not,  sir ;  the  whole  thing  passed  so  rapidly." 

"  Well,  it's  most  unlucky  in  more  ways  than  one  I"  He  paused 
for  a  few  moments  as  he  said  this,  and  then  added,  "  Have  you  seen 
the  general  order?"  pushing  towards  me  a  written  paper  as  he 
spoke.     It  ran  thus  : 

"  G.  O.  Adjutant-General's  Office,  Villa  Formosa, 

"  May  6,  1811.      • 

"  Memorandum. — Commanding  officers  are  requested  to  send  in  to 
the  Military  Secretary,  as  soon  as  possible,  the  names  of  officers  they 
may  wish  to  have  promoted  in  succession  to  those  who  have  fallen 
in  action." 

"  Now,  look  at  this  list.     The  Hon.  Harvey  Howard,  Grenadier 

Guards,  to  be  First  Lieutenant,  vice .     No,  not  that.     Henry 

Beauchamp — George  Villiers.  Ay,  here  it  is  !  Captain  Lyttleton, 
14th  Light  Dragoons,  to  be  Major  in  the  3d  Dragoon  Guards,  vice 
Godwin,  killed  in  action ;  Lieutenant  O'Malley  to  be  Captain,  vice 
Lyttleton,  promoted.  You  see,  my  boy,  I  did  not  forget  you ;  you 
were  to  have  had  the  vacant  troop  in  your  own  regiment.  Now,  I 
almost  doubt  the  prudence  of  bringing  your  name  under  Lord  Wel- 
lington's notice.  He  may  have  recognized  you,  and  if  he  did  so, — 
why,  I  rather  think — that  is,  I  suspect — I  mean,  the  quieter  you 
keep  the  better." 

While  I  poured  forth  my  gratitude  as  warmly  as  I  was  able  for 
the  General's  great  kindness  to  me,  I  expressed  my  perfect  concur- 
rence in  his  views. 

"  Believe  me,  sir,"  said  I,  "  I  should  much  rather  wait  any  number 
of  years  for  my  promotion  than  incur  the  risk  of  a  reprimand ! — the 
more  so  as  it  is  not  the  first  time  I  have  blundered  with  his  lord- 
ship." I  here  narrated  my  former  meeting  with  Sir  Arthur,  at  which 
Craufurd's  mirth  again  burst  forth,  and  he  paced  the  room  holding 
his  sides  in  an  ecstasy  of  merriment. 

"  Come,  come,  lad,  we'll  hope  for  the  best ;  we'll  give  you  the 
chance  that  he  has  not  seen  your  face,  and  send  the  list  forward  as 
it  is.     But  here  come  our  fellows." 

As  he  spoke,  the  door  opened,  and  three  officers  of  his  staff 
entered,  to  whom,  being  severally  introduced,  we  chatted  away 
about  the  news  of  the  morning  until  breakfast. 

"  I've  frequently  heard  of  you  from  my  friend  Hammersley,"  said 


A  RENCONTRE.  535 

Captain  Fitzroy,  addressing  me ;  "  you  were  intimately  acquainted, 
I  believe  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes  !  Pray,  where  is  he  now  ?  We  have  not  met  for  a  long 
time." 

"  The  poor  fellow's  invalided ;  that  sabre-cut  upon  his  head  has 
turned  out  a  sad  affair,  and  he's  gone  back  to  England  on  a  sick 
leave.  Old  Dashwood  took  him  back  with  him  as  private  secretary, 
or  something  of  that  sort." 

"  Ah  !"  said  another ;  "  Dashwood  has  daughters,  hasn't  he?  No 
bad  notion  of  his,  for  Hammersley  will  be  a  baronet  some  of  these 
days,  with  a  rent-roll  of  eight  or  nine  thousand  per  annum." 

"  Sir  George  Dashwood,"  said  I,  "  has  but  one  daughter,  and  I 
am  quite  sure  that  in  his  kindness  to  Hammersley  no  intentions  of 
the  kind  you  mention  were  mixed  up." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,"  said  the  third,  a  pale,  sickly  youth,  with 
handsome  but  delicate  features.  "I  was  on  Dashwood's  staff  until 
a  few  weeks  ago,  and  certainly  I  thought  there  was  something 
going  on  between  Hammersley  and  Miss  Lucy,  who,  be  it  spoken, 
is  a  devilish  fine  girl,  though  rather  disposed  to  give  herself  airs." 

I  felt  my  cheek  and  my  temples  boiling  like  a  furnace ;  my  hand 
trembled  as  I  lifted  my  coffee  to  my  lips,  and  I  would  have  given 
my  expected  promotion  twice  over  to  have  had  any  reasonable 
ground  of  quarrel  with  the  speaker. 

"  Egad,  lads,"  said  Craufurd,  "  that's  the  very  best  thing  I  know 
about  a  command.  As  a  bishop  is  always  sure  to  portion  off  his 
daughters  with  deaneries  and  rectories,  so  your  knowing  old  general 
always  marries  his  among  his  staff." 

This  sally  was  met  with  the  ready  laughter  of  the  subordinates, 
in  which,  however  little  disposed,  I  was  obliged  to  join. 

"You  are  quite  right,  sir,"  rejoined  the  pale  youth;  "and  Sir 
George  has  no  fortune  to  give  his  daughter." 

"  How  came  it,  Horace,  that  you  got  off  safe  ?"  said  Fitzroy,  with 
a  certain  air  of  affected  seriousness  in  his  voice  and  manner ;  "I 
wonder  they  let  such  a  prize  escape  them." 

"  Well,  it  was  not  exactly  their  fault,  I  do  confess.  Old  Dash- 
wood did  the  civil  towards  me ;  and  la  betta  Lucie  herself  was  con- 
descending enough  to  be  less  cruel  than  to  the  rest  of  the  staff.  Her 
father  threw  us  a  good  deal  together ;  and  in  fact  I  believe — I  fear — 
that  is — that  I  didn't  behave  quite  well." 

"  You  may  rest  perfectly  assured  of  it,  sir,"  said  I ;  "  whatever 
your  previous  conduct  may  have  been,  you  have  completely  relieved 
your  mind  on  this  occasion,  and  behaved  most  shamefully !" 

Had  a  shell  fallen  in  the  midst  of  us,  the  faces  around  me  could 
not  have  been  more  horror-struck  than  when,  in  a  cool,  determined 


536  CHARLES  0' MALLET. 

tone,  I  spoke  those  few  words.  Fitzroy  pushed  his  chair  slightly 
back  from  the  table,  and  fixed  his  eyes  full  upon  me.  Craufurd 
grew  dark  purple  over  his  whole  face  and  forehead,  and  looked 
from  one  to  the  other  of  us,  without  speaking,  while  the  honorable 
Horace  Delawar,  the  individual  addressed,  never  changed  a  muscle 
of  his  wan  and  sickly  features,  but,  lifting  his  eyes  slowly  from  his 
muffin,  lisped  softly  out, 

"  You  think  so  ?     How  very  good  I" 

"  General  Craufurd,"  said  I,  the  moment  I  could  collect  myself 
sufficiently  to  speak,  "  I  am  deeply  grieved  that  I  should  so  far  have 
forgotten  myself  as  to  disturb  the  harmony  of  your  table  ;  but  when 
I  tell  you  that  Sir  George  Dashwood  is  one  of  my  warmest  friends 
on  earth ;  that  from  my  intimate  knowledge  of  him,  I  am  certain 
that  gentleman's  statements  are  either  the  mere  outpouring  of  folly, 
or  worse " 

"  By  Jove,  O'Malley,  you  have  a  very  singular  mode  of  explaining 
away  the  matter.  Delawar,  sit  down  again.  Gentlemen,  I  have 
only  one  word  to  say  about  this  transaction — I'll  have  no  squabbles 
or  broils  here  ;  from  this  room  to  the  guard-house  is  a  five  minutes' 
walk.  Promise  me,  upon  your  honors,  that  this  altercation  ends  here, 
or,  as  sure  as  my  name's  Craufurd,  you  shall  both  be  placed  under 
arrest,  and  the  man  who  refuses  to  obey  me  shall  be  sent  back  to 
England." 

Before  I  well  knew  in  what  way  to  proceed,  Mr.  Delawar  rose 
and  bowed  formally  to  the  General,  while  I  imitated  his  example. 
Silently  we  resumed  our  places,  and  after  a  pause  of  a  few  moments, 
the  current  of  conversation  was  renewed,  and  other  topics  discussed, 
but  with  such  evident  awkwardness  and  constraint,  that  all  parties 
felt  relieved  when  the  General  rose  from  the  table. 

"  I  say,  O'Malley,  have  you  forwarded  the  returns  to  the  Adju- 
tant-General's office  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  despatched  them  this  morning  before  leaving  my 
quarters." 

"  I  am  glad  of  it ;  the  irregularities  on  this  score  have  called  forth 
a  heavy  reprimand  at  head-quarters." 

I  was  also  glad  of  it,  and  it  chanced  that  by  mere  accident  I  re- 
membered to  charge  Mike  with  the  papers,  which,  had  they  not 
been  lying  unsealed  upon  the  table  before  me,  would  in  all  likeli- 
hood have  escaped  my  attention.  The  post  started  to  Lisbon  that 
same  morning,  to  take  advantage  of  which  I  had  sat  up  writing  for 
half  the  night.  Little  was  I  aware  at  the  moment  what  a  mass  of 
trouble  and  annoyance  was  in  store  for  me  from  the  circumstance. 


ALMEIDA.  537 


CHAPTER    XXVII, 


ALMEIDA. 


ON  the  morning  of  the  7th  we  perceived,  from  a  movement  in 
the  French  camp,  that  the  wounded  were  being  sent  to  the 
rear,  and  shortly  afterwards  the  main  body  of  the  army  com- 
menced its  retreat.  They  moved  with  slow  and,  as  it  were,  reluctant 
steps ;  and  Bessidres,  who  commanded  the  Imperial  Guard,  turned 
his  eyes  more  than  once  to  that  position  which  all  the  bravery  of  his 
troops  was  unavailing  to  capture.  Although  our  cavalry  lay  in 
force  to  the  front  of  our  line,  no  attempt  was  made  to  molest  the 
retreating  French  ;  and  Massena,  having  retired  beyond  the  Aguada, 
left  a  strong  force  to  watch  the  ford,  while  the  remainder  of  the 
army  fell  back  upon  Ciudad  Rodrigo. 

During  this  time  we  had  succeeded  in  fortifying  our  position  at 
Fuentes  d'Onoro  so  strongly  as  to  resist  any  new  attack,  and  Lord 
Wellington  now  turned  his  whole  attention  to  the  blockade  of 
Almeida,  which,  by  Massena's  retreat,  was  now  abandoned  to  its 
fate. 

On  the  morning  of  the  10th,  I  accompanied  General  Craufurd  in 
a  reconnaissance  of  the  fortress,  which,  from  the  intelligence  we  had 
lately  received,  could  not  much  longer  hold  out  against  our  block- 
ade. The  fire  from  the  enemy's  artillery  was,  however,  hotly  main- 
tained, and,  as  night  fell,  some  squadrons  of  the  14th,  who  were 
picketed  near,  were  unable  to  light  their  watch-fires,  being  within 
reach  of  their  shot.  As  the  darkness  increased,  so  did  the  can- 
nonade, and  the  bright  flashes  from  the  walls  and  the  deep  booming 
of  the  artillery  became  incessant. 

A  hundred  conjectures  were  afloat  to  account  for  the  circum- 
stance; some  asserting  that  what  we  heard  were  mere  signals  to 
Massena's  army;  and  others,  that  Brennier  was  destroying  and 
mutilating  the  fortress  before  he  evacuated  it  to  the  allies. 

It  was  a  little  past  midnight  when,  tired  from  the  fatigues  of  the 
day,  I  had  fallen  asleep  beneath  a  tree,  an  explosion,  louder  than 
any  which  preceded  it,  burst  suddenly  forth,  and,  as  I  awoke  and 
looked  about  me,  I  perceived  the  whole  heavens  illuminated  by  one 
bright  glare,  while  the  crashing  noise  of  falling  stones  and  crumb- 
ling masonry  told  me  that  a  mine  had  been  sprung.  The  moment 
after  all  was  calm,  and  still,  and  motionless ;  a  thick  black  smoke 
increasing  the  sombre  darkness  of  the  night,  shut  out  every  star 
from  view,  and  some  drops  of  heavy  rain  began  to  fall. 

The  silence,  ten  times  more  appalling  than  the  din  which  pre- 
ceded it,  weighed  heavily  upon  my  senses,  and  a  dread  of  some  un- 


538  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

known  danger  crept  over  me ;  the  exhaustion,  however,  was  greater 
than  my  fear,  and  again  I  sank  into  slumber. 

Scarcely  had  I  been  half  an  hour  asleep,  when  the  blast  of  a 
trumpet  again  awoke  me,  and  I  found,  amid  the  confusion  and  ex- 
citement about,  that  something  of  importance  had  occurred.  Ques- 
tions were  eagerly  asked  on  all  sides,  but  no  one  could  explain  what 
had  happened.  Towards  the  town  all  was  still  as  death,  but  a  drop« 
ping  irregular  fire  of  musketry  issued  from  the  valley  beside  the 
Aguada.  "What  can  this  mean?  what  can  it  be?"  we  asked  of 
each  other.  "A  sortie  from  the  garrison,"  said  one;  "A  night 
attack  by  Massena's  troops,"  cried  another ;  and,  while  thus  we  dis- 
puted and  argued,  a  horseman  was  heard  advancing  along  the  road 
at  the  top  of  his  speed. 

"  Where  are  the  cavalry  ?"  cried  a  voice  I  recognized  as  one  of 
my  brother  aides-de-camp.     "  Where  are  the  14th  ?" 

A  cheer  from  our  party  answered  this  question,  and  the  next 
moment,  breathless  and  agitated,  he  rode  in  amongst  us. 

"What  is  it?  are  we  attacked?" 

"  Would  to  heaven  that  were  all !  But  come  along,  lads,  follow 
me." 

"  What  can  it  be,  then?"  said  I  again,  while  my  anxiety  knew  no 
bounds. 

"  Brennier  has  escaped ;  burst  his  way  through  Pack's  division, 
and  has  already  reached  Valde  Mula." 

"  The  French  have  escaped !"  was  repeated  from  mouth  to  mouth  ; 
while,  pressing  spurs  to  our  horses,  we  broke  into  a  gallop,  and 
dashed  forward  in  the  direction  of  the  musketry.  We  soon  came 
up  with  the  36th  Infantry,  who  having  thrown  away  their  knap- 
sacks, were  rapidly  pressing  the  pursuit.  The  maledictions  which 
burst  from  every  side  proved  how  severely  the  misfortune  was  felt 
by  all,  while  the  eager  advance  of  the  men  bespoke  how  ardently 
they  longed  to  repair  the  mishap. 

Dark  as  was  the  night,  we  passed  them  in  a  gallop.  Suddenly 
the  officer  who  commanded  the  leading  squadron  called  out  to  halt. 

"  Take  care  there,  lads !"  cried  he ;  "  I  hear  the  infantry  before 
us ;  we  shall  be  down  upon  our  own  people." 

The  words  were  hardly  spoken,  when  a  bright  flash  blazed  out 
before  us,  and  a  smashing  volley  was  poured  into  the  squadron. 

"The  French!  the  French,  by  Jove!"  said  Hampden.  "For- 
ward, boys !  charge  them  !" 

Breaking  into  open  order,  to  avoid  our  wounded  comrades,  several 
of  whom  had  fallen  by  the  fire,  we  rode  down  amongst  them.  In 
a  moment  their  order  was  broken,  their  ranks  pierced,  and,  fresh 
squadrons  coming  up  at  the  instant,  they  were  sabred  to  a  man. 


A  NIGHT  ON  THE  AZA  VA.  539 

After  this  the  French  pursued  their  march  in  silence,  and,  even 
when  assembling  in  force  we  rode  down  upon  their  squares,  they 
never  halted  nor  fired  a  shot.  At  Barba  del  Puerco,  the  ground 
being  unfit  for  cavalry,  the  36th  took  our  place,  and  pressed  them 
hotly  home.  Several  of  the  French  were  killed,  and  above  threo 
hundred  made  prisoners,  but  our  fellows  following  up  the  pursuit 
too  rashly,  came  upon  an  advanced  body  of  Massena's  force,  drawn 
up  to  await  and  cover  Brennier's  retreat ;  the  result  was  the  loss  of 
above  thirty  men  in  killed  and  wounded. 

Thus  were  the  great  efforts  of  the  three  preceding  days  rendered 
fruitless  and  nugatory.  To  maintain  this  blockade,  Lord  Welling- 
b  ton,  with  an  inferior  force,  and  a  position  by  no  means  strong,  had 
ventured  to  give  the  enemy  battle ;  and  now,  by  the  unskilfulness 
of  some  and  the  negligence  of  others,  were  all  his  combinations 
thwarted,  and  the  French  General  enabled  to  march  his  force 
through  the  midst  of  the  blockading  columns  almost  unmolested 
and  uninjured. 

Lord  Wellington's  indignation  was  great,  as  well  it  might  be ;  the 
prize  for  which  he  had  contested  was  torn  from  his  grasp  at  the  very 
moment  he  had  won  it,  and  although  the  gallantry  of  the  troops 
in  pursuit  might,  under  other  circumstances,  have  called  forth 
eulogium,  his  only  observation  on  the  matter  was  a  half-sarcastic 
allusion  to  the  inconclusive  effects  of  undisciplined  bravery.  "  Not- 
withstanding," says  the  general  order  of  the  day,  "  what  has  been 
printed  in  gazettes  and  newspapers,  we  have  never  seen  small  bodies, 
unsupported,  successfully  opposed  to  large ;  nor  has  the  experience 
of  any  officer  realized  the  stories  which  all  have  read,  of  whole 
armies  being  driven  by  a  handful  of  light  infantry  and  dragoons." 


CHAPTEE    XXVIII. 


A  NIGHT  ON  THE  AZAVA. 


M 


"ASSENA  was  now  recalled,  and  Marmont  having  assumed 
the  command  of  the  French  army,  retired  towards  Sala- 
manca, while  our  troops  went  into  cantonments  upon  the 
Aguada.  A  period  of  inaction  succeeded  to  our  previous  life  of 
bustle  and  excitement,  and  the  whole  interest  of  the  campaign  was 
now  centred  in  Beresford's  army,  exposed  to  Soult  in  Estremadura. 
On  the  15th,  Lord  Wellington  set  out  for  that  province,  having 
already  directed  a  strong  force  to  march  upon  Badajos. 


540  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"Well,  O'Malley,"  said  Craufurd,  as  he  returned  from  bidding 
Lord  Wellington  good-bye,  "  your  business  is  all  right ;  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief has  signed  my  recommendation,  and  you  will  get 
your  troop." 

*  While  I  continued  to  express  my  grateful  acknowledgments  for 
his  kindness,  the  General,  apparently  inattentive  to  all  I  was  saying, 
paced  the  room  with  hurried  steps,  stopping  every  now  and  then  to 
glance  at  a  large  map  of  Spain  which  covered  one  wall  of  the  apart- 
ment, while  he  muttered  to  himself  some  broken  and  disjointed 
sentences. 

"  Eight  leagues — too  weak  in  cavalry — with  the  left  upon  Fuenta 
Grenaldo — a  strong  position.  O'Malley,  you'll  take  a  troop  of  dra- 
goons and  patrol  the  country  towards  Castro;  you'll  reconnoitre  the" 
position  the  sixth  corps  occupies,  but  avoid  any  collision  with  the 
enemy's  pickets,  keeping  the  Azava  between  you  and  them.  Take 
rations  for  three  days." 

"  When  shall  I  set  out,  sir?" 

"Now  !"  was  the  reply. 

Knowing  with  what  pleasure  the  hardy  veteran  recognized  any- 
thing like  alacrity  and  despatch,  I  resolved  to  gratify  him;  and, 
before  half  an  hour  had  elapsed,  was  ready  with  my  troop  to  receive 
his  final  orders. 

"  Well  done,  boy !"  said  he,  as  he  came  to  the  door  of  the  hut, 
"  you've  lost  no  time.  I  don't  believe  I  have  any  further  instruc- 
tions to  give  you ;  to  ascertain  as  far  as  possible  the  probable  move- 
ment of  the  enemy  is  my  object,  that's  all."  As  he  spoke  this,  he 
waved  his  hand,  and  wishing  me  "Good-bye,"  walked  leisurely 
back  into  the  house.  I  saw  that  his  mind  was  occupied  by  other 
thoughts;  and  although  I  desired  to  obtain  some  more  accurate 
information  for  my  guidance,  knowing  his  dislike  to  questions,  I 
merely  returned  his  salute,  and  set  forth  upon  my  journey. 

The  morning  was  beautiful ;  the  sun  had  risen  about  an  hour,  and 
the  earth,  refreshed  by  the  heavy  dew  of  the  night,  was  breathing 
forth  all  its  luxuriant  fragrance.  The  river,  which  flowed  beside  us, 
was  clear  as  crystal,  showing  beneath  its  eddying  current  the 
shining,  pebbly  bed,  while  upon  the  surface  the  water-lilies  floated 
or  sank,  as  the  motion  of  the  stream  inclined.  The  tall  cork-trees 
spread  their  shadows  about  us,  and  the  richly-plumed  birds  hopped 
from  branch  to  branch,  awaking  the  echoes  with  their  notes. 

It  is  but  seldom  that  the  heart  of  man  is  thoroughly  attuned  to 
the  circumstances  of  the  scenery  around  him.  How  often  do  we 
need  a  struggle  with  ourselves  to  enjoy  the  rich  and  beautiful  land- 
scape which  lies  smiling  in  its  freshness  before  us  !  How  frequently 
do  the  blue  sky  and  the  calm  air  look  down  upon  the  heart  dark- 


A  NIGHT  ON  THE  AZA  VA.  541 

ened  and  shadowed  with  affliction !  And  how  often  have  we  felt 
the  discrepancy  between  the  louring  look  of  winter  and  the  glad 
sunshine  of  our  hearts !  The  harmony  of  the  world  without  with 
our  thoughts  within  is  one  of  the  purest,  as  it  is  one  of  the  greatest, 
sources  of  happiness.  Our  hopes  and  our  ambitions  lose  their  selfish 
character  when  feeling  that  fortune  smiles  upon  us  from  all  around; 
and  the  flattery  which  speaks  to  our  hearts  from  the  bright  stars 
and  the  blue  sky,  the  peaked  mountain,  or  the  humble  flower, 
is  greater  in  its  mute  eloquence  than  all  the  tongue  of  man  can 
tell  us. 

This  feeling  did  I  experience  in  all  its  fulness,  as  I  ruminated 
upon  my  bettered  fortunes,  and  felt  within  myself  that  secret  instinct 
that  tells  of  happiness  to  come.  In  such  moods  of  mind  my  thoughts 
strayed  ever  homeward,  and  I  could  not  help  confessing  how  little 
were  my  successes  in  my  eyes,  did  I  not  hope  for  the  day  when  I 
should  pour  forth  my  tale  of  war  and  battle-fields  to  the  ears  of  those 
who  loved  me. 

I  resolved  to  write  home  at  once  to  my  uncle.  I  longed  to  tell 
him  each  incident  of  my  career,  and  my  heart  glowed  as  I  thought 
over  the  broken  and  disjointed  sentences  which  every  cottier  around 
would  whisper  of  my  fortunes,  far  prouder  as  they  would  be  in  the 
humble  deeds  of  one  they  knew,  than  in  the  proudest  triumphs  of 
a  nation's  glory. 

Indeed,  Mike  himself  gave  the  current  to  my  thoughts.  After 
riding  beside  me  some  time  in  silence,  he  remarked, 

"And  isn't  it  Father  Rush  will  be  proud  when  he  sees  your  honor's 
a  captain ;  to  think  of  the  little  boy  that  he  used  to  take  before  him 
on  the  ould  gray  mare  for  a  ride  down  the  avenue ;  to  think  of  him 
being  a  real  captain,  six  feet  two  without  his  boots,  and  galloping 
over  the  French  as  if  they  were  lurchers!  Peggy  Mahon,  that 
nursed  you,  will  be  the  proud  woman  the  day  she  hears  it ;  and 
there  won't  be  a  soldier  sober  in  his  quarters  that  night  in  Portumna 
barracks !  Ton  my  soul,  there's  not  a  thing  with  a  red  coat  on  it, 
if  it  was  even  a  scarecrow  to  frighten  the  birds  from  the  barley, 
that  won't  be  treated  with  respect  when  they  hear  of  the  news." 

The  country  through  which  we  travelled  was  marked  at  every  step 
by  the  traces  of  a  retreating  army;  the  fields  of  rich  corn  lay  flat- 
tened beneath  the  tramp  of  cavalry,  or  the  wheels  of  the  baggage- 
wagons  ;  the  roads,  cut  up  and  nearly  impassable,  were  studded  here 
and  there  with  marks  which  indicated  a  bivouac;  at  the  same  time, 
everything  around  bore  a  very  different  aspect  from  what  we  had 
observed  in  Portugal ;  there  the  vindictive  cruelty  of  the  French 
soldiery  had  been  seen  in  full  sway.  The  ruined  chateau,  the  burned 
villages,  the  desecrated  altars,  the  murdered  peasantry, — all  attested 


542  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

the  revengeful  spirit  of  a  beaten  and  baffled  enemy.  No  sooner, 
however,  had  they  crossed  the  frontiers,  than,  as  if  by  magic,  their 
character  became  totally  changed.  Discipline  and  obedience  suc- 
ceeded to  recklessness  and  pillage;  and,  instead  of  treating  the 
natives  with  inhumanity  and  cruelty,  in  all  their  intercourse  with 
the  Spaniards  the  French  behaved  with  moderation  and  even  kind- 
ness. Paying  for  everything,  obtaining  their  billets  peaceably  and 
quietly,  marching  with  order  and  regularity,  they  advanced  into  the 
heart  of  the  country,  showing,  by  the  most  irrefragable  proof,  the 
astonishing  evidences  of  a  discipline  which  by  a  word  could  convert 
the  lawless  irregularities  of  a  ruffian  soldiery  into  the  orderly  habits 
ana"  obedient  conduct  of  a  highly-organized  army. 

As  we  neared  the  Azava,  the  tracks  of  the  retiring  enemy  became 
gradually  less  perceptible,  and  the  country,  uninjured  by  the  march, 
extended  for  miles  around  us  in  all  the  richness  and  abundance  of 
a  favored  climate.  The  tall  corn,  waving  its  yellow  gold,  reflected 
like  a  sea  the  clouds  that  moved  slowly  above  it.  The  wild  gentian 
and  the  laurel  grew  thickly  around,  and  the  cattle  stood  basking  in 
the  clear  streams,  while  some  listless  peasant  lounged  upon  the  bank 
beside  them.  Strange  as  all  these  evidences  of  peace  and  tranquillity 
were,  so  near  to  the  devastating  track  of  a  mighty  army,  yet  I  have 
more  than  once  witnessed  the  fact,  and  remarked  how  but  a  short 
distance  from  the  line  of  our  hurried  march,  the  country  lay  un- 
touched and  uninjured ;  and  though  the  clank  of  arms  and  the  dull 
roll  of  the  artillery  may  have  struck  upon  the  ear  of  the  far-off 
dweller  in  his  native  valley,  he  listened  as  he  would  have  done  to 
the  passing  thunder  as  it  crashed  above  him;  and  when  the  bright 
sky  and  pure  air  succeeded  to  the  louring  atmosphere  and  darkening 
storm,  he  looked  forth  upon  his  smiling  fields  and  happy  home, 
while  he  muttered  to  his  heart  a  prayer  of  thanksgiving  that  the 
scourge  was  passed. 

We  bivouacked  upon  the  bank  of  the  river— a  truly  Salvator  Eosa 
scene ;  the  rocks,  towering  high  above  us,  were  fissured  by  the  chan- 
nel of  many  a  trickling  stream,  seeking,  in  its  zigzag  current,  the 
bright  river  below.  The  dark  pine-tree  and  the  oak  mingled  their 
foliage  with  the  graceful  cedar,  which  spread  its  fan-like  branches 
about  us.  Through  the  thick  shade  some  occasional  glimpses  of  a 
starry  sky  could  yet  be  seen,  and  a  faint  yellow  streak  upon  the  silent 
river  told  that  the  queen  of  night  was  there. 

When  I  had  eaten  my  frugal  supper,  I  wandered  forth  alone  upon 
the  bank  of  the  stream,  now  standing  to  watch  its  bold  sweeps  as  it 
traversed  the  lonely  valley  before  me,  now  turning  to  catch  a  pass- 
ing glance  at  our  red  watch-fires,  and  the  hardy  features  which  sat 
around.    The  hoarse  and  careless  laugh,  the  deep-toned  voice  of 


A  NIGHT  ON  THE  AZA  VA.  543 

some  old  campaigner  holding  forth  his  tale  of  flood  and  field,  were 
the  only  sounds  I  heard ;  and  gradually  I  strolled  beyond  the  reach 
of  even  these.  The  path  beside  the  river,  which  seemed  scarped 
from  the  rock,  was  barely  sufficient  for  the  passage  of  one  man,  a 
rude  balustrade  of  wood  being  the  only  defence  against  the  preci- 
pice, which,  from  a  height  of  full  thirty  feet,  looked  down  'upon  the 
stream.  Here  and  there  some  broad  gleam  of  moonlight  would  fall 
upon  the  opposite  bank,  which,  unlike  the  one  I  occupied,  stretched 
out  into  rich  meadow  and  pasturage,  broken  by  occasional  clumps 
of  ilex  and  beech.  River  scenery  has  been  ever  a  passion  with  me. 
I  can  glory  in  the  bold  and  broken  outline  of  a  mighty  mountain ; 
I  can  gaze  with  delighted  eyes  upon  the  boundless  sea,  and  know 
not  whether  to  like  it  more  in  all  the  mighty  outpouring  of  its 
wrath,  when  the  white  waves  lift  their  heads  to  heaven,  and  break 
themselves  in  foam  upon  the  rocky  beach,  or  in  the  calm  beauty  of 
its  broad  and  mirrored  surface,  in  which  the  bright  world  of  sun 
and  sky  are  seen  full  many  a  fathom  deep.  But  far  before  these,  I 
love  the  happy  and  tranquil  beauty  of  some  bright  river,  tracing  its 
winding  current  through  valley  and  through  plain,  now  spreading 
into  some  calm  and  waveless  lake,  now  narrowing  to  an  eddying 
stream,  with  mossy  rocks  and  waving  trees  darkening  over  it. 
There's  not  a  hut,  however  lowly,  where  the  net  of  the  fisherman  is 
stretched  upon  the  sward,  around  whose  hearth  I  do  not  picture 
before  me  the  faces  of  happy  toil  and  humble  contentment,  while 
from  the  ruined  tower  upon  the  crag,  methinks  I  hear  the  ancient 
sounds  of  wassail  and  of  welcome ;  and  though  the  keep  be  fissured 
and  the  curtain  fallen,  and  though  for  banner  there  "  waves  some 
tall  wall-flower,"  I  can  people  its  crumbling  walls  with  images  of 
the  past;  and  the  merry  laugh  of  the  warder  and  the  clanking  tread 
of  the  mailed  warrior  are  as  palpably  before  me  as  the  tangled 
lichen  that  now  trails  from  its  battlements. 

As  I  wandered  on,  I  reached  the  little  rustic  stair  which  led  down- 
ward from  the  path  to  the  river  side ;  and,  on  examining  further, 
perceived  that  in  this  place  the  stream  was  fordable ;  a  huge  flat 
rock,  filling  up  a  great  part  of  the  river's  bed,  occupied  the  middle, 
on  either  side  of  which  the  current  ran  with  increased  force. 

Bent  upon  exploring,  I  descended  the  cliff,  and  was  preparing  to 
cross,  when  my  attention  was  attracted  by  the  twinkle  of  a  fire  at 
some  distance  from  me,  on  the  opposite  side ;  the  flame  rose  and 
fell  in  fitful  flashes,  as  though  some  hand  were  ministering  to  it  at 
the  moment.  As  it  was  impossible,  from  the  silence  on  every  side, 
that  it  could  proceed  from  a  bivouac  of  the  enemy,  I  resolved  on 
approaching  it  and  examining  it  for  myself.  I  knew  that  the  shep- 
herds in  remote  districts  were  accustomed  thus  to  pass  the  summer 


544  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

nights,  with  no  other  covering  save  the  blue  vault  above  them.  It 
was  not  impossible,  too,  that  it  might  prove  a  Guerilla  party,  who 
frequently,  in  small  numbers,  hang  upon  the  rear  of  a  retreating 
army.  Thus  conjecturing,  I  crossed  the  stream,  and  quickening  my 
pace,  walked  forward  in  the  direction  of  the  blaze.  For  a  moment  a 
projecting  rock  obstructed  my  progress  ;  while  I  was  devising  some 
means  of  proceeding  farther,  the  sound  of  voices  near  me  arrested 
my  attention.  I  listened,  and  what  was  my  astonishment  to  hear 
that  they  spoke  in  French.  I  now  crept  cautiously  to  the  verge  of 
the  rock  and  looked  over  ;  the  moon  was  streaming  in  its  full  bril- 
liancy upon  a  little  shelving  strand  beside  the  stream,  and  here  I 
now  beheld  the  figure  of  a  French  officer.  He  was  habited  in  the 
undress  uniform  of  a  chasseur  a  cheval,  but  wore  no  arms  ;  indeed, 
his  occupation  at  the  moment  was  anything  but  a  warlike  one,  he 
being  leisurely  employed  in  collecting  some  flasks  of  champagne 
which  apparently  had  been  left  to  cool  within  the  stream. 

"  Eh  bien,Alphonse,"  said  a  voice  in  the  direction  of  the  fire,  "what 
are  you  delaying  for  ?" 

"  I'm  coming,  I'm  coming,"  said  the  other  ;  "  but, par  Dieu  !  I  can 
only  find  five  of  our  bottles;  one  seems  to  have  been  carried  away 
by  the  stream." 

"  No  matter,"  replied  the  other,  "  we  are  but  three  of  us,  and  one 
is,  or  should  be,  on  the  sick  list." 

The  only  answer  to  this  was  the  muttered  chorus  of  a  French 
drinking-song,  interrupted  at  intervals  by  an  imprecation  upon  the 
missing  flask.  It  chanced  at  this  moment  that  a  slight  clinking 
noise  attracted  me,  and  on  looking  down  I  perceived  at  the  foot  of 
the  rock  the  prize  he  sought  for.  It  had  been,  as  he  conceived, 
carried  away  by  an  eddy  of  the  stream,  and  was  borne,  as  a  true 
prisoner  of  war,  within  my  grasp.  I  avow  that  from  this  moment 
my  interest  in  the  scene  became  considerably  heightened }  such  a 
waif  as  a  bottle  of  champagne  was  not  to  be  despised  in  circum- 
stances like  mine,  and  I  watched  with  anxious  eyes  every  gesture 
of  the  impatient  Frenchman,  and  alternately  vibrated  between  hope 
and  fear,  as  he  neared  or  receded  from  the  missing  flask. 

"Let  it  go  to  the  devil,"  shouted  his  companion  once  more. 
"  Jacques  has  lost  all  patience  with  you." 

"  Be  it  so,  then,"  said  the  other  as  he  prepared  to  take  up  his  bur- 
den. At  this  instant  I  made  a  slight  effort  to  change  my  position,  so 
as  to  obtain  a  view  of  the  rest  of  the  party.  The  branch  by  which  I 
supported  myself,  however,  gave  way  beneath  my  grasp  with  a  loud 
crash.  I  lost  my  footing,  and  slipping  downward  from  the  rock, 
came  plump  into  the  stream  below.  The  noise,  the  splash,  and, 
more  than  all,  the  sudden  appearance  of  a  man  beside  him,  astounded 


A  NIGHT  ON  THE  AZAVA.  545 

the  Frenchman,  who  almost  let  fall  his  pannier,  and  thus  we  stood 
confronting  each  other  for  at  least  a  couple  of  minutes  in  silence. 
A  hearty  burst  of  laughter  from  both  parties  terminated  this  awk- 
ward moment,  while  the  Frenchman,  with  the  readiness  of  his 
country,  was  the  first  to  open  the  negotiation. 

"  8acr6  Dieu  I"  said  he,  "  what  can  you  be  doing  here  ?  You're 
English,  without  doubt." 

"  Even  so,"  said  I ;  "  but  that  is  the  very  question  I  was  about 
to  ask  you  ;  what  are  you  doing  here  ?" 

"  Eh  Men"  replied  the  other,  gayly  ;  "  you  shall  be  answered  in  all 
frankness.  Our  captain  was  wounded  in  the  action  of  the  8th,  and 
we  heard  had  been  carried  up  the  country  by  some  peasants.  As 
the  army  fell  back,  we  obtained  permission  to  go  in  search  of  him. 
For  two  days  all  was  fruitless  ;  the  peasantry  fled  at  our  approach  ; 
and  although  we  captured  some  of  our  stolen  property — among 
other  things,  the  contents  of  this  basket — yet  we  never  came  upon 
the  track  of  our  comrade  till  this  evening.  A  good-hearted  shep- 
herd had  taken  him  to  his  hut,  and  treated  him  with  every  kind- 
ness, but  no  sooner  did  he  hear  the  gallop  of  our  horses  and  the 
clank  of  our  equipments,  than,  fearing  himself  to  be  made  a  pris- 
oner, he  fled  up  the  mountains,  leaving  our  friend  behind  him: 
voild  notre  histoire.  Here  we  are,  three  in  all,  one  of  us  with  a  deep 
sabre-cut  in  his  shoulder.  If  you  are  the  stronger  party,  we  are,  I 
suppose,  your  prisoners  ;  if  not " 

What  was  to  have  followed,  I  know  not,  for  at  this  moment  his 
companion,  who  had  finally  lost  all  patience,  came  suddenly  to  the 
spot. 

"  A  prisoner,"  cried  he,  placing  a  heavy  hand  upon  my  shoulder, 
while  with  the  other  he  held  his  drawn  sword  pointed  towards  my 
breast. 

To  draw  a  pistol  from  my  bosom  was  the  work  of  a  second ;  and 
while  gently  turning  the  point  of  his  weapon  away,  I  coolly  said, — 

"  Not  so  fast,  my  friend, — not  so  fast !  The  game  is  in  my  hands, 
not  yours.  I  have  only  to  pull  this  trigger,  and  my  dragoons  are 
upon  you  ;  whatever  fate  befall  me,  yours  is  certain." 

A  half-scornful  laugh  betrayed  the  incredulity  of  him  I  addressed, 
while  the  other,  apparently  anxious  to  relieve  the  awkwardness  of 
the  moment,  suddenly  broke  in  with, — 

"  He  is  right,  Auguste,  and  you  are  wrong ;  we  are  in  his  power ; 
that  is,"  added  he,  smiling,  "  if  he  believes  there  is  any  triumph  in 
capturing  such  pauvres  diables  as  ourselves." 

The  features  of  him  he  addressed  suddenly  lost  their  scornful  ex- 
pression, and  sheathing  his  sword  with  an  air  of  almost  melo- 
dramatic solemnity,  he  gravely  pulled  up  his  moustaches,  and  after 
35 


54(5  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

a  pause  of  a  few  seconds,  solemnly  ejaculated  a  malediction  upon  his 
fortune. 

"  C'est  toujours  ainsi"  said  he,  with  a  bitterness  that  only  a  French- 
man can  convey  when  cursing  his  destiny.  "  Soyez  bon  enfant,  and 
see  what  will  come  of  it.  Only  be  good-natured,  only  be  kind,  and 
if  you  haven't  bad  luck  at  the  end  of  it,  it's  only  because  fortune 
has  a  heavier  stroke  in  reserve  for  you  hereafter." 

I  could  not  help  smiling  at  the  Frenchman's  philosophy,  which, 
assuming  as  a  good  augury,  he  gayly  said,  "  So,  then,  you'll  not 
make  us  prisoners.     Isn't  it  so  ?" 

"  Prisoners,"  said  the  other,  "  nothing  of  the  kind.  Come  and  sup 
with  us ;  I'll  venture  to  say  our  larder  is  as  well  stocked  as  your 
own ;  in  any  case  an  omelette,  a  cold  chicken,  and  a  glass  of  cham- 
pagne, are  not  bad  things  in  our  circumstances." 

I  could  not  help  laughing  outright  at  the  strangeness  of  the  pro- 
posal. "  I  fear  I  must  decline,"  said  I ;  "  you  seem  to  forget  that  I 
am  placed  here  to  watch,  not  to  join  you." 

"  A  la  bonne  heure"  cried  the  younger  of  the  two ;  "  do  both. 
Come  along;  soyez  bon  camarade;  you  are  always  near  your  own 
people ;  so  don't  refuse  us." 

In  proportion  as  I  declined,  they  both  became  more  pressing  in 
their  entreaties,  and  at  last  I  began  to  dread  lest  my  refusal  might 
seem  to  proceed  from  some  fear  as  to  the  good  faith  of  the  invita- 
tion, and  I  never  felt  so  awkwardly  placed  as  when  one  plumply 
pressed  me  by  saying, 

"  Mais  pourquoi  pas,  mon  cherf 

I  stammered  out  something  about  duty  and  discipline,  when  they 
both  interrupted  me  by  a  long  burst  of  laughter. 

"  Come,  come !"  said  they ;  "  in  an  hour— in  half  an  hour,  if  you 
will— you  shall  be  back  with  your  own  people.  We've  had  plenty 
of  fighting  latterly,  and  we  are  likely  to  have  enough  in  future  ;  we 
know  something  of  each  other  by  this  time  in  the  field ;  let  us  see 
how  we  get  on  in  the  bivouac !" 

Resolving  not  to  be  outdone  in  generosity,  I  replied  at  once, 
"  Here  goes,  then  !" 

Five  minutes  afterwards,  I  found  myself  seated  at  their  bivouac 
fire.  The  captain,  who  was  the  oldest  of  the  party,  was  a  fine  soldier- 
like fellow  of  some  forty  years  old.  He  had  served  in  the  Imperial 
Guard,  through  all  the  campaigns  of  Italy  and  Austria,  and  abounded 
in  anecdotes  of  the  French  army.  From  him  I  learned  many  of 
those  characteristic  traits  which  so  eminently  distinguish  the  im- 
perial troops,  and  saw  how  completely  their  bravest  and  boldest 
feats  of  arms  depended  upon  the  personal  valor  of  him  who  led 
them  on.     From  the  daring  enterprise  of  Napoleon  at  Lodi  to  the 


A  NIGHT  ON  THE  AZA  VA.  547 

conduct  of  the  lowest  corporal  in  the  grande  armte,  the  picture  pre- 
sents nothing  but  a  series  of  the  most  brilliant  chivalrous  feats ; 
while  at  the  same  time,  the  war-like  character  of  the  nation  is 
displayed  by  that  instinctive  appreciation  of  courage  and  daring 
which  teaches  them  to  follow  their  officers  to  the  very  cannon's 
mouth. 

" It  was  at  Elchingen,"  said  the  captain,  "you  should  have  seen 
them,.  The  regiment  in  which  I  was  a  lieutenant  was  ordered  to 
form  close  column,  and  charge  through  a  narrow  ravine  to  carry  a 
brigade  of  guns,  which,  by  a  flanking  fire,  were  devastating  our 
troops.  Before  we  could  reach  the  causeway,  we  were  obliged  to 
pass  an  open  plain,  in  which  the  ground  dipped  for  about  a  hundred 
yards ;  the  column  moved  on,  and,  though  it  descended  one  hill, 
not  a  man  ever  mounted  the  opposite  one.  A  very  avalanche  of 
balls  swept  the  entire  valley ;  and  yet,  amid  the  thunder  and  the 
smoke,  the  red  glare  of  the  artillery,  and  the  carnage  around  them, 
our  grenadiers  marched  firmly  up.  At  last,  Marshal  Ney  sent  an 
aide-de-camp  with  orders  to  the  troops  to  lie  flat  down,  and  in  this 
position  the  artillery  played  over  us  for  about  half  an  hour.  The 
Austrians  gradually  slackened,  and  finally  discontinued  their  fire ; 
this  was  the  moment  to  resume  the  attack.  I  crept  cautiously  to 
my  knees,  and  looked  about.  One  word  brought  my  men  around 
me ;  but  I  found  to  my  horror  that  of  a  battalion  who  came  into 
action  fourteen  hundred  strong,  not  five  hundred  remained,  and 
that  I  myself,  a  mere  lieutenant,  was  now  the  senior  officer  of  the 
regiment.  Our  gallant  colonel  lay  dead  beside  my  feet.  At  this 
instant  a  thought  struck  me.  I  remembered  a  habit  he  possessed, 
in  moments  of  difficulty  and  danger,  of  placing  in  his  shako  a  small 
red  plume  which  he  commonly  carried  in  his  belt.  I  searched  for 
it,  and  found  it.  As  I  held  it  aloft,  a  maddening  cheer  burst  around 
me,  while  from  out  the  line  each  officer  sprang  madly  forward,  and 
rushed  to  the  head  of  the  column.  It  was  no  longer  a  march.  With 
a  loud  cry  of  vengeance,  the  mass  rushed  forward,  the  men  trying 
to  outstrip  their  officers,  and  come  first  in  contact  with  the  foe.  Like 
tigers  on  the  spring,  they  fell  upon  the  enemy,  who,  crushed,  over- 
whelmed, and  massacred,  lay  in  slaughtered  heaps  around  the 
cannon.  The  cavalry  of  the  Guard  came  thundering  on  behind  us, 
a  whole  division  followed,  and  three  thousand  five  hundred  pri- 
soners and  fourteen  pieces  of  artillery  were  captured. 

"  I  sat  upon  the  carriage  of  a  gun,  my  face  begrimed  with  powder, 
and  my  uniform  blackened  and  blood-stained.  The  whole  thing  ap* 
peared  like  some  shocking  dream.  I  felt  a  hand  upon  my  shoulder, 
while  a  rough  voice  called  in  my  ear,  'Capitaine  du  soixante-nexwihue, 
tu  es  monfitreP 


548  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"It  was  Ney  who  spoke.  This/'  added  the  brave  captain,  his 
eyes  filling  with  tears  as  he  said  the  words,— "this  is  the  sabre  he 
gave  me." 

I  know  not  why  I  have  narrated  this  anecdote ;  it  has  little  in 
itself,  but,  somehow,  to  me  it  brings  back  in  all  its  fulness  the  recol- 
lection of  that  night. 

There  was  something  so  strongly  characteristic  of  the  Old  Napo- 
leonist  in  the  tone  of  the  narrative  that  I  listened  throughout- with 
breathless  attention.  I  began  to  feel,  too,  for  the  first  time,  what  a 
powerful  arm  in  war  the  Emperor  had  created  by  fostering  the 
spirit  of  individual  enterprise.  The  field  thus  opened  to  fame  and 
distinction  left  no  bounds  to  the  ambition  of  any.  The  humble  con- 
script, as  he  tore  himself  from  the  embraces  of  his  mother,  wiped 
his  tearful  eyes  to  see  before  him  in  the  distance  the  button  of  a 
marshal.  The  bold  soldier  who.  stormed  a  battery,  felt  his  heart 
beat  more  proudly  and  more  securely  beneath  the  cordon  of  the 
Legion  than  behind  a  cuirass  of  steel,  and  to  a  people  in  whom  the 
sense  of  duty  alone  would  seem  cold,  barren,  and  inglorious,  he  had 
substituted  a  highly-wrought  chivalrous  enthusiasm,  and,  by  the 
prestige  of  his  own  name,  the  proud  memory  of  his  battles,  and  the 
glory  of  those  mighty  tournaments  at  which  all  Europe  were  the 
spectators,  he  had  converted  a  nation  into  an  army. 

By  a  silent  and  instinctive  compact  we  appeared  to  avoid  those 
topics  of  the  campaign  in  which  the  honor  of  our  respective  arms 
was  interested ;  and  once  when,  by  mere  accident,  the  youngest  of 
the  party  adverted  to  Fuentes  d'Onoro,  the  old  captain  adroitly 
turned  the  current  of  the  conversation  by  saying,  "  Come,  Alphonse, 
let's  have  a  song." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  other,  "Le  Pas  de  Charge." 

"  No,  no,"  said  the  Captain ;  "  if  I  am  to  have  a  choice,  let  it  be 
that  little  Breton  song  you  gave  us  on  the  Danube." 

"  So  be  it,  then,"  said  Alphonse.     "  Here  goes !" 

I  have  endeavored  to  convey,  by  a  translation,  the  words  he  sang; 
but  I  feel  conscious  how  totally  their  feeling  and  simplicity  are  lost 
when  deprived  of  their  own  patois,  and  the  wild  but  touching  melody 
that  accompanied  them. 

"THE  BRETON  HOME." 

.  "When  the  battle  is  oe'r  and  the  sounds  of  fight 

Have  closed  with  the  closing  day, 
How  happy,  around  the  watch-fire's  light, 

To  chat  the  long  hours  away ; 
To  chat  the  long  hours  away,  my  boy, 

And  talk  of  the  days  to  come, 
Or  a  better  still,  and  a  purer  joy, 

To  think  of  our  far-off  home. 


A  NIGHT  ON  THE  AZA  VA.  549 

"How  many  a  cheek  will  then  grow  pale, 

That  never  felt  a  tear ! 
And  many  a  stalwart  heart  will  quail, 

That  never  quailed  in  fear ! 
And  the  breast  that,  like  some  mighty  rock, 

Amid  the  foaming  sea, 
Bore  high  against  the  battle's  shock, 

Now  heaves  like  infancy. 

"And  those  who  knew  each  other  not 

Tbcir  hands  together  steal, 
Each  thinks  of  some  long  hallowed  spot, 

And  all  like  brothers  feel : 
Such  holy  thoughts  to  all  are  given ; 

The  lowliest  has  his  part ; 
The  love  of  home,  like  love  of  Heaven, 

Is  woven  in  our  heart." 

There  was  a  pause  as  he  concluded  ;  each  sunk  in  his  own  reflect 
tions.  How  long  we  should  have  thus  remained,  I  know  not ;  but 
we  were  speedily  aroused  from  our  reveries  by  the  tramp  of  horses 
near  us.  We  listened,  -and  could  plainly  detect  in  their  rude  voices 
and  coarse  laughter  the  approach  of  a  body  of  Guerillas.  We  looked 
from  one  to  the  other  in  silence  and  fear.  Nothing  could  be  more 
unfortunate  should  we  be  discovered.  Upon  this  point  we  were  left 
little  time  to  deliberate ;  for,  with  a  loud  cheer,  four  Spanish  horse- 
men galloped  up  to  the  spot,  their  carbines  in  the  rest.  The  French- 
men sprang  to  their  feet,  and  seized  their  sabres,  bent  upon  making 
a  resolute  resistance.  As  for  me,  my  determination  was  at  once 
taken.  Remaining  quietly  seated  upon  the  grass,  I  stirred  not  for 
a  moment,  but  addressing  him  who  appeared  to  be  the  chief  of  the 
Guerillas,  said,  in  Spanish, 

"  These  are  my  prisoners ;  I  am  a  British  officer  of  dragoons,  and 
my  party  is  yonder." 

This  evidently  unexpected  declaration  seemed  to  surprise  them, 
and  they  conferred  for  a  few  moments  together.  Meanwhile,  they 
were  joined  by  two  others,  in  one  of  whom  we  could  recognize',  by 
his  costume,  the  real  leader  of  the  party. 

"  I  am  captain  in  the  light  dragoons,"  said  I,  repeating  my  decla- 
ration. 

"Morte  de  Dios!"  replied  he ;  "  it  is  false ;  you  are  a  spy  !" 

The  word  was  repeated  from  lip  to  lip  by  his  party,  and  I  saw,  in 
their  louring  looks  and  darkening  features,  that  the  moment  was  a 
critical  one  for  me. 

"  Down  with  your  arms !"  cried  he,  turning  to  the  Frenchmen. 
"  Surrender  yourselves  our  prisoners  ;  I'll  not  bid  you  twice  !" 

The  Frenchmen  turned  upon  me  an  inquiring  look,  as  though  to 
say  that  upon  me  now  their  hopes  entirely  reposed. 


550  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Do  as  he  bids  you,"  said  I ;  while  at  the  same  moment  I  sprang 
to  my  legs,  and  gave  a  loud,  shrill  whistle,  the  last  echo  of  which 
had  not  died  away  in  the  distance  ere  it  was  replied  to. 

"Make  no  resistance  now,"  said  I  to  the  Frenchmen;  "our  safety 
depends  on  this." 

While  this  was  passing,  two  of  the  Spaniards  had  dismounted, 
and,  detaching  a  coil  of  rope  which  hung  from  their  saddle-peak, 
were  proceeding  to  tie  the  prisoners  wrist  to  wrist ;  the  others,  with 
their  carbines  to  the  shoulder,  covered  us  man  by  man,  the  chief  of 
the  party  having  singled  out  me  as  his  peculiar  prey. 

"  The  fate  of  Mascarenhas  might  have  taught  you  better,"  said  he, 
"than  to  play  this  game."  And  then  added,  with  a  grim  smile, 
"  But  we'll  see  if  an  Englishman  will  not  make  as  good  a  carbonado 
as  a  Portuguese !" 

This  cruel  speech  made  my  blood  run  cold,  for  I  knew  well  to 
what  he  alluded.  I  was  at  Lisbon  at  the  time  it  happened,  but  the 
melancholy  fate  of  Julian  Mascarenhas,  the  Portuguese  spy,  had 
reached  me  there.     He  was  burned  to  death  "at  Torres  Vedras ! 

The  Spaniard's  triumph  over  my  terror  was  short-lived,  indeed, 
for  scarcely  had  the  words  fallen  from  his  lips,  when  a  party  of  the 
14th,  dashing  through  the  river  at  a  gallop,  came  riding  up.  The 
attitude  of  the  Guerillas,  as  they  sat  with  presented  arms,  was 
sufficient  for  my  fellows,  who  needed  not  the  exhortation  of  him 
who  rode  foremost  of  the  party. 

"Ride  them  down,  boys!  Tumble  them  over!  Flatten  their 
broad  beavers,  the  infernal  thieves !" 

"  Whoop !"  shouted  Mike,  as  he  rode  at  the  chief,  with  the  force 
of  a  catapult.  Down  went  the  Spaniard,  horse  and  all ;  and  before 
he  could  disentangle  himself,  Mike  was  upon  him,  his  knee  pressed 
upon  his  neck. 

At  Isn't  it  enough  for  ye  to  pillage  the  whole  country,  without 
robbing  the  king's  throops?"  cried  he,  as  he  held  him  fast  to  the 
earth  with  one  hand,  while  he  presented  a  loaded  pistol  to  his  face. 

By  this  time  the  scene  around  me  was  sufficiently  ludicrous. 
Such  of  the  Guerillas  as  had  not  been  thrown  by  force  from  their 
saddles,  had  slid  peaceably  down,  and  depositing  their  arms  upon 
the  ground,  dropped  upon  their  knees  in  a  semicircle  around  us, 
and,  amid  the  hoarse  laughter  of  the  troopers  and  the  irrepressible 
merriment  of  the  Frenchmen,  rose  up  the  muttered  prayers  of  the 
miserable  Spaniards,  who  believed  that  now  their  last  hour  was 
come. 

" Madre  de  Bios,  indeed!"  cried  Mike,  imitating  the  tone  of  a 
repentant  old  sinner,  in  a  patched  mantle ;  "  it's  much  the  blessed 
Virgin  thinks  of  the  like  o'  ye,  thieves  and  rogues  as  ye  are ;  it 


MIKE'S  MISTAKE.  551 

a'most  puts  me  beyond  my  senses  to  see  ye  there  crossing  yourselves 
like  rale  Christians." 

If  I  could  not  help  indulging  myself  in  this  retributive  cruelty 
towards  the  chief,  and  leaving  him  to  the  tender  mercies  of  Mike, 
I  ordered  the  others  to  rise  and  form  in  line  before  me.  Affecting 
to  occupy  myself  entirely  with  them,  I  withdrew  the  attention  of 
all  from  the  French  officers,  who  remained  quiet  spectators  of  the 
scene  around  them.  j 

"  Point  defagons,  gentlemen,"  said  I,  in  a  whisper.  "  Get  to  your 
horses  and  away !     Now's  your  time.     Good-bye  !" 

A  warm  grasp  of  the  hand  from  each  was  the  only  reply,  and  I 
turned  once  more  to  my  discomfited  friends,  the  Guerillas. 

"There,  Mike,  let  the  poor  devil  rise.  I  confess  appearances 
were  strong  against  me  just  now." 

"  Well,  Captain,  are  you  convinced  by  this  time  that  I  was  not 
deceiving  you  ?" 

The  Guerilla  muttered  some  words  of  apology  between  his  teeth, 
and,  while  he  shook  the  dust  from  his  cloak,  and  arranged  the  broken 
feather  of  his  hat,  cast  a  look  of  scowling  and  indignant  meaning 
upon  Mike,  whose  rough  treatment  he  had  evidently  not  forgiven. 

"  Don't  be  looking  at  me  that  way,  you  black  thief!  or  I'll " 

" Hold  there !"  said  I ;  "no  more  of  this.  Come,  gentlemen,  we 
must  be  friends.  If  I  mistake  not,  we've  got  something  like  refresh- 
ment at  our  bivouac.  In  any  case  you'll  partake  of  our  watch-fire 
till  morning." 

They  gladly  accepted  our  invitation,  and  ere  half  an  hour  had 
elapsed,  Mike's  performance  in  the  part  of  host  had  completely 
erased  every  unpleasant  impression  his  first  appearance  gave  rise 
to ;  and  as  for  myself,  when  I  did  sleep  at  last,  the  contused  mixture 
of  Spanish  and  Irish  airs  which  issued  from  the  thicket  beside  me, 
proved  that  a  most  intimate  alliance  had  grown  up  between  the 
parties. 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

mike's  mistake. 

BEFORE  daybreak  the  Guerillas  were  in  motion.  Having 
taken  a  most  ceremonious  leave  of  us,  they  mounted  their 
horses  and  set  out  upon  their  journey.  I  saw  their  gaunt 
figures  wind  down  the  valley,  and  watched  them  till  they  disappeared 
in  the  distance.     "Yes,  brigands  though  they  be,"   thought  I, 


552  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  there  is  something  fine,  something  heroic,  in  the  spirit  of  their 
unrelenting  vengeance."  The  sleuth-hound  never  sought  the  lair 
of  his  victim  with  a  more  ravening  appetite  for  blood  than  they 
track  the  retreating  columns  of  the  enemy.  Hovering  around  the 
line  of  march,  they  sometimes  swoop  down  in  masses,  and  carry  off 
part  of  the  baggage,  or  the  wounded.  The  wearied  soldier,  over- 
come by  heat  and  exhaustion,  who  drops  behind  his  ranks,  is  their 
certain  victim ;  the  sentry  on  an  advanced  post  is  scarcely  less  so. 
Whole  pickets  are  sometimes  attacked  and  carried  off  to  a  man ; 
and  when  traversing  the  lonely  passes  of  some  mountain  gorge,  or 
defiling  through  the  dense  shadows  of  a  wooded  glen,  the  stoutest 
heart  has  felt  a  fear,  lest  from  behind  the  rock  that  frowned  above 
him,  or  from  the  leafy  thicket  whose  branches  stirred  without  a  breeze, 
the  sharp  ring  of  a  Guerilla  carbine  might  sound  his  death  knell. 

It  was  thus  in  the  retreat  upon  Corunna  fell  Colonel  Lefebvre. 
Ever  foremost  in  the  attack  upon  our  rearguard,  this  gallant  youth 
(he  was  scarce  six-and-twenty),  a  colonel  of  his  regiment,  and  de- 
corated with  the  Legion  of  Honor,  led  on  every  charge  of  his  bold 
"  sabreurs"  riding  up  to  the  very  bayonets  of  our  squares,  waving 
his  hat  above  his  head,  and  seeming  actually  to  court  his  death- 
wound  ;  but  so  struck  were  our  brave  fellows  with  his  gallant  bear- 
ing, that  they  cheered  him  as  he  came  on. 

It  was  in  one  of  these  moments  as,  rising  high  in  his  stirrups,  he 
bore  down  upon  the  unflinching  ranks  of  the  British  infantry,  the 
shrill  whistle  of  a  ball  strewed  the  leaves  upon  the  roadside,  the 
exulting  shout  of  a  Guerilla  followed  it,  and  the  same  instant 
Lefebvre  fell  forward  upon  his  horse's  mane,  a  deluge  of  blood 
bursting  from  his  bosom.  A  broken  cry  escaped  his  lips — a  last 
effort  to  cheer  on  his  men;  his  noble  charger  galloped  forward 
between  our  squares,  bearing  to  us  as  our  prisoner  the  corpse  of  his 
rider. 

"  Captain  O'Malley,"  said  a  mounted  dragoon  to  the  advanced 
sentry  at  the  bottom  of  the  little  hill  upon  which  I  was  standing. 
"  Despatches  from  head-quarters,  sir,"  delivering  into  my  hands  a 
large  sealed  packet  from  the  Adjutant-General's  office.  While  he 
proceeded  to  search  for  another  letter  of  which  he  was  the  bearer, 
I  broke  the  seal  and  read  as  follows : 

"  Adjutant-General's  Office,  May  15. 
"Sir, — On  the  receipt  of  this  order  you  are  directed,  having  pre- 
viously resigned  your  command  to  the  officer  next  in  seniority,  to 
repair  to  head-quarters  at  Fuentes  d'Onoro,  there  to  report  yourself 
under  arrest. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  obedient  servant, 

"  George  HorETON,  Military  Secretary." 


MIKE 'S  MIST  A  KE.  553 

"  What  the  devil  can  this  mean  ?"  said  I  to  myself,  as  I  read  the 
lines  over  again  and  again.  "  What  have  I  done  lately,  or  what 
have  I  left  undone,  to  involve  me  in  this  scrape?  Ah!"  thought 
I,  "  to  be  sure,  it  can  be  nothing  else.  Lord  Wellington  did  recog- 
nize me  that  unlucky  morning,  and  has  determined  not  to  let  me 
pass  unpunished.  How  unfortunate.  Scarcely  twenty-four  hours 
have  elapsed  since  fortune  seemed  to  smile  upon  me  from  every 
side,  and  now  the  very  destiny  I  most  dreaded  stares  me  fully  in  the 
face."  A  reprimand,  or  the  sentence  of  a  court-martial,  I  shrank 
from  with  a  coward's  fear.  It  mattered  comparatively  little  from 
what  source  arising,  the  injury  to  my  pride  as  a  man  and  my  spirit 
as  a  soldier  would  be  almost  the  same. 

"  This  is  the  letter,  sir,"  said  the  orderly,  presenting  me  with  a 
packet,  the  address  of  which  was  in  Power's  handwriting.  Eagerly 
tearing  it  open,  I  sought  for  something  which  might  explain  my 
unhappy  position.  It  bore  the  same  date  as  the  official  letter,  and 
ran  thus : 

"  My  Dear  Charley  : — I  joined  yesterday,  just  in  time  to  enjoy 
the  heartiest  laugh  I  have  had  since  our  meeting.  If  notoriety  can 
gratify  you,  by  Jove  you  have  it ;  for  Charles  O'Malley  and  his  man 
Mickey  Free  are  by-words  in  every  mess  from  Villa  Formosa  to  the 
rear-guard.  As  it's  only  fair  you  should  participate  a  little  in  the 
fun  you've  originated,  let  me  explain  the  cause.  Your  inimitable 
man  Mike,  to  whom  it  appears  you  entrusted  the  report  of  killed 
and  wounded  for  the  Adjutant-General,  having  just  at  that  moment 
accomplished  a  letter  to  his  friends  at  home,  substituted  his  corres- 
pondence for  your  returns,  and,  doubtless,  sent  the  list  of  the  casual- 
ties as  very  interesting  information  to  his  sweetheart  in  Ireland-  If 
such  be  the  case,  I  hope  and  trust  she  has  taken  the  blunder  in 
better  part  than  old  Colbourn,  who  swears  he'll  bring  you  to  a  court- 
martial,  under  Heaven  knows  what  charges.  In  fact,  his  passion 
has  known  no  bounds  since  the  event ;  and  a  fit  of  jaundice  has 
given  his  face  a  kind  of  neutral  tint  between  green  and  yellow,  like 
nothing,  I  know  of,  except  the  facings  of  the  \  dirty  Half-hundred.'* 

"  As  Mr.  Free's  letter  may  be  as  great  a  curiosity  to  you  as  it  has 
been  to  us,  I  enclose  you  a  copy  of  it,  which  Hopeton  obtained  for 
me.  It  certainly  places  the  estimable  Mike  in  a  strong  light  as  a 
despatch-writer.  The  occasional  interruption  to  the  current  of  the 
letter,  you  will  perceive,  arises  from  Mike  having  used  the  pen  of 
a  comrade,  writing  being  doubtless  an  accomplishment  forgotten  in 
the  haste  of  preparing  Mr.  Free  for  the  world  ;  and  the  amanuensis 

*  For  the  information  of  my  unmilitary  readers,  I  may  remark  that  this  sobriquet 
was  applied  to  the  50th  Regiment. 


554  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

has,  in  more  than  one  instance,  committed  to  paper  more  than  was 
meant  by  the  author : 

Mrs.  M'Gra  :— Tear  an  ages,  sure  I  need  not  be  treating  her 
that  way.  Now,  just  say  Mrs.  Mary— ay,  that'll  do— Mrs.  Mary,  it's 
maybe  surprised  you'll  be  to  be  reading  a  letter  from  your  humble 
servant,  sitting  on  the  top  of  the  Alps.— Arrah,  maybe  it's  not  the 
Alps  ;  but  sure  she'll  never  know— foment  the  whole  French  army, 
with  Bony  himself  and  all  his  jinnerals— God  be  between  us  and 
harm— ready  to  murther  every  mother's  son  of  us,  av  they  was  able, 
Molly  darlin' ;  but,  with  the  blessing  of  Providence,  and  Lord  Wel- 
lington, and  Mister  Charles,  we'll  bate  them  yet,  as  we  bate  them 
afore. 

" '  My  lips  is  wathering  at  the  thought  o'  the  plunder.  I  often 
think  of  Tim  Eiley  that  was  hanged  for  sheep-stealing ;  he'd  be 
worth  his  weight  in  gold  here. 

Mr.  Charles  is  now  a  captain — devil  a  less— and  myself  might 
be  somethin'  that  same,  but  ye  see  I  was  always  of  a  bashful  nature, 
and  recommended  the  master  in  my  place.  "He's  mighty  young, 
Mister  Charles  is,"  says  my  Lord  Wellington  to  me,—"  he's  mighty 
young,  Mr.  Free."  "  He  is,  my  lord,"  says  I ;  "  he's  young,  as  you 
obsarve,  bu^he's  as  much  devilment  in  him  as  many  that  might  be 
his  father."  "  That's  somethin',  Mr.  Free,"  says  my  lord  ;  "  ye  say 
he  comes  from  a  good  stock  ?"  "  The  rale  sort,  my  lord,"  says  I ; 
"  an  ould,  ancient  family,  that's  spent  every  sixpence  they  had  in 
treating  their  neighbors.  My  father  lived  near  him  for  years," — you 
see,  Molly,  I  said  that  to  season  the  discoorse.  "  We'll  make  him  a 
captain,"  says  my  lord ;  "  but,  Mr.  Free,  could  we  do  nothing  for 
you?"  "Nothing  at  present,  my  lord.  When  my  friends  come 
into  power,"  says  I,  "  they'll  think  of  me.  There's  many  a  little 
thing  to  give  away  in  Ireland,  and  they  often  find  it  mighty  hard 
to  find  a  man  for  lord-lieutenant ;  and  if  that  same,  or  a  tide-waiter's 

place,  was  vacant "     "Just  tell  me,"  says  my  Lord.     "It's  what 

I'll  do,"  says  I.  "  And  now,  wishing  you  happy  dreams,  I'll  take 
my  lave."  Just  so,  Molly,  it's  hand  and  glove  we  are.  A  pleasant 
face,  agreeable  manners,  seasoned  with  natural  modesty,  and  a  good 
pair  of  legs, — them's  the  gifts  to  push  a  man's  way  in  the  world. 
And  even  with  the  ladies — but  sure  I  am  forgetting,  my  master  was 
proposed  for,  and  your  humble  servant  too,  by  two  illigant  creatures 
in  Lisbon ;  but  it  wouldn't  do,  Molly, — it's  higher  nor  that  we'll  be 
looking — rale  princesses,  the  devil  a  less.  Tell  Kitty  Hannigan  I 
hope  she's  well:  she  was  a  desarving  young  woman  in  her  situation 
in  life.  Shusey  Dogherty,  at  the  cross-roads — if  I  don't  forget  the 
name — was  a  good-looking  slip  too ;  give  her  my  affectionate  saluta- 


MIKE'S  MISTAKE.  555 

tions,  as  we  say  in  the  Portuguese.  I  hope  I'll  be  able  to  bear  the 
inclementuous  nature  of  your  climate  when  I  go  back ;  but  I  can't 
expect  to  stay  long — for  Lord  Wellington  can't  do  without  me.  We 
play  duets  on  the  guitar  together  every  evening.  The  master  is 
shouting  for  a  blanket,  so  no  more  at  present  from 

" '  Your  very  affectionate  friend, 

" '  Mickey  Free. 

" *  P.S. — I  don't  write  this  myself,  for  the  Spanish  tongue  puts  me 
out  o'  the  habit  of  English.  Tell  Father  Rush,  if  he'd  study  the 
Portuguese,  I'd  use  my  interest  for  him  with  the  Bishop  of  Toledo. 
It's  a  country  he'd  like— no  regular  stations,  but  promiscuous  eating 
and  drinking,  and  as  pretty  girls  as  ever  confessed  their  sins.' 

"  My  poor  Charley,  I  think  I  am  looking  at  you.  I  think  I  can  see 
the  struggle  between  indignation  and  laughter,  which  every  line  of 
this  letter  inflicts  upon  you.  Get  back  as  quickly  as  you  can,  and 
we'll  try  if  Craufurd  won't  pull  you  through  the  business.  In  any 
case,  expect  no  sympathy  ;  and  if  you  feel  disposed  to  be  angry  with 
all  who  laugh  at  you,  you  had  better  publish  a  challenge  in  the  next 
general  order.  George  Scott,  of  the  Grays,  bids  me  say  that  if  you're 
hard  up  for  cash,  he'll  give  you  a  couple  of  hundred  for  Mickey 
Free.  I  told  him  I  thought  you'd  accept  it,  as  your  uncle  has  the 
breed  of  those  fellows  upon  his  estate,  and  might  have  no  objection 
to  weed  his  stud.  Hammersley's  gone  back  with  the  Dashwoods, 
but  I  don't  think  you  need  fear  anything  in  that  quarter.  At  the 
same  time,  if  you  wish  for  success,  make  a  bold  push  for  the  peerage 
and  half  a  dozen  decorations,  for  Miss  Lucy  is  most  decidedly  gone 
wild  about  military  distinction.  As  for  me,  my  affairs  go  on  well ; 
I've  had  half  a  dozen  quarrels  with  Inez,  but  we  parted  good  friends, 
and  my  bad  Portuguese  has  got  me  out  of  all  difficulties  with  papa, 
who  pressed  me  tolerably  close  as  to  fortune.  I  shall  want  your 
assistance  in  this  matter  yet.  If  parchments  will  satisfy  him,  I  think 
I  could  get  up  a  qualification ;  but,  somehow,  the  matter  must  be 
done,  for  I'm  resolved  to  have  his  daughter. 

"  The  orderly  is  starting,  so  no  more  till  we  meet. 

"  Yours  ever, 

"Fred  Power." 

"  Godwin,"  said  I,  as  I  closed  the  letter,  "  I  find  myself  in  a  scrape 
at  head-quarters ;  you  are  to  take  the  command  of  the  detachment, 
for  I  must  set  out  at  once." 

"  Nothing  serious,  I  hope,  O'Malley  ?" 

"  Oh,  no !  nothing  of  consequence.  A  most  absurd  blunder  of  my 
rascally  servant." 


556  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  The  Irish  fellow  yonder?" 

"  The  same." 

"  He  seems  to  take  it  easily,  however." 

"  Oh,  confound  him !  he  does  not  know  what  trouble  he  has  in- 
volved me  in ;  not  that  he'll  care  much  when  he  does." 

"  Why,  he  does  not  seem  to  be  of  a  very  desponding  temperament. 
Listen  to  the  fellow  !     I'll  be  hanged  if  he's  not  singing !" 

"  I'm  devilishly  disposed  to  spoil  his  mirth.  They  tell  me,  how- 
ever, he  always  keeps  the  troop  in  good  humor;  and  see,  the  fellows 
are  actually  cleaning  his  horses  for  him,  while  he  is  sitting  on  the 
bank !" 

"  Faith,  O'Malley,  that  fellow  knows  the  world.     Just  hear  him." 

Mr.  Free  was,  as  described,  most  leisurely  reposing  on  a  bank,  a 
mug  of  something  drinkable  beside  him,  and  a  pipe  of  that  curtailed 
proportion  which  an  Irishman  loves  held  daintily  between  his  fin- 
gers. He  appeared  to  be  giving  his  directions  to  some  soldiers  of 
the  troop,  who  were  busily  cleaning  his  horses  and  accoutrements 
for  him. 

"  That's  it,  Jim  !  Rub  'em  down  along  the  hocks ;  he  won't  kick; 
it's  only  play.  Scrub  away,  honey ;  that's  the  devil's  own  carbine  to 
get  clean." 

"  Well,  I  say,  Mr.  Free,  are  you  going  to  give  us  that  ere  song  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  I'll  be  hanged  if  I  burnish  your  sabre  if  you  don't  sing." 

"  Tear  an'  ages  !  ain't  I  composin'  it  ?  Av  I  was  Tommy  Moore 
I  couldn't  be  quicker." 

"  Well,  come  along,  my  hearty ;  let's  hear  it." 

"  Oh,  murther,"  said  Mike,  draining  the  pot  to  its  last  few  drops, 
which  he  poured  pathetically  upon  the  grass  before  him,  and  then 
having  emptied  the  ashes  from  his  pipe,  he  heaved  a  deep  sigh,  as 
though  to  say,  life  had  no  pleasures  in  store  for  him.  A  brief  pause 
followed,  after  which,  to  the  evident  delight  of  his  expectant  audi- 
ence, he  began  the  following  song,  to  the  popular  air  of  "  Paddy 
O'Carroll:" 

"  BAD  LUCK  TO  THIS  MARCHING." 

"  Bad  luck  to  this  marching, 

Pipeclaying  and  starching, 
How  neat  one  must  be  to  be  killed  by  the  French ! 

I'm  sick  of  parading, 

Th  rough  wet  and  cowld  wading, 
Or  standing  all  night  to  be  shot  in  a  trench. 

To  the  tune  of  a  fife 

They  dispose  of  your  life, 
You  surrender  your  soul  to  some  illigant  lilt ; 

Now,  I  like  Garryowen, 

When  I  hear  it  at  home, 
But  it's  not  half  so  sweet  when  you're  going  to  be  kilt. 


MIKE'S  MISTAKE.  557 

"  Then  though  up  late  and  early, 

Our  pay  comes  so  rarely 
The  devil  a  farthing  we've  ever  to  spare ; 

They  say  some  disaster 

Befell  the  paymaster ; 
On  my  conscience  I  think  that  the  money's  not  there ! 

And,  just  think,  what  a  blunder, 

They  won't  let  us  plunder, 
While  the  convents  invite  us  to  rob  them,  'tis  clear. 

Though  there  isn't  a  village 

But  cries,  '  Come  and  pillage,' 
Yet  we  leave  all  the  mutton  behind  for  Mounseer. 

"  Like  a  sailor  that's  nigh  land, 

I  long  for  that  island 
Where  even  the  kisses  we  steal  if  we  please ; 

Where  it  is  no  disgrace 

If  you  don't  wash  your  face, 
And  you've  nothing  to  do  but  to  stand  at  your  ease. 

With  no  sergeant  t'  abuse  us, 

We  fight  to  amuse  us, 
Sure  it's  better  bate  Christians  than  kick  a  baboon. 

How  I'd  dance  like  a  fairy, 

To  see  ould  Dunleary, 
And  think  twice  ere  I'd  leave  it  to  be  a  dragoon  !" 

"  There's  a  sweet  little  bit  for  you,"  said  Mike,  as  he  concluded, 
"thrown  off  as  aisy  as  a  game  at  football." 

"  I  say,  Mr.  Free,  the  Captain's  looking  for  you ;  he's  just  re- 
ceived despatches  from  the  camp,  and  wants  his  horses." 

"  In  that  case,  gentlemen,  I  must  take  my  leave  of  you,  with  the 
more  regret,  too,  that  I  was  thinking  of  treating  you  to  a  supper 
this  evening.  You  needn't  be  laughing — it's  in  earnest  I  am. 
Coming,  sir — coming !"  shouted  he,  in  a  louder  tone,  answering 
some  imaginary  call,  as  an  excuse  for  his  exit. 

When  he  appeared  before  me,  an  air  of  most  business-like  alacrity 
had  succeeded  to  his  late  appearance,  and  having  taken  my  orders 
to  get  the  horses  in  readiness,  he  left  me  at  once,  and  in  less  than 
half  an  hour  we  were  upon  the  road. 


558  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 


CHAPTER    XXX. 


MAJOR   MONSOON  IN  TROUBLE. 


RIDING  along  towards  Fuentes  d'Onoro,  I  could  not  help 
feeling  provoked  at  the  absurd  circumstances  in  which  I  was 
involved.  To  be  made  the  subject  of  laughter  for  a  whole 
army  was  by  no  means  a  pleasant  consideration ;  but  what  I  felt  far 
worse  was,  the  possibility  that  the  mention  of  my  name  in  connec- 
tion with  a  reprimand  might  reach  the  ears  of  those  who  knew 
nothing  of  the  cause. 

Mr.  Free  himself  seemed  little  under  the  influence  of  similar  feel- 
ings, for  when,  after  two  hours'  silence,  I  turned  suddenly  towards 
him  with  a  half-angry  look,  and  remarked,  "  You  see,  sir,  what  your 
confounded  blundering  has  done,"  his  cool  reply  was, — 

"  Ah !  then,  won't  Mrs.  M'Gra  be  frightened  out  of  her  life  when 
she  reads  all  about  the  killed  and  wounded  in  your  honor's  report  ? 
I  wonder  if  they  ever  had  the  manners  to  send  my  own  letter  after- 
wards, when  they  found  out  their  mistake  !" 

"  Their  mistake,  do  you  say  ? — rather  yours!  You  appear  to  have 
a  happy  knack  of  shifting  blame  from  your  own  shoulders.  Do  you 
fancy  that  they've  nothing  else  to  do  than  to  trouble  their  heads 
about  your  absurd  letters  ?" 

"  Faith,  it's  easily  seen  you  never  saw  my  letter,  or  you  wouldn't 
be  saying  that ;  and  sure  it's  not  much  trouble  it  would  give  Colonel 
Fitzroy,  or  any  o'  the  staff  that  write  a  good  hand,  just  to  put  in  a 
line  to  Mrs.  M'Gra,  to  prevent  her  feeling  alarmed  about  that  mur- 
thering  paper.  Well,  well,  it's  God's  blessing !  I  don't  think 
there's  anybody  of  the  name  of  Mickey  Free  high  up  in  the  army 
but  myself,  so  that  the  family  won't  be  going  into  mourning  for  me 
on  a  false  alarm." 

I  had  not  patience  to  participate  in  this  view  of  the  case,  so  that 
I  continued  my  journey  without  speaking.  We  had  jogged  along 
for  some  time  after  dark,  when  the  distant  twinkle  of  the  watch- 
fires  announced  our  approach  to  the  camp.  A  detachment  of  the 
14th  formed  the  advanced  post,  and  from  the  officer  in  command  I 
learned  that  Power  was  quartered  at  a  small  mill  about  half  a  mile 
distant.  Thither  I  accordingly  turned  my  steps,  but  finding  that 
the  path  which  led  abruptly  down  to  it  was  broken  and  cut  up  in 
many  places,  I  sent  Mike  back  with  the  horses,  and  continued  my 
way  alone  on  foot. 

The  night  was  deliciously  calm,  and  as  I  approached  the  little 
rustic  mill,  I  could  not  help  feeling  struck  with  Power's  taste  in  a 
billet. 


MA  JOE  MONSOON  IN  TROUBLE.  559 

A  little  vine-clad  cottage,  built  close  against  a  rock,  nearly  con- 
cealed by  the  dense  foliage  around  it,  stood  beside  a  clear  rivulet 
whose  eddying  current  supplied  water  to  the  mill,  and  rose  in  a 
dew-like  spray,  which  sparkled  like  gems  in  the  pale  moonlight. 
All  was  still  within,  but  as  I  came  nearer,  I  thought  I  could  detect 
the  chords  of  a  guitar.  "Can  it  be,"  thought  I,  "that  Master  Fred 
has  given  himself  up  to  minstrelsy !  or  is  it  some  little  dress  re- 
hearsal for  a  serenade  ?  But  no,"  thought  I,  "  that  certainly  is  not 
Power's  voice."  I  crept  stealthily  down  the  little  path,  and  ap- 
proached the  window;  the  lattice  lay  open,  and,  as  the  curtain 
waved  to  and  fro  with  the  night  air,  I  could  see  plainly  all  who 
were  in  the  room. 

Close  beside  the  window  sat  a  large,  dark-featured  Spaniard,  his 
hands  crossed  upon  his  bosom,  and  his  head  inclined  heavily  for- 
ward, the  attitude  perfectly  denoting  deep  sleep,  even  had  not  his 
cigar,  which  remained  passively  between  his  lips,  ceased  to  give 
forth  its  blue  smoke-wreath.  At  a  little  distance  from  him  sat  a 
young  girl,  who,  by  the  uncertain  light,  I  could  perceive  was  pos- 
sessed of  all  that  delicacy  of  form  and  gracefulness  of  carriage  which 
characterize  her  nation. 

Her  pale  features — paler  still  from  the  contrast  with  her  jet-black 
hair  and  dark  costume — were  lit  up  with  an  expression  of  animation 
and  enthusiasm,  as  her  fingers  swept  rapidly  and  boldly  across  the 
strings  of  a  guitar. 

"  And  you're  not  tired  of  it  yet  ?"  said  she,  bending  her  head 
downward  towards  one  whom  I  now  for  the  first  time  perceived. 

Eeclining  carelessly  at  her  feet,  his  arm  leaning  upon  her  chair, 
whilst  his  hand  occasionally  touched  her  taper  fingers,  lay  my  good 
friend,  Master  Fred  Power.  An  undress  jacket  thrown  loosely  open, 
and  a  black  neckcloth  negligently  knotted,  bespoke  the  easy  noncha- 
lance with  which  he  prosecuted  his  courtship. 

"  Do  sing  it  again  ?"  said  he,  pressing  her  fingers  to  his  lips. 

What  she  replied  I  could  not  catch  ;  but  Fred  resumed  :  "  No,  no, 
he  never  wakes  ;  the  infernal  clatter  of  that  mill  is  his  lullaby." 

"  But  your  friend  will  be  here  soon,"  said  she.     "  Is  it  not  so  ?" 

"  Oh,  poor  Charley !  I'd  almost  forgotten  him  ;  by  the  bye,  you 
musn't  fall  in  love  with  him,  There  now,  do  not  look  angry.  I 
only  meant  that,  as  I  knew  he'd  be  desperately  smitten,  you 
shouldn't  let  him  fancy  he  got  any  encouragement." 

"  What  would  you  have  me  do?"  said  she,  artlessly. 

"  I  have  been  thinking  over  that,  too.  In  the  first  place,  you'd 
better  never  let  him  hear  you  sing ;  scarcely  ever  smile  ;  and,  as  far 
as  possible,  keep  out  of  his  sight." 

"  One  would  think,  Senhor,  that  all  these  precautions  were  to  be 


560  CHARLES  OyM ALLEY. 

taken  more  on  my  account  than  his.  Is  he  so  very  dangerous, 
then  ?" 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it !  Good-looking  enough  he  is,  but — only  a  boy  ; 
at  the  same  time  a  devilish  bold  one  !  and  he'd  think  no  more  of 
springing  through  that  window,  and  throwing  his  arms  around  your 
neck,  the  very  first  moment  of  his  arrival,  than  I  should  of  whis- 
pering how  much  I  love  you." 

"  How  very  odd  he  must  be !     I'm  sure  I  should  like  him." 

"  Many  thanks  to  both  for  your  kind  hints  ;  and  now  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  them."  So  saying,  I  stepped  lightly  upon  the  window- 
sill,  cleared  the  miller  with  one  spring,  and  before  Power  could 
recover  his  legs,  or  Margeritta  her  astonishment,  I  clasped  her  in  my 
arms,  and  kissed  her  on  either  cheek, 

"  Charley !  Charley  !  that  won't  do!"  cried  Fred  ;  while  the  young 
lady,  evidently  more  amused  at  his  discomfiture  than  affronted  at 
the  liberty,  threw  herself  into  a  seat  and  laughed  immoderately. 

"Ha!  Hilloa  there!  What  is't?"  shouted  the  miller,  rousing 
himself  from  his  nap,  and  looking  eagerly  around.  "Are  they 
coming?     Are  the  French  coming?" 

A  hearty^  renewal  of  his  daughter's  laughter  was  the  only  reply, 
while  Power  relieved  his  anxiety  by  saying, — 

"  No,  no,  Pedrillo,  not  the  French  ;  a  mere  marauding  party — 
nothing  more.  I  say,  Charley,"  continued  he,  in  a  lower  tone, 
"  you  had  better  lose  no  time  in  reporting  yourself  at  head -quarters. 
We'll  walk  up  together.     Devilish  awkward  scrape  yours." 

"  Never  fear,  Fred ;  time  enough  for  all  that.  For  the  present, 
if  you  permit  me,  I'll  follow  up  my  acquaintance  with  our  fair 
friend  here." 

"  Gently,  gently !"  said  he,  with  a  look  of  most  imposing  serious- 
ness. "  Don't  mistake  her ;  she's  not  a  mere  country  girl :  you 
understand? — been  bred  in  a  convent  here— rather  superior  kind  of 
thing." 

"  Come,  come,  Fred,  I'm  not  the  man  to  interfere  with  you  for  a 
moment." 

"  Good  night,  Senhor,"  said  the  old  miller,  who  had  been  waiting 
patiently  all  this  time  to  pay  his  respects  before  going. 

"  Yes,  that's  it,"  said  Power,  eagerly.     "  Good-night,  Pedrillo." 

"Bvonos  noches"  lisped  out  Margeritta,  with  a  slight  curtsey. 

I  sprang  forward  to  acknowledge  her  salutation,  when  Power 
coolly  interposed  between  us,  and  closing  the  door  after  them, 
placed  his  back  against  it. 

"  Master  Charley,  I  must  read  you  a  lesson " 

"  You  inveterate  hypocrite,  don't  attempt  this  nonsense  with  me. 
But  come,  tell  me  how  long  you  have  been  here  ?" 


MAJOR  MONSOON  IN  TROUBLE.  561 

"  Just  twenty-four  of  the  shortest  hours  I  ever  passed  at  an  out- 
post. Bv.t  listen — do  you  know  that  voice  ?  Isn't  it  O'Shaugh- 
nessy  ?" 

"  To  be  sure  it  is.    Hear  the  fellow's  song  ?" 

"  My  father  cared  little  for  shot  or  shell, 

He  laughed  at  death  and  dangers ; 

And  he'd  storm  the  very  gates  of  hell 

With  a  company  of  the  '  Rangers.' 

So  sing  tow,  row,  row,  row,  row,"  &c. 

"Ah  then,  Mister  Power,  it's  twice  I'd  think  of  returning  your 
visit,  if  I  knew  the  state  of  your  avenue.  If  there's  a  grand  jury  in 
Spain,  they  might  give  you  a  presentment  for  this  bit  of  road.  My 
knees  are  as  bare  as  a  commissary's  conscience,  and  I've  knocked 
as  much  flesh  off  my  shin-bones  as  would  make  a  cornet  in  the  Hus- 
sars !" 

A  regular  roar  of  laughter  from  both  of  us  apprised  Dennis  of  our 
vicinity. 

"And  it's  laughing  ye  are?  Wouldn't  it  be  as  polite  just  to  hold 
a  candle  or  lantern  for  me  in  this  confounded  watercourse  ?" 

"  How  goes  it,  Major  V  cried  I,  extending  my  hand  to  him  through 
the  window. 

"  Charley — Charley  O'Malley,  my  son !  I'm  glad  to  see  you.  It's 
a  hearty  laugh  you  gave  us  this  morning.  My  friend  Mickey's  a 
pleasant  fellow  for  a  secretary-at-war.  But  it's  all  settled  now; 
Craufurd  arranged  it  for  you  this  afternoon." 

"  You  don't  say  so !     Pray  tell  me  all  about  it." 

"  That's  just  what  I  won't ;  for,  ye  see,  I  don't  know  it ;  but  I 
believe  old  Monsoon's  affair  has  put  everything  out  of  their  heads." 

"Monsoon's  affair!  what  is  that?    Out  with  it,  Dennis." 

"  Faith,  I'll  be  just  as  discreet  about  that  as  your  own  business. 
All  I  can  tell  you  is,  that  they  brought  him  up  to  head-quarters  this 
evening  with  a  sergeant's  guard,  and  they  say  he's  to  be  tried  by 
court-martial ;  and  Picton  is  in  a  blessed  humor  about  it." 

"What  could  it  possibly  have  been?  Some  plundering  affair, 
depend  on  it." 

"  Faith,  you  may  swear  it  wasn't  for  his  little  charities,  as  Dr. 
Pangloss  calls  them,  they've  pulled  him  up,"  cried  Power. 

"  Maurice  is  in  high  feather  about  it,"  said  Dennis.  "  There  are 
five  of  them  up  at  Fuentes,  making  a  list  of  the  charges  to  send  to 
Monsoon ;  for  Bob  Mahon,  it  seems,  heard  of  the  old  fellow's  doings 
up  the  mountains." 

"  What  glorious  fun !"  said  Power.  "  Let's  haste  and  join  them, 
boys." 

"Agreed,"  said  I.     "  Is  it  far  from  this  ?" 
36 


562  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"Another  stage.  When  we've  got  something  to  eat,"  said  the 
Major,  "  if  Power  has  any  intentions  that  way " 

"  Well,  I  really  did  begin  to  fear  Fred's  memory  was  lapsing ; 
but  somehow,  poor  fellow,  smiles  have  been  more  in  his  way  than 
sandwiches  lately." 

An  admonishing  look  from  Power  was  his  only  reply,  as  he  walked 
towards  the  door.     Bent  upon"  teasing  him,  however,  I  continued, 

"  My  only  fear  is,  he  may  do  something  silly." 

"  Who?     Monsoon,  is  it  ?" 

"  No,  no.     Not  Monsoon ;  another  friend  of  ours." 

"  Faith,  I  scarcely  thought  your  fears  of  old  Monsoon  were  called 
for.    He's  a  fox — the  devil  a  less." 

"  No,  no,  Dennis.  I  wasn't  thinking  of  him.  My  anxieties  were 
for  a  most  soft-hearted  young  gentleman — one  Fred  Power." 

"  Charley,  Charley !"  said  Fred,  from  the  door  where  he  had  been 
giving  directions  to  his  servant  about  supper.  "A  man  can  scarce 
do  a  more  silly  thing  than  marry  in  the  army  ;  all  the  disagreeables 
of  married  life,  with  none  of  its  better  features." 

"Marry  —  marry!"  shouted  O'Shaughnessy ;  "upon  my  con- 
science, it's  incomprehensible  to  me  how  a  man  can  be  guilty  of  it. 
To  be  sure,  I  don't  mean  to  say  that  there  are  not  circumstances — 
such  as  half-pay,  old  age,  infirmity,  the  loss  of  your  limbs,  and  the 
like ;  but  that,  with  good  health  and  a  small  balance  at  your  bank- 
er's, you  should  be  led  into  such  an  embarrassment " 

"Men  will  flirt,"  said  I,  interrupting;  "men  will  press  taper 
fingers,  look  into  bright  eyes,  and  feel  their  witchery ;  and,  although 
the  fair  owners  be  only  quizzing  them  half  the  time,  and  amusing 
themselves  the  other,  and  though  they  be  hackneyed  coquettes " 

"  Did  you  ever  meet  the  Dalrymple  girls,  Dennis  ?"  said  Fred, 
with  a  look  I  shall  never  forget. 

What  the  reply  was  I  cannot  tell.  My  shame  and  confusion  were 
overwhelming,  and  Power's  victory  complete. 

"  Here  comes  the  prog,"  cried  Dennis,  as  Power's  servant  entered 
with  a  very  plausible-looking  tray,  while  Fred  proceeded  to  place 
before  us  a  strong  army  of  decanters. 

Our  supper  was  excellent,  and  we  were  enjoying  ourselves  to  the 
utmost,  when  an  orderly  sergeant  suddenly  opened  the  door,  and 
raising  his  hand  to  his  cap,  asked  if  Major  Power  was  there. 

"  A  letter  for  you,  sir." 

"  Monsoon's  writing,  by  Jove !  Come,  boys,  let  us  see  what  it 
means.  What  a  hand  the  old  fellow  writes!  The  letters  look 
all  crazy,  and  are  tumbling  against  each  other  on  every  side.  Did 
you  ever  see  anything  half  so  tipsy  as  the  crossing  of  that  t  ?" 

"  Read  it !    Read  it  out,  Fred !" 


MA  JOB  MONSOON  IN  TROUBLE.  563 

" '  Tuesday  Evening. 

" '  Dear  Power, — I'm  in  such  a  scrape !  Come  up  and  see  me 
at  once ;  bring  a  little  sherry  with  you,  and  we'll  talk  over  what's  to 
be  done. 

" '  Yours  ever, 

"'B.  Monsoon. 

" '  Quarters-General.' " 

We  resolved  to  finish  our  evening  with  the  Major ;  so  that,  each 
having  armed  himself  with  a  bottle  or  two;  and  the  remnants  of  our 
supper,  we  set  out  towards  his  quarters,  under  the  guidance  of  the 
orderly.  After  a  sharp  walk  of  half  an  hour,  we  reached  a  small 
hut,  where  two  sentries  of  the  88th  were  posted  at  the  door. 

O'Shaughnessy  procured  admittance  for  us,  and  in  we  went.  At 
a  small  table,  lighted  by  a  thin  tallow  candle,  sat  old  Monsoon,  who, 
the  weather  being  hot,  had  neither  coat  nor  wig  on ;  an  old  cracked 
china  teapot,  in  which,  as  we  found  afterwards,  he  had  mixed  a 
little  grog,  stood  before  him,  and  a  large  mass  of  papers  lay  scattered 
around  on  every  side ;  he  himself  being  occupied  in  poring  over 
their  contents,  and  taking  occasional  draughts  from  his  uncouth 
goblet. 

As  we  entered  noiselessly,  he  never  perceived  us,  but  continued  to 
mumble  over,  in  a  low  tone,  from  the  documents  before  him : 

"  Upon  my  life,  it's  like  a  dream  to  me  !  What  infernal  stuff  this 
brandy  is ! 

" '  Charge  No.  8. — For  conduct  highly  unbecoming  an  officer 
and  a  gentleman,  in  forcing  the  cellar  of  the  San  Nicholas  convent 
at  Banos,  taking  large  quantities  of  wine  therefrom,  and  subse- 
quently compelling  the  Prior  to  dance  a  bolero,  thus  creating  a  riot, 
and  tending  to  destroy  the  harmony  between  the  British  and  the 
Portuguese,  so  strongly  inculcated  to  be  preserved  by  the  general 
orders.' 

"  Destroying  the  harmony !  Bless  their  hearts  !  How  little  they 
know  of  it !  I've  never  passed  a  jollier  night  in  the  Peninsula ! 
The  Prior's  a  trump,  and,  as  for  the  bolero,  he  would  dance  it.  I 
hope  they  say  nothing  about  my  hornpipe. 

" '  Charge  No.  9. — For  a  gross  violation  of  his  duty  as  an  officer, 
in  sending  a  part  of  his  brigade  to  attack  and  pillage  the  Alcalde  of 
Banos,  thereby  endangering  the  public  peace  of  the  town,  being  a 
flagrant  breach  of  discipline  and  direct  violation  of  the  articles  of 
war.' 

"  Well,  I'm  afraid  I  was  rather  sharp  on  the  Alcalde,  but  we  did 
no  harm  except  the  fright.  What  sherry  the  old  fellow  had !  'twould 
have  been  a  sin  to  let  it  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  French. 

" '  Charge  No.  10. — For  threatening,  on  or  about  the  night  of 


564  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

the  3d,  to  place  the  town  of  Banos  under  contribution,  and  subse- 
quently forcing  the  authorities  to  walk  in  procession  before  him,  in 
absurd  and  ridiculous  costumes.' 

"  Lord,  how  good  it  was !  I  shall  never  forget  the  old  Alcalde ! 
One  of  my  fellows  fastened  a  dead  lamb  round  his  neck,  and  told 
him  it  was  the  golden  fleece.  The  Commander-in-Chief  would  have 
laughed  himself  if  he  had  been  there.  Picton  is  much  too  grave — 
never  likes  a  joke. 

"'Charge  No.  11. — For  insubordination  and  disobedience,  in 
refusing  to  give  up  his  sword,  and  rendering  it  necessary  for  the 
Portuguese  guard  to  take  it  by  force,  thereby  placing  himself  in  a 
situation  highly  degrading  to  a  British  officer.' 

"  Didn't  I  lay  about  me  before  they  got  iti — Who's  that  ? — Who's 
laughing  there  ? — Ah,  boys !  I'm  glad  to  see  you. — How  are  you, 
Fred  ? — Well,  Charley,  I've  heard  of  your  scrape ;  very  sad  thing 
for  so  young  a  fellow  as  you  are ;  I  don't  think  you'll  be  broke ;  I'll 
do  what  I  can — I'll  see  what  I  can  do  with  Picton ;  we  are  very  old 
friends — were  at  Eton  together." 

"  Many  thanks,  Major ;  but  I  hear  your  own  affairs  are  not  flour- 
ishing.    What's  all  this  court-martial  about?" 

"A  mere  trifle ;  some  little  insubordination  in  the  Legion.  Those 
Portuguese  are  sad  dogs.  How  very  good  of  you,  Fred,  to  think  of 
that  little  supper." 

While  the  Major  was  speaking,  his  servant,  with  a  dexterity 
the  fruit  of  long  habit,  had  garnished  the  table  with  the  contents 
of  our  baskets,  and  Monsoon,  apologizing  for  not  putting  on  his 
wig,  sat  down  amongst  us  with  a  face  as  cheerful  as  though  the 
floor  was  not  covered  with  the  charges  of  the  court-martial  to  be 
held  on  him. 

As  we  chatted  away  over  the  campaign  and  its  chances,  Monsoon 
seemed  little  disposed  to  recur  to  his  own  fortunes.  In  fact,  he 
appeared  to  suffer  much  more  from  what  he  termed  my  unlucky  pre- 
dicament than  from  his  own  mishaps.  At  the  same  time,  as  the 
evening  wore  on,  and  the  sherry  began  to  tell  upon  him,  his  heart 
expanded  into  its  habitual  moral  tendency,  and  by  an  easy  tran- 
sition he  was  led  from  the  religious  association  of  convents  to  the 
pleasures  of  pillaging  them. 

"  What  wine  they  have  in  their  old  cellars !  It's  such  fun  drink- 
ing it  out  of  great  silver  vessels  as  old  as  Methuselah.  '  There's 
much  treasure  in  the  house  of  the  righteous,'  as  David  says;  and 
any  one  who  has  ever  sacked  a  nunnery  knows  that." 

"  I  should  like  to  have  seen  that  prior  dancing  the  bolero,"  said 
Power. 

"  Wasn't  it  good,  though !   He  grew  jealous  of  me,  for  I  performed 


MA  JOE  MONSOON  IN  TROUBLE.  565 

a  hornpipe.  Very  good  fellow  the  Prior;  not  like  the  Alcalde — 
there  was  no  fun  in  him.     Lord  bless  him  !  he'll  never  forget  me." 

"  What  did  you  do  with  him,  Major !" 

"  Well,  I'll  tell  you ;  but  you  musn't  let  it  be  known,  for  I  see 
they  have  not  put  it  in  the  court-martial.  Is  there  no  more  sherry 
there?  There,  that  will  do;  I'm  always  contented.  'Better  a  dry 
morsel  with  quietness,'  as  Moses  says.  Ay,  Charley,  never  forget 
that '  a  merry  heart  is  just  like  medicine.'  Job  found  out  that,  you 
know." 

"Well,  but  the  Alcalde,  Major." 

"  Oh !  the  Alcalde,  to  be  sure,  these  pious  meditations  make  me 
forget  earthly  matters." 

"  This  old  Alcalde  at  Banos,  I  found  out  was  quite  spoiled  by  Lord 
Wellington.  He  used  to  read  all  the  general  orders,  and  got  an 
absurd  notion  in  his  head  that,  because  we  were  his  allies,  we  were 
not  allowed  to  plunder.  Only  think,  he  used  to  snap  his  fingers  at 
Beresford ;  didn't  care  twopence  about  the  Legion  ;  and  laughed  out- 
right at  Wilson.  So,  when  I  was  ordered  down  there,  I  took  another 
way  with  him ;  I  waited  till  nightfall,  ordered  two  squadrons  to  turn 
their  jackets,  and  sent  forward  one  of  my  aides-de-camp  with  a  few 
troopers  to  the  Alcalde's  house.  They  galloped  into  the  courtyard, 
blowing  trumpets  and  making  an  infernal  hubbub.  Down  came  the 
Alcalde  in  a  passion. — -  Prepare  quarters  quickly,  and  rations  for 
eight  hundred  men/ 

" '  Who  dares  to  issue  such  an  order  ?'  said  he. 

"The  aide-de-camp  whispered  one  word  in  his  ear,  and  the  old 
fellow  grew  pale  as  death.  'Is  he  here? — Is  he  coming? — Is  he 
coming?'  said  he,  trembling  from  head  to  foot. 

"  I  rode  in  myself  at  this  moment,  looking  thus 

" '  Ow  est  le  malheureux  ?7  said  I,  in  French ;  you  know  I  speak 
French  like  Portuguese." 

"  Devilish  like,  I've  no  doubt,"  muttered  Power. 

"  '  Pardon,  gracias  eccellenza  /'  said  the  Alcalde,  on  his  knees." 

"Who  the  deuce  did  he  take  you  for,  Major?" 

"You  shall  hear:  you'll  never  guess,  though.  Lord!  I  shall 
never  forget  it.  He  thought  I  was  Marmont :  my  aide-de-camp  told 
him  so." 

One  loud  burst  of  laughter  interrupted  the  Major  at  this  moment, 
and  it  was  some  considerable  time  before  he  could  continue  his 
narrative. 

"And  do  you  really  mean,"  said  I,  "  that  you  personated  the  Duke 
de  Raguse  ?" 

"  Did  I  not,  though?  If  you  had  only  seen  me  with  a  pair  of 
great  moustaches,  and  a  drawn  sabre  in  my  hand,  pacing  the  room 


566  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

up  and  down  in  the  presence  of  the  assembled  authorities.  Napoleon 
himself  might  have  been  deceived.  My  first  order  was  to  cut  off  all 
their  heads;  but  I  commuted  the  sentence  to  a  heavy  fine.  Ah, 
boys !  if  they  only  understood  at  headquarters  how  to  carry  on  a  war 
in  the  Peninsula,  they'd  never  have  to  grumble  in  England  about 
increased  taxation.  ,How  I'd  mulct  the  nunneries!  How  I'd  grind 
the  corporate  towns  !  How  I'd  inundate  the  country  with  exchequer 
bills ;  I'd  sell  the  priors  so  much  a  head,  and  put  the  nuns  up  to 
auction  by  the  dozen." 

"You  sacrilegious  old  villain !  But  continue  the  account  of  your 
exploits." 

"  Faith,  I  remember  little  more.  After  dinner  I  grew  somewhat 
mellow,  and  a  kind  of  moral  bewilderment  which  usually  steals  over 
me  about  eleven  o'clock  induced  me  to  invite  the  Alcalde  and  all 
the  aldermen  to  come  and  sup.  Apparently  we  had  a  merry  night 
of  it,  and  when  morning  broke,  we  were  not  quite  clear  in  our  intel- 
lects. Hence  came  that  infernal  procession ;  for  when  the  Alcalde 
rode  round  the  town  with  a  paper  cap,  and  all  the  aldermen  after 
him,  the  inhabitants  felt  offended,  it  seems,  and  sent  for  a  large 
Guerilla  force,  who  captured  me  and  my  staff,  after  a  very  vigorous 
resistance.  The  Alcalde  fought  like  a  trump  for  us,  for  I  promised 
to  make  him  Prefect  of  the  Seine ;  but  we  were  overpowered,  dis- 
armed, and  carried  off.  The  remainder  you  can  read  in  the  court- 
martial,  for  you  may  think  that,  after  sacking  the  town,  drinking 
all  night,  and  fighting  in  the  morning,  my  memory  was  none  of  the 
clearest." 

"  Did  you  not  explain  that  you  were  not  the  Marshal-General?" 

"  No,  faith — I  knew  better  than  that ;  they'd  have  murdered  me 
had  they  known  their  mistake.  They  brought  me  to  head-quarters, 
in  the  hope  of  a  great  reward,  and  it  was  only  when  they  reached 
this  that  they  found  out  I  was  not  the  Duke  de  Raguse ;  so  you  see, 
boys,  it's  a  very  complicated  business." 

"  'Gad,  and  so  it  is,"  said  Power,  "and  an  awkward  one  too." 

"He'll  be  hanged,  as  sure  as  my  name's  Dennis!"  vociferated 
O'Shaughnessy,  with  an  energy  that  made  the  Major  jump  from  his 
chair.     "  Picton  will  hang  him  !"  v 

"  I'm  not  afraid,"  said  Monsoon ;  "  they  know  me  so  well.  Lord 
bless  you,  Beresford  couldn't  get  on  without  me." 

"  Well,  Major,"  said  I,  "  in  any  case,  you  certainly  take  no  gloomy 
nor  desponding  view  of  your  case." 

"  Not  I,  boy.  You  know  what  Jeremiah  says, — '  A  merry  heart 
is  a  continual  feast ;'  and  so  it  is.  I  may  die  of  repletion,  but  they'll 
never  find  me  starved  with  sorrow." 

"And,  faith,   it's  a  strange  thing!"   muttered  O'Shaughnessy, 


THE  CONFIDENCE.  567 

thinking  aloud — "a  most  extraordinary  thing!  An  honest  fellow 
would  be  sure  to  be  hanged ;  and  there's  that  old  rogue,  that's  been 
melting  down  more  saints  and  blessed  Virgins  than  the  whole  army- 
together,  he'll  escape.     Ye'll  see  he  will !" 

"  There  goes  the  patrol,"  said  Fred ;  "  we  must  start.'' 

"  Leave  the  sherry,  boys ;  you'll  be  back  again.  I'll  have  it  put 
up  carefully." 

We  could  scarcely  resist  a  roar  of  laughter  as  we  said  "  Good- 
night." 

"Adieu,  Major,"  said  I ;  "  we  shall  meet  soon." 

So  saying,  I  followed  Power  and  O'Shaughnessy  towards  their 
quarters. 

"  Maurice  has  done  it  beautifully !"  said  Power.  "  Pleasant  reve- 
lations the  old  fellow  will  make  on  the  court-martial,  if  he  only 
remembers  what  we've  heard  to-night !  But  here  we  are,  Charley ; 
so  good-night ;  and  remember,  you  breakfast  with  me  to-morrow." 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  CONFIDENCE. 

I  HAVE  changed  the  venue,  Charley,"  said  Power,  as  he  came 
into  my  room  the  following  morning.    "  I've  changed  the  venue, 
and  come  to  breakfast  with  you." 
I  could  not  help  smiling,  as  a  certain  suspicion  crossed  my  mind, 

perceiving  which,  he  quickly  added, 

"  No,  no,  boy  I    I  guess  what  you're  thinking  of.    I'm  not  a  bit 

jealous  in  that  quarter.    The  fact  is,  you  know  one  cannot  be  too 

guarded." 

"Nor  too  suspicious  of  one's  friends," apparently." 

"A  truce  with  quizzing.     I  say,  have  you  reported  yourself?" 

"Yes;  and  received  this  moment  a  most  kind  note  from  the 

General.    But  it  appears  that  I  am  not  destined  to  have  a  long 

sojourn  amongst  you,  for  I'm  desired  to  hold  myself  in  readiness  for 

a  journey  this  very  day." 

"  Where  the  deuce  are  they  going  to  send  you  now  ?" 

"  I'm  not  certain  of  my  destination.     I  rather  suspect  there  are 

despatches  for  Badajos.     Just  tell  Mike  to  get  breakfast,  and  I'll 

join  you  immediately." 

When  I  walked  into  the  little  room  which  served  as  my  salon,  I 

found  Power  pacing  up  and  down,  apparently  rapt  in  meditation. 


668  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"I've  been  thinking,  Charley,"  said  he,  after  a  pause  of  about 
ten  minutes, — "  I've  been  thinking  over  our  adventures  in  Lisbon. 
Devilish  strange  girl  that  Senhora!  When  you  resigned  in  my 
favor,  I  took  it  for  granted  that  all  difficulty  was  removed.  Con- 
found it  I  I  no  sooner  began  to  profit  by  your  absence,  in  pressing 
my  suit,  than  she  turned  short  round,  treated  me  with  marked  cold- 
ness, exhibited  a  hundred  wilful  and  capricious  fancies,  and  con- 
cluded one  day  by  quietly  confessing  to  me — you  were  the  only  man 
she  cared  for." 

"  You  are  not  serious  in  all  this,  Fred  ?"  said  I. 

"  Ain't  I,  though,  by  Jove !  I  wish  to  heaven  I  were  not !  My 
dear  Charley,  the  girl  is  an  inveterate  flirt — a  decided  coquette. 
Whether  she  has  a  particle  of  heart  or  not,  I  can't  say ;  but  cer- 
tainly her  greatest  pleasure  is  to  trifle  with  that  of  another.  Some 
absurd  suspicion  that  you  were  in  love  with  Lucy  Dash  wood  piqued 
her  vanity,  and  the  anxiety  to  recover  a  lapsing  allegiance  led  her 
to  suppose  herself  attached  to  you,  and  made  her  treat  all  my  ad- 
vances with  the  most  frigid  indifference  or  wayward  caprice — the 
more  provoking,"  continued  he,  with  a  kind  of  bitterness  in  his 
tone,  "  as  her  father  was  disposed  to  take  the  thing  favorably ;  and, 
if  I  must  say  it,  I  felt  devilish  spoony  about  her  myself. 

"  It  was  only  two  days  before  I  left,  that,  in  a  conversation  with 
Don  Emanuel,  he  consented  to  receive  my  addresses  to  his  daughter 
on  my  becoming  lieutenant-colonel.  I  hastened  back  with  delight 
to  bring  her  the  intelligence,  and  found  her  with  a  lock  of  hair  on 
the  book  before  her,  over  which  she  was  weeping.  Confound  me, 
if  it  was  not  yours  !  I  don't  know  what  I  said,  nor  what  she  replied  ; 
but  when  we  parted,  it  was  with  a  perfect  understanding  that  we 
were  never  to  meet  again.  Strange  girl !  She  came  that  evening, 
put  her  arm  within  mine  as  I  was  walking  alone  in  the  garden,  and 
half  in  jest,  half  in  earnest,  talked  me  out  of  all  my  suspicions,  and 
left  me  fifty  times  more  in  love  with  her  than  ever.  Egad  !  I  thought 
I  used  to  know  something  about  women,  but  here  is  a  chapter  I've 
yet  to  read.  Come  now,  Charley,  be  frank  with  me;  tell  me  all 
you  know." 

"  My  poor  Fred  !  if  you  were  not  head  and  ears  in  love,  you  would 
see  as  plainly  as  I  do  that  your  affairs  prosper.  And  after  all,  how 
invariable  is  it  that  the  man  who  has  been  the  veriest  flirt  with 
women — sighing,  serenading,  sonneteering,  flinging  himself  at  the 
feet  of  every  pretty  girl  he  meets  with — should  become  the  most 
thorough  dupe  to  his  own  feelings  when  his  heart  is  really  touched. 
Your  man  of  eight-and-thirty  is  always  the  greatest  fool  about 
women." 

"  Confound  your  impertinence !    How  the  devil  can  a  fellow  with 


THE  CONFIDENCE.  569 

a  moustache  not  stronger  than  a  Circassian's  eyebrow  read  such  a 
lecture  to  me  ?" 

"  Just  for  the  very  reason  you've  mentioned.  You  glide  into  an 
attachment  at  my  time  of  life ;  you  fall  in  love  at  yours." 

"  Yes,"  said  Power,  musingly,  "  there  is  some  truth  in  that.  This 
flirting  is  sad  work.  It  is  just  like  sparring  with  a  friend ;  you  put 
on  the  gloves  in  perfect  good  humor,  with  the  most  friendly  in- 
tentions of  exchanging  a  few  amicable  blows;  you  find  yourself 
insensibly  warm  with  the  enthusiasm  of  the  conflict,  and  some  un- 
lucky hard  knock  decides  the  matter,  and  it  ends  in  a  downright  fight. 

"  Few  men,  believe  me,  are  regular  seducers ;  and  among  those 
who  behave  *  vilely'  (as  they  call  it),  three-fourths  of  the  number 
have  been  more  sinned  against  than  sinning.  You  adventure  upon 
love  as  upon  a  voyage  to  India.  Leaving  the  cold  northern  lati- 
tudes of  first  acquaintance  behind  you,  you  gradually  glide  into  the 
warmer  and  more  genial  climate  of  intimacy.  Each  day  you  travel 
southward  shortens  the  miles  and  the  hours  of  your  existence :  so 
tranquil  is  the  passage,  and  so  easy  the  transition,  you  suffer  no 
shock  by  the  change  of  temperature  about  you.  Happy  were  it  for 
us  that  in  our  courtship,  as  in  our  voyage,  there  were  some  certain 
Rubicon  to  remind  us  of  the  miles  we  have  journeyed !  Well  were 
it  if  there  were  some  meridian  in  love !" 

"  I'm  not  sure,  Fred,  that  there  is  not  that  same  shaving  process 
they  practice  on  the  line  occasionally  performed  for  us  by  parents 
and  guardians  at  home ;  and  I'm  not  certain  that  the  iron  hoop  of 
old  Neptune  is  not  a  pleasanter  acquaintance  than  the  hair-trigger 
of  some  indignant  and  fire-eating  brother.  But  come,  Fred,  you 
have  not  told  me  the  most  important  point — how  fare  your  fortunes 
now?  or,  in  other  words,  what  are  your  present  prospects  as  re- 
gards the  Senhora  ?" 

"  What  a  question  to  ask  me  !  Why  not  request  me  to  tell  you 
where  Soult  will  fight  us  next,  and  when  Marmont  will  cross  the 
frontier  ?  My  dear  boy>  I  have  not  seen  her  for  a  week,  an  entire 
week — seven  full  days  and  nights,  each  with  their  twenty-four 
hours  of  change  and  vacillation." 

"  Well,  then,  give  me  the  last  bulletin  from  the  seat  of  war ;  that, 
at  least,  you  can  do.    Tell  me  how  you  parted." 

"  Strangely  enough.  You  must  know  we  had  a  grand  dinner  at 
the  villa  the  day  before  I  left ;  arid%  when  we  adjourned  for  our 
coffee  to  the  garden,  my  spirits  were  at  the  top  of  their  bent.  Inez 
never  looked  so  beautiful — never  was  half  so  gracious ;  and  as  she 
leaned  upon  my  arm,  instead  of  following  the  others  towards  the 
little  summer-house,  I  turned,  as  if  inadvertently,  into  a  narrow 
dark  alley  that  skirts  the  lake." 


570  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  I  know  it  well ;  continue." 

Power  reddened  slightly,  and  went  on  : 

"  '  Why  are  we  taking  this  path?'  said  Donna  Inez ;  '  this  is  surely 
not  a  short  way?' 

" '  Oh !  I — wished  to  make  my  adieux  to  my  old  friends  the 
swans.     You  know  I  go  to-morrow.' 

"  '  Ah  !  that's  true/  said  she.     '  I'd  quite  forgotten  it.' 

"  This  speech  was  not  very  encouraging ;  but  as  I  felt  myself  in 
for  the  battle,  I  was  not  going  to  retreat  at  the  skirmish.  '  Now  or 
never,'  thought  I.  I'll  not  tell  you  what  I  said.  I  couldn't  if  I 
would.  It  is  only  with  a  pretty  woman  upon  one's  arm — it  is  only 
when  stealing  a  glance  at  her  bright  eyes,  as  you  bend  beyond  the 
border  of  her  bonnet — that  you  know  what  it  is  to  be  eloquent. 
Watching  the  changeful  color  of  her  cheek  with  a  more  anxious 
heart  than  ever  did  mariner  gaze  upon  the  fitful  sky  above  him,  you 
pour  out  your  whole  soul  in  love.  You  leave  no  time  for  doubt, — 
no  space  for  reply ;  the  difficulties  that  shoot  across  her  mind  you 
reply  to  ere  she  is  well  conscious  of  them;  and  when  you  feel  her 
hand  tremble,  or  see  her  eyelid  fall,  like  the  leader  of  a  storming 
party  when  the  guns  slacken  in  their  fire,  you  spring  boldly  forward 
in  the  breach,  and,  blind  to  every  danger  around  you,  rush  madly 
on,  and  plant  your  standard  upon  the  walls." 

"  I  hope  you  allow  the  vanquished  the  honors  of  war,"  said  I,  in- 
terrupting. 

Without  noticing  my  observation,  he  continued  : 

"  I  was  on  my  knees  before  her,  her  hand  passively  resting  in 
mine,  her  eyes  bent  upon  me  softly  and  tearfully " 

"The  game  was  your  own,  in  fact." 

"  You  shall  hear. 

" '  Have  we  stood  long  enough  thus,  Senhor  ?'  said  she,  bursting 
into  a  fit  of  laughter. 

"  I  sprang  to  my  legs  in  anger  and  indignation. 

"  '  There,  don't  be  passionate ;  it  is  so  tiresome.  What  do  you 
call  that  tree  there  ?' 

"  '  It  is  a  tulip-tree,'  said  I,  coldly. 

"  '  Then,  to  put  your  gallantry  to  the  test,  do  climb  up  there  and 
pluck  me  that  flower.  No,  the  far  one.  If  you  fall  into  the  lake 
and  are  drowned,  why,  it  would  put  an  end  to  this  foolish  inter- 
view.' 

"'  And  if  not?'  said  I. 

' l  Oh,  then  I  shall  take  twelve  hours  to  consider  of  it ;  and  if  my 
decision  be  in  your  favor,  I'll  give  you  the  flower  ere  you  leave  to- 
morrow.' 

"It's  somewhat  about  thirty  years  since  I  went  bird-nesting — and 


THE  CONFIDENCE.  571 

hang  me  if  a  tight  jacket  and  spurs  are  the  best  equipment  for 
climbing  a  tree! — but  up  I  went,  and,  amid  a  running  fire  of 
laughter  and  quizzing,  reached  the  branch,  and  brought  it  down 
safely. 

"  Inez  took  especial  care  to  avoid  me  the  rest  of  the  evening.  We 
did  not  meet  until  breakfast  the  following  morning.  I  perceived 
then  that  she  wore  the  flower  in  her  belt ;  but,  alas  !  I  knew  her  too 
well  to  augur  favorably  from  that ;  besides,  instead  of  any  trace  of 
sorrow  or  depression  at  my  approaching  departure,  she  was  in  high 
spirits,  and  the  life  of  the  party.  '  How  can  I  manage  to  speak 
with  her?'  said  I  to  myself;  'but  one  word — I  already  anticipate 
what  it  must  be.  But  let  the  blow  fall — anything  is  better  than 
this  uncertainty.' 

"  '  The  General  and  the  staff  have  passed  the  gate,  sir/  said  my 
servant  at  this  moment. 

"  '  Are  my  horses  ready  ?' 

"  '  At  the  door,  sir,  and  the  baggage  gone  forward.' 

"  I  gave  Inez  one  look. 

"  '  Did  you  say  more  coffee  ?'  said  she,  smiling. 

"  I  bowed  coldly,  and  rose  from  the  table.  They  all  assembled 
upon  the  terrace  to  see  me  ride  away. 

" '  You'll  let  us  hear  from  you  ?'  said  Don  Emanuel. 

" '  And  pray  don't  forget  the  letter  to  my  brother,'  cried  old 
Madame  Forjas. 

"  Twenty  similar  injunctions  burst  from  the  party,  but  not  a  word 
said  Inez. 

"  '  Adieu,  then  !'  said  I.     '  Farewell !' 

"  '  Adios !    Go  with  God  !'  chorused  the  party. 

"  '  Good-bye,  Senhora !'  said  I.  '  Have  you  nothing  to  tell  me  ere 
we  part  ?' 

"  '  Not  that  I  remember,'  said  she,  carelessly.  '  I  hope  you'll  have 
good  weather.' 

"  '  There  is  a  storm  threatening,'  said  I,  gloomily. 

"  \  Well,  a  soldier  cares  little  for  a  wet  jacket.' 

" '  Adieu !'  said  I,  sharply,  darting  at  her  a  look  that  spoke  my 
meaning. 

" '  Farewell !'  repeated  she,  curtseying  slightly,  and  giving  one  of 
her  sweetest  smiles. 

"  I  drove  the  spurs  into  my  horse's  flanks,  but  holding  him  firmly 
on  the  curb  at  the  same  moment,  instead  of  dashing  forward,  he 
bounded  madly  in  the  air. 

" '  What  a  pretty  creature  !'  said  she,  as  she  turned  towards  the 
house  ;  then,  stopping  carelessly,  she  looked  round. 

"  '  Should  you  like  this  bouquet  ?'  she  asked. 


572  CHARLES  O  'MA  LLEY. 

"  Before  I  could  reply,  she  disengaged  it  from  her  belt,  and  threw 
it  towards  me.  The  door  closed  behind  her  as  she  spoke.  I  galloped 
on  to  overtake  the  staff—  et  voild  tout.  Now,  Charley,  read  my  fate 
for  me,  and  tell  me  what  this  portends." 

"  I  confess  I  only  see  one  thing  certain  in  the  whole." 

"  And  that  is  ?"  said  Power. 

"  That  Master  Fred  Power  is  more  irretrievably  in  love  than  any 
gentleman  on  full  pay  I  ever  met  with." 

"  By  Jove  I  I  half  fear  as  much !  Is  that  orderly  waiting  for  you, 
Charley  ?     Whom  do  you  want,  my  man  ?" 

"  Captain  O'Malley,  sir.  General  Craufurd  desires  to  see  you  at 
head-quarters  immediately." 

"  Come,  Charley,  I'm  going  towards  Fuentes.  Take  your  cap ; 
we'll  walk  down  together." 

So  saying,  we  cantered  towards  the  village,  where  we  separated — 
Power  to  join  some  14th  men  stationed  there  on  duty,  and  I  to  the 
General's  quarters  to  receive  my  orders. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

THE  CANTONMENT. 

SOON  after  this  the  army  broke  up  from  Caja,  and  went  into 
cantonments  along  the  Tagus,  the  head-quarters  being  at  Por- 
talegre.  We  were  here  joined  by  four  regiments  of  infantry 
lately  arrived  from  England,  and  the  12th  Light  Dragoons.  I  shall 
not  readily  forget  the  first  impression  created  among  our  reinforce- 
ments by  the  habits  of  our  life  at  this  period. 

Brimful  of  expectation,  they  had  landed  at  Lisbon,  their  minds 
filled  with  all  the  glorious  expectancy  of  a  brilliant  campaign. 
Sieges,  storming,  and  battle-fields  floated  before  their  excited  imagi- 
nation. Scarcely,  however,  had  they  reached  the  camp,  when  these 
illusions  were  dissipated.  Breakfasts,  dinners,  private  theatricals, 
pigeon  matches,  formed  our  daily  occupation.  Lord  Wellington's 
hounds  threw  off  regularly  twice  a  week,  and  here  might  be  seen  every 
imaginable  species  of  equipment,  from  that  of  the  artillery  officer, 
mounted  on  his  heavy  troop  horse,  to  the  infantry  subaltern  on  a 
Spanish  jennet.  Never  was  anything  more  ludicrous  than  our  turn- 
out. Every  quadruped  in  the  army  was  put  into  requisition ;  and 
even  those  who  rolled  not  from  their  saddles  from  sheer  necessity, 
were  most  likely  to  do  so  from  laughing  at  their  neighbors.    The 


THE  CANTONMENT.  573 

pace  may  not  have  equalled  Melton,  nor  the  fences  have  been  as 
stubborn  as  in  Leicestershire,  but  I'll  be  sworn  there  was  more 
laughter,  more  fun,  and  more  merriment,  in  one  day  with  us  than 
in  a  whole  season  with  the  best-organized  pack  in  England.  With 
a  lively  trust  that  the  country  was  open  and  the  le^aps  easy,  every 
man  took  the  field ;  indeed,  the  only  anxiety  evinced  at  all  was  to 
appear  at  the  meeting  in  something  like  jockey  fashion,  and  I  must 
confess  that  this  feeling  was  particularly  conspicuous  among  the 
infantry.  Happy  the  man  whose  kit  boasted  a  pair  of  cords,  or 
buckskins ;  thrice  happy  he  who  sported  a  pair  of  tops.  I  myself 
was  in  that  enviable  position,  and  well  remember  with  what  pride 
of  heart  I  cantered  up  to  cover  in  all  the  superior  tclat  of  my  cos- 
tume, though,  if  truth  were  to  be  spoken,  I  doubt  if  I  should  have 
passed  muster  among  my  friends  of  the  "  Blazers."  A  round  cav- 
alry jacket,  and  a  foraging  cap  with  a  hanging  tassel,  were  the 
strange  accompaniments  of  my  more  befitting  nether  garments. 
Whatever  our  costumes,  the  scene  was  a  most  animated  one.  Here, 
the  shell-jacket  of  a  heavy  dragoon  was  seen  storming  the  fence  of 
a  vineyard ;  there,  the  dark  green  of  a  rifleman  was  going  the  pace 
over  the  plain.  The  unsportsman-like  figure  of  a  staff  officer  might 
be  observed  emerging  from  a  drain,  ^while  some  neck-or-nothing 
Irishman,  with  light  infantry  wings,  was  flying  at  every  fence 
before  him,  and  overturning  all  in  his  way.  The  rules  and  regula- 
tions of  the  service  prevailed  not  here ;  the  starred  and  gartered 
general,  the  plumed  and  aiguilletted  colonel,  obtained  but  little 
deference,  and  less  mercy,  from  his  more  humble  subaltern.  In  fact, 
I  am  half  disposed  to  think  that  many  an  old  grudge  of  rigid  dis- 
cipline, or  severe  duty,  met  with  its  retribution  here.  More  than 
once  have  I  heard  the  muttered  sentences  around  me  which  boded 
like  this : 

"  Go  the  pace,  Harry !  never  flinch  it !  There's  old  Colquhoun — 
take  him  in  the  haunches — roll  him  over  !" 

"  See  here,  boys— watch  how  I'll  scatter  the  staff— beg  your  par- 
don, General,  hope  I  haven't  hurt  you.  Turn  about  is  fair  play— I 
have  taught  you  to  take  up  a  position  now." 

I  need  scarcely  say  there  was  one  whose  person  was  sacred  from 
all  such  attacks;  he  was  well  mounted  upon  a  strong  half-bred 
horse;  rode  always  foremost,  following  the  hounds  with  the  same 
steady  pertinacity  with  which  he  would  have  followed  the  enemy ; 
his  compressed  lip  rarely  opening  for  a  laugh,  when  even  the  most 
ludicrous  misadventure  was  enacting  before  him;  and  when,  by 
chance,  he  would  give  way,  the  short  ha !  ha !  was  over  in  a  mo- 
ment, and  the  cold  stern  features  were  as  fixed  and  impassive  a« 
before. 


574  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

All  the  excitement,  all  the  enthusiasm  of  a  hunting-field,  seemed 
powerless  to  turn  his  mind  from  the  pre-occupation  which  the 
mighty  interests  he  presided  over  exacted.  I  remember  an  incident 
which,  however  trivial  in  itself,  is  worth  recording,  as  illustrative 
of  what  I  mean.  We  were  going  along  at  a  topping  pace ;  the 
hounds,  a  few  fields  in  advance,  were  hidden  from  our  view  by  a 
small  beech  copse ;  the  party  consisted  of  not  more  than  six  per- 
sons, one  of  whom  was  Lord  Wellington  himself.  Our  run  had 
been  a  splendid  one,  and  as  we  were  pursuing  the  fox  to  earth,  every 
man  of  us  pushed  his  horse  to  his  full  stride  in  the  hot  enthusiasm 
of  such  a  moment. 

"This  way,  my  lord — this  way,"  said  Colonel  Conyers,  an  old 
Melton  man,'  who  led  the  way.  "  The  hounds  are  in  the  valley — 
keep  to  the  left."  As  no  reply  was  made,  after  a  few  moments' 
pause,  Conyers  repeated  his  admonition.  "You  are  wrong,  my 
lord ;  the  hounds  are  hunting  yonder." 

"  I  know  it !"  was  the  brief  answer,  given  with  a  shortness  that 
almost  savored  of  asperity ;  for  a  second  or  two  not  a  word  was 
spoken. 

"  How  far  is  Niza,  Gordon  ?"  inquired  Lord  Wellington. 

"About  five  leagues,  my  ^ord,"  replied  the  astonished  aide-de- 
camp. 

"That's  the  direction,  is  it  not?" 

"Yes,  my  lord." 

"  Let's  go  over  and  inspect  the  wounded." 

No  more  was  said,  and  before  a  second  was  given  for  considera- 
tion, away  went  his  lordship,  followed  by  his  aide-de-camp,  his  pace 
the  same  stretching  gallop,  and  apparently  feeling  as  much  excite- 
ment, as  he  dashed  onward  towards  the  hospital,  as  though  following 
in  all  the  headlong  enthusiasm  of  a  fox-chase. 

Thus  passed  our  summer ;  a  life  of  happy  ease  and  recreation 
succeeding  to  the  harassing  fatigues  and  severe  privations  of  the 
preceding  campaign.  Such  are  the  lights  and  shadows  of  a  soldier's 
life — such  the  chequered  surface  of  his  fortune — constituting  by 
their  very  change  that  buoyant  temperament,  that  happy  indiffer- 
ence, which  enables  him  to  derive  its  full  enjoyment  from  each  pass- 
ing incident  of  his  career. 

While  thus  we  indulged  in  all  the  fascinations  of  a  life  of  pleas- 
ure, the  rigid  discipline  of  the  army  was  never  for  a  moment  for- 
gotten. Eeviews,  parades,  and  inspections,  were  of  daily  occurrence, 
and  even  a  superficial  observer  could  not  fail  to  detect  that  under 
this  apparent  devotion  to  amusement  and  enjoyment  our  Comman- 
der-in-Chief concealed  a  deep  stroke  of  his  policy. 

The  spirits  of  both  men  and  officers,  broken  in  spite  of  their  sue- 


THE  CANTONMENT.  575 

cesses  by  the  incessant  privations  they  had  endured,  imperatively 
demanded  this  period  of  rest  and  repose.  The  infantry,  many  of 
whom  had  served  in  the  ill-fated  campaign  of  Walcheren,  were  still 
suffering  from  the  effects  of  the  intermittent  fever.  The  cavalry, 
from  deficient  forage,  severe  marches,  and  unremitting  service,  were 
in  great  part  unfit  for  duty.  To  take  the,  field  under  circumstances 
like  these  was  therefore  impossible ;  and,  with  the  double  object  of 
restoring  their  wonted  spirit  to  his  troops,  and  checking  the  ravages 
which  sickness  and  the  casualties  of  war  had  made  with  his  ranks, 
Lord  Wellington  embraced  the  opportunity  of  the  enemy's  inaction 
to  take  up  his  present  position  on  the  Tagus. 

Meanwhile  that  we  enjoyed  all  the  pleasures  of  a  country  life, 
enhanced  tenfold  by  daily  association  with  gay  and  cheerful  com- 
panions, the  master-mind,  whose  reach  extended  from  the  profound- 
est  calculations  of  strategy  to  the  minutest  details  of  military 
organization,  was  never  idle.  Foreseeing  that  a  period  of  inaction 
like  the  present  must  only  be  like  the  solemn  calm  that  preludes 
the  storm,  he  prepared  for  the  future  by  those  bold  conceptions  and 
unrivalled  combinations  which  we're  to  guide  him  through  many  a 
field  of  battle  and  of  danger,  to  end  his  career  of  glory  in  the  liber- 
ation of  the  Peninsula. 

The  failure  of  the  attack  upon  Badajos  had  neither  damped  his 
ardor  nor  changed  his  views  ;  and  he  proceeded  to  the  investment 
of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  with  the  same  intense  determination  of  uproot- 
ing the  French  occupation  in  Spain,  by  destroying  their  strongholds 
and  cutting  off  their  resources.  Carrying  aggressive  war  in  one 
hand,  he  turned  the  other  towards  the  maintenance  of  those  de- 
fences which  in  the  event  of  disaster  or  defeat  must  prove  the  refuge 
of  the  army. 

To  the  lines  of  Torres  Vedras  he  once  more  directed  his  attention. 
Engineer  officers  were  despatched  thither ;  the  fortresses  were  put 
into  repair  ;  the  bridges  broken  or  injured  during  the  French  inva- 
sion were  restored;  the  batteries  upon  the  Tagus  were  rendered 
more  effective,  and  furnaces  for  heating  shot  were  added  to  them. 

The  inactivity  and  apathy  of  the  Portuguese  government  but  ill 
corresponded  with  his  unwearied  exertions;  and,  despite  of  con- 
tinual remonstrances  and  unceasing  representations,  the  bridges 
over  the  Leira  and  Alva  were  left  unrepaired,  and  the  roads  leading 
to  them  so  broken  as  to  be  almost  impassable,  might  seriously  have 
endangered  the  retreat  of  the  army,  should  such  a  movement  be 
deemed  necessary. 

It  was  in  the  first  week  of  September  I  was  sent  with  despatches 
for  the  engineer  officer  in  command  at  the  lines,  and  during  the 
fortnight  of  my  absence  was  enabled  for  the  first  time  to  examine 


576  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

those  extraordinary  defences  which,  for  the  space  of  thirty  miles, 
extended  over  a  country  undulating  in  hill  and  valley,  and  present- 
ing, by  a  succession  of  natural  and  artificial  resources,  the  strongest 
and  most  impregnable  barrier  that  has  ever  been  presented  against 
the  advance  of  a  conquering  army. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

MICKEY   FREE'S  ADVENTURE. 

WHEN  I  returned  to  the  camp,  I  found  the  greatest  excite- 
ment prevailing  on  all  sides.  Each  day  brought  in  fresh 
rumors  that  Marmont  was  advancing  in  force;  that  sixty 
thousand  Frenchmen  were  in  full  march  upon  Ciudad  Rodrigo,  to 
raise  the  blockade,  and  renew  the  invasion  of  Portugal.  Intercepted 
letters  corroborated  these  reports;  and  the  Guerillas  who  joined  us 
spoke  of  large  convoys  which  they  had  seen  upon  the  roads  from 
Salamanca  and  Tamanes. 

Except  the  light  division,  which,  under  the  command  of  Craufurd, 
were  posted  upon  the  right  of  the  Aguada,  the  whole  of  our  army 
occupied  the  country  from  El  Bodon  to  Gallegos ;  the  fourth  division 
being  stationed  at  Fuente  Guenaldo,  where  some  entrenchments  had 
been  hastily  thrown  up. 

To  this  position  Lord  Wellington  resolved  upon  retreating,  as 
affording  points  of  greater  strength  and  more  capability  of  defence 
than  the  other  line  of  road,  which  led  by  Almeida  upon  the  Coa. 
Of  the  enemy's  intentions  we  were  not  long  to  remain  in  doubt ;  for 
on  the  morning  of  the  24th  a  strong  body  was  seen  descending  from 
the  pass  above  Ciudad  Rodrigo,  and  cautiously  reconnoitring  the 
banks  of  the  Aguada.  Far  in  the  distance  a  countless  train  of 
wagons,  bullock-cars,  and  loaded  mules  were  seen  winding  their 
slow  length  along,  accompanied  by  several  squadrons  of  dragoons. 

Their  progress  was  slow,  but  as  evening  fell  they  entered  the  gates 
of  the  fortress ;  and  the  cheering  of  the  garrison  mixing  with  the 
strains  of  martial  music,  faint  from  distance,  reached  us  where  we 
lay  upon  the  far-off  heights  of  El  Bodon.  So  long  as  the  light 
lasted,  we  could  perceive  fresh  troops  arriving ;  and  even  when  the 
darkness  came  on,  we  could  detect  the  position  of  the  reinforcing 
columns  by  the  bright  watch-fires  which  gleamed  along  the  plain. 

By  daybreak  we  were  under  arms,  anxiously  watching  for  the 
intentions  of  our  enemy,  which  soon  became  no  longer  dubious. 


MWKE  Y  FREE'S  AD  VENTURE.  577 

Twenty-five  squadrons  of  cavalry,  supported  by  a  whole  division  of 
infantry,  were  seen  to  defile  along  the  great  road  from  Ciudad 
Eodrigo  to  Guenaldo.  Another  column,  equally  numerous,  marched 
straight  upon  Espeja.  Nothing  could  be  more  beautiful,  nothing 
more  martial,  than  their  appearance.  Emerging  from  a  close 
mountain  gorge,  they  wound  along  the  narrow  road,  and  appeared 
upon  the  bridge  of  the  Aguada  just  as  the  morning  sun  was  burst- 
ing forth;  his  bright  beams  tipped  the  polished  cuirassiers  and 
their  glittering  equipments,  they  shone  in  their  panoply  like  the 
gay  troop  of  some  ancient  tournament.  The  lancers  of  Berg,  dis- 
tinguished by  their  scarlet  dolmans  and  gorgeous  trappings,  were 
followed  by  the  Cuirassiers  of  the  Guard,  who  again  were  succeeded 
by  the  chasseurs  a  cheval,  their  bright  steel  helmets  and  light  blue 
uniforms,  their  floating  plumes  and  dappled  chargers,  looking  the 
very  beau  id6al  of  light  horsemen  ;  behind,  the  dark  masses  of  the 
infantry  pressed  forward,  and  deployed  into  the  plain,  while,  bring- 
ing up  the  rear,  the  rolling  din,  like  distant  thunder,  announced  the 
"  dread  artillery." 

On  they  came,  the  seemingly  interminable  line  converging  on  to 
that  one  spot  upon  whose  summit  now  we  assembled  a  force  of 
scarcely  ten  thousand  bayonets. 

While  this  brilliant  panorama  was  passing  before  our  eyes,  we 
ourselves  were  not  idle.  Orders  had  been  sent  to  Picton  to  come 
up  from  the  left  with  his  division.  Alten's  cavalry  and  a  brigade  of 
artillery  were  sent  to  the  front,  and  every  preparation  which  the 
nature  of  the  ground  admitted  was  made  to  resist  the  advance  of 
the  enemy.  While  these  movements  on  either  side  occupied  some 
hours,  the  scene  was  every  moment  increasing  in  interest.  The 
large  body  of  cavalry  was  now  seen  forming  into  columns  of  attack. 
Nine  battalions  of  infantry  moved  up  to  their  support,  and,  forming 
into  columns,  echelons,  and  squares,  performed  before  us  all  the 
manoeuvres  of  a  review  with  the  most  admirable  precision  and 
rapidity ;  but  from  these  our  attention  was  soon  taken  by  a  brilliant 
display  upon  our  left.  Here,  emerging  from  the  wood  which  flanked 
the  Aguada,  were  now  to  be  seen  the  gorgeous  staff  of  Marmont 
himself.  Advancing  at  a  walk;  they  came  forward  amid  the  vivas 
of  the  assembled  thousands,  burning  with  ardor  and  thirsting  for 
victory.  For  a  moment,  as  I  looked,  I  could  detect  the  Marshal 
himself,  as,  holding  his  plumed  hat  above  his  head,  he  returned  the 
salute  of  a  lancer  regiment,  who  proudly  waved  their  banners  as  he 
passed ;  but,  hark !  what  are  those  clanging  sounds,  which|  rising 
high  above  the  rest,  seem  like  the  war-cry  of  a  warrior  ? 

"  I  can't  mistake  those  tones,"  said  a  bronzed  old  veteran  beside 
me ;  "  those  are  the  brass  bands  of  the  Imperial  Guard.  Can  Napo- 
37 


578  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

leon  be  there?  See !  there  they  come."  As  he  spoke,  the  head  of  a 
column  emerged  from  the  wood,  and,  deploying  as  they  came,  poured 
into  the  plain.  For  above  an  hour  that  mighty  tide  flowed  on,  and 
before  noon,  a  force  of  sixty  thousand  men  was  collected  in  the  space 
beneath  us. 

I  was  not  long  to  remain  an  unoccupied  spectator  of  this  brilliant 
display,  for  I  soon  received  orders  to  move  down  with  my  squadron 
to  the  support  of  the  11th  Light  Dragoons,  who  were  posted  at  the 
base  of  the  hill.  The  order  at  the  moment  was  anything  but  agree- 
able, for  I  was  mounted  upon  a  hack  pony,  on  which  I  had  ridden 
over  from  Craufurd's  division  early  in  the  morning,  and  suspecting 
that  there  might  be  some  hot  work  during  the  day,  had  ordered 
Mike  to  follow  with  my  horse.  There  was  no  time,  however,  for 
hesitation,  and  I  moved  my  men  down  the  slope  in  the  direction  of 
the  skirmishers. 

The  position  we  occupied  was  singularly  favorable.  Our  flanks 
being  defended  on  either  side  by  brushwood,  we  could  only  be 
assailed  in  front ;  and  here,  notwithstanding  our  vast  inferiority  of 
force,  we  steadily  awaited  the  attack.  As  I  rode  from  out  the  thick 
wood,  I  could  not  help  feeling  somewhat  surprised  at  the  sounds 
which  greeted  me.  Instead  of  the  usual  low  and  murmuring 
tones — the  muttered  sentences  which  precede  a  cavalry  advance — a 
roar  of  laughter  shook  the  entire  divison,  while  exclamations  burst 
from  every  side  around  me :  "Look  at  him  now  !"  "They  have  him  ! 
— by  Heavens,  they  have  him  !"  "  Well  done ! — well  done !"  "  How 
the  fellow  rides !"  "  He's  hit !— he's  hit !"  "  No,  no  !"  "  Is  he  down  !" 
"He's  down!" 

A  loud  cheer  rent  the  air  at  this  moment,  and  I  reached  the  front 
in  time  to  learn  the  reason,  of  all  this  excitement.  In  the  wide  plain 
before  me  a  horseman  was  seen,  having  passed  the  ford  of  the 
Aguada,  to  advance  at  the  top  of  his  speed  towards  the  British  lines. 
As  he  came  nearer,  it  was  perceived  that  he  was  accompanied  by  a 
led  horse,  and,  apparently  with  total  disregard  of  the  presence  of  an 
enemy,  rode  boldly  and  carelessly  forward.  Behind  him  rode  three 
lancers,  their  lances  couched,  their  horses  at  speed.  The  pace  was 
tremendous,  and  the  excitement  was  intense ;  for  sometimes,  as  the 
leading  horseman  of  the  pursuit  neared  the  fugitive,  he  would  bend 
suddenly  upon  the  saddle,  and,  swerving  to  the  right  or  the  left, 
totally  evade  him,  while  again,  at  others,  with  a  loud  cry  of  bold 
defiance,  rising  in  his  stirrups,  he  would  press  on,  and,  with  a  shake 
of  his  bridle  which  bespoke  the  jockey,  almost  distance  the  enemy. 
"  That  must  be  your  fellow,  O'Malley  ;  that  must  be  your  Irish 
groom,"  cried  a  brother  officer.  There  could  be  no  doubt  of  it.  It 
was  Mike  himself. 


MICKE Y  FREEyS  AD VEN T URE.  57 9 

"  I'll  be  hanged  if  he's  not  playing  with  them !"  said  Baker. 
f<  Look  at  the  villain  !  He's  holding  in  :  that's  more  than  the  French- 
men are  doing.  Look  !  look  at  the  fellow  on  the  gray  horse  !  he  has 
flung  his  trumpet  to  his  back,  and  drawn  his  sabre." 

A  loud  cheer  burst  from  the  French  lines  ;  the  trumpeter  was 
gaining  at  every  stride.  Mike  had  got  into  deep  ground,  and  the 
horses  would  not  keep  together.  "  Let  the  brown  horse  go ;  let  him 
go,  man  !"  shouted  the  dragoons,  while  I  re-echoed  the  cry  with  my 
utmost  might.  But  not  so.  Mike  held  firmly  on,  and,  spurring 
madly,  he  lifted  his  horse  at  each  stride,  turning  from  time  to 
time  a  glance  at  his  pursuer.  A  shout  of  triumph  rose  from  the 
French  side;  the  trumpeter  was  beside  him;  his  arm  was  uplifted; 
the  sabre  above  his  head.  A  yell  broke  from  the  British,  and  with 
difficulty  could  the  squadron  be  restrained.  For  above  a  minute  the 
horses  went  side  by  side,  but  the  Frenchman  delayed  his  stroke  until 
he  could  get  a  little  4n  the  front.  My  excitement  had  rendered  me 
speechless  ;  if  a  word  could  have  saved  my  poor  fellow,  I  could  not 
have  spoken.  A  mist  seemed  to  gather  across  my  eyes,  and  the 
whole  plain,  and  its  peopled  thousands,  danced  before  my  eyes. 

"  He's  down  !"  "  He's  down,  by  Heavens  !"  "  No  !  no  !  no !" 
"  Look  there — nobly  done !"  "  Gallant  fellow !"     "  He  has  him ! — he 

has  him,  by !"     A  cheer  that  rent  the  very  air  above  us  broke 

from  the  squadrons,  and  Mike  galloped  in  amongst  us,  holding  the 
Frenchman  by  the  throat  with  one  hand  ;  the  bridle  of  his  horse  he 
firmly  grasped  with  his  own  in  the  other. 
"  How  was  it?  how  did  he  do  it?"  cried  I. 

"  He  broke  his  sword-arm  with  a  blow,  and  the  Frenchman's 
sabre  fell  to  the  earth." 

"  Here  he  is,  Mister  Charles  ;  and,  musha,  but  it's  trouble  he  gave 
me  to  catch  him !  And  I  hope  your  honor  won't  be  displeased  with 
me  at  losing  the  brown  horse.  I  was  obliged  to  let  him  go  when 
the  thief  closed  on  me ;  but,  sure,  there  he  is !  May  I  never !  if  he's 
not  galloping  into  the  lines  by  himself."  As  he  spoke,  my  brown 
charger  came  cantering  up  to  the  squadrons,  and  took  his  place  in 
the  line  with  the  rest. 

I  had  scarcely  time  to  mount  my  horse,  amid  a  buzz  of  congratu- 
lations, when  our  squadron  was  ordered  to  the  front.  Mixed  up 
with  detachments  from  the  11th  and  16th,  we  continued  to  resist 
the  enemy  for  above  two  hours. 

Our  charges  were  quick,  sharp,  and  successive,  pouring  in  our 

numbers  whenever  the  enemy  appeared  for  a  moment  to  be  broken, 

and  then  retreating  under  cover  of  our  infantry  when  the  opposing 

cavalry  came  down  upon  us  in  overwhelming  numbers. 

Nothing  could  be  more  perfect  than  the  manner  in  which  the 


5S0  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

different  troops  relieved  each  other  during  this  part  of  the  day. 
When  the  French  squadrons  advanced,  ours  met  them  as  boldly. 
When  the  ground  became  no  longer  tenable,  we  broke  and  fell 
back,  and  the  bayonets  of  the  infantry  arrested  their  progress.  If 
the  cavalry  pressed  heavily  upon  the  squares,  ours  came  up  to  the 
relief,  and  as  they  were  beaten  back,  the  artillery  opened  upon  them 
with  an  avalanche  of  grape  shot. 

I  have  seen  many  battles  of  greater  duration,  and  more  important 
in  result, — many  there  have  been  in  which  more  tactic  was  dis- 
played, and  greater  combinations  called  forth;  but  never  did  I 
witness  a  more  desperate  hand-to-hand  conflict  than  on  the  heights 
of  El  Bodon. 

Baffled  by  our  resistance,  Montbrun  advanced  with  the  Cuirassiers 
of  the  Guard.  Eiding  down  our  advanced  squadrons,  they  poured 
upon  us  like  some  mighty  river,  overwhelming  all  before  it,  and 
charged,  cheering,  up  the  heights.  Our  brave  troopers  were  thrown 
back  upon  the  artillery,  and  many  of  them  cut  down  beside  the 
guns.  The  artillerymen  and  the  drivers  shared  the  same  fate,  and 
the  cannon  were  captured.  A  cheer  of  exultation  burst  from  the 
French,  and  their  vivas  rent  the  air.  Their  exultation  was  short-lived 
and  that  cheer  their  death-cry ;  for  the  5th  Foot,  who  had  hitherto 
lain  concealed  in  the  grass,  sprang  madly  to  their  feet,  their  gallant 
Major  Ridge  at  their  head.  With  a  yell  of  vengeance  they  rushed 
upon  the  foe ;  the  glistening  bayonets  glanced  amid  the  cavalry  of 
the  French ;  the  troops  pressed  hotly  home ;  and  while  the  cuiras- 
siers were  driven  down  the  hill,  the  guns  were  recaptured,  limbered 
up,  and  brought  away.  This  brilliant  charge  was  the  first  recorded 
instance  of  cavalry  being  assailed  by  infantry  in  line. 

But  the  hill  could  no  longer  be  held.  The  French  were  advancing 
on  either  flank  ;  overwhelming  numbers  pressed  upon  the  front,  and 
retreat  was  unavoidable.  The  cavalry  were  ordered  to  the  rear,  and 
Picton's  division,  throwing  themselves  into  squares,  covered  the  re- 
treating movement. 

The  French  dragoons  bore  down  upon  every  face  of  those  devoted 
battalions ;  the  shouts  of  triumph  cheered  them  as  the  earth  trembled 
beneath  their  charge ;  but  the  British  infantry,  reserving  their  fire 
until  the  sabres  clanked  with  the  bayonet,  poured  in  a  shattering 
volley,  and  the  cry  of  the  wounded  and  the  groans  of  the  dying  rose 
from  the  smoke  around  them. 

Again  and  again  the  French  came  on ;  and  the  same  fate  ever 
awaited  them.  The  only  movement  in  the  British  squares  was 
closing  up  the  spaces  as  their  comrades  fell  or  sank  wounded  to  the 
earth. 

At  last  reinforcements  came  up  from  the  left :  the  whole  retreated 


THE  SAN  PETRO.  581 

across  the  plain,  until,  as  they  approached  Guenaldo,  our  cavalry, 
having  re-formed,  came  to  their  aid  with  one  crushing  charge,  which 
closed  the  day. 

That  same  night  Lord  Wellington  fell  back,  and,  concentrating 
his  troops  within  a  narrow  loop  of  land  bounded  on  either  flank  by 
the  Coa,  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  light  division,  which  joined  us 
at  three  in  the  morning. 

The  following  day  Marmont  again  made  a  demonstration  of  his 
force,  but  no  attack  followed.  The  position  was  too  formidable  to 
be  easily  assailed,  and  the  experience  of  the  preceding  day  had 
taught  him  that,  however  inferior  in  number,  the  troops  he  was 
opposed  to  were  as  valiant  as  they  were  ably  commanded. 

Soon  after  this,  Marmont  retired  on  the  valley  of  the  Tagus. 
Dorsenne  also  fell  back,  and,  for  the  present,  at  least,  no  further 
effort  was  made  to  prosecute  the  invasion  of  Portugal. 


CHAPTEK    XXXIV. 

THE  SAN  PETKO. 

NOT  badly  wounded,  O'Malley,  I  hope?"  said  General  Crau- 
furd,  as  I  waited  upon  him  soon  after  the  action. 
I  could  not  help  starting  at  the  question,  while  he  repeated 
it,  pointing  at  the  same  time  to  my  left  shoulder,  from  which  a 
stream  of  blood  was  now  flowing  down  my  coat  sleeve. 

"  I  never  noticed  it,  sir,  till  this  moment ;  it  can't  be  of  much  con- 
sequence, for  I  have  been  on  horseback  the  entire  day,  and  never 
felt  it." 

"Look  to  it  at  once  boy;  a  man  wants  all  his  blood  for  this 
campaign.  Go  to  your  quarters;  I  shall  not  need  you  for  the 
present,  so  pray  see  the  Doctor  at  once." 

As  I  left  the  General's  quarters,  I  began  to  feel  sensible  of  pain, 
and  before  a  quarter  of  an  hour  had  elapsed,  had  quite  convinced 
myself  that  my  wound  was  a  severe  one.  The  hand  and  arm  were 
swollen,  heavy  and  distended  with  hemorrhage  beneath  the  skin  ; 
my  thirst  became  great,  and  a  cold  shuddering  sensation  passed  over 
me  from  time  to  time. 

I  sat  down  for  a  moment  upon  the  grass,  and  was  just  reflecting 
within  myself  what  course  I  should  pursue,  when  I  heard  the  tramp 
of  feet  approaching.     I  looked  up,  and  perceived  some  soldiers  in 


582  CHARLES  0}M ALLEY. 

fatigue  dresses,  followed  by  a  few  others,  who,  from  their  noiseless 
gestures  and  sad  countenances,  I  guessed  were  carrying  some 
wounded  comrade  to  the  rear. 

"  Who  is  it,  boys  ?"  cried  I. 

"  It's  the  Major,  sir ;  the  Lord  be  good  to  him !"  said  a  hardy-look- 
ing 88th  man,  wiping  his  eye  with  the  cuff  of  his  coat  as  he  spoke. 

"Not  your  Major? — not  Major  O'Shaughnessy ?"  said  I,  jumping 
up  and  rushing  forward  towards  the  litter.  Alas  !  too  true — it  was 
the  gallant  fellow  himself;  there  he  lay,  pale  and  cold,  his  bloodless 
cheek  and  parted  lips  looking  like  death  itself.  .  A  thin  blue  rivulet 
trickled  from  his  forehead,  but  his  most  serious  wound  appeared  to 
be  in  his  side ;  his  coat  was  open,  and  showed  a  mass  of  congealed 
and  clotted  blood,  from  the  midst  of  which  with  every  motion  of  the 
way,  a  fresh  stream  kept  welling  upward.  Whether  from  the  shock 
or  my  loss  of  blood,  or  from  both  together,  I  know  not,  but  I  sank 
fainting  to  the  ground. 

It  would  have  needed  a  clearer  brain  and  a  cooler  judgment  than 
I  possessed  to  have  conjectured  where  I  was  and  what  had  occurred 
to  me  when  I  next  recovered'  my  senses.  Weak,  fevered,  and  with 
a  burning  thirst,  I  lay,  unable  to  move,  and  could  merely  perceive 
the  objects  which  lay  within  the  reach  of  my  vision.  The  place 
was  cold,  calm,  and  still  as  the  grave.  A  lamp,  which  hung  high 
above  my  head,  threw  a  faint  light  around,  and  showed  me  within  a 
niche  of  the  opposite  wall  the  figure  of  a  gorgeously-dressed  female. 
She  appeared  to  be  standing  motionless,  but  as  the  pale  light  flick- 
ered upon  her  features,  I  thought  I  could  detect  the  semblance  of 
a  smile.  The  splendor  of  her  costume,  and  the  glittering  gems 
which  shone  upon  her  spotless  robe,  gleamed  through  the  darkness 
with  an  almost  supernatural  brilliancy,  and  so  beautiful  did  she 
look,  so  calm  her  pale  features,  that  as  I  opened  and  shut  my  eyes 
and  rubbed  my  lids,  I  scarcely  dared  to  trust  my  erring  senses,  and 
believe  it  could  be  real.  What  could  it  mean  ?  Whence  this  silence 
— this  cold  sense  of  awe  and  reverence?  Was  it  a  dream  ?  was  it  the 
fitful  vision  of  a  disordered  intellect?  Could  it  be  death?  My 
eyes  were  riveted  upon  that  beautiful  figure.  I  essayed  to  speak, 
but  could  not.  I  would  have  beckoned  her  towards  me,  but  my 
hands  refused  their  office.  I  felt  I  knew  not  what  charm  she  pos- 
sessed to  calm  my  throbbing  brain  and  burning  heart!  but  as  I 
turned  from  the  gloom  and  darkness  around  to  gaze  upon  her  fair 
brow  and  unmoved  features,  I  felt  like  the  prisoner  who  turns  from 
the  cheerless  desolation  of  his  cell,  and  looks  upon  the  fair  world 
and  the  smiling  valleys  lying  sunlit  and  shadowed  before  him. 

Sleep  at  length  came  over  me.     When  I  awoke,  the  day  seemed 


THE  SAN  PETRO.  583 

breaking,  for  a  faint  gray  tint  stole  through  a  stained-glass  win- 
dow, and  fell  in  many-colored  patches  upon  the  pavement.  A 
low  muttering  sound  attracted  me.  I  listened — it  was  Mike's  voice. 
With  difficulty  raising  myself  upon  one  arm,  I  endeavored  to  see  more 
around  me.  Scarcely  had  I  assumed  this  position,  when  my  eyes 
once  more  fell  upon  the  white-clad  figure  of  the  preceding  night. 
At  her  feet  knelt  Mike,  his  hands  clasped,  and  his  head  bowed  upon 
his  bosom.  Shall  I  confess  my  surprise — my  disappointment !  It 
was  no  other  than  an  image  of  the  blessed  Virgin,  decked  out  in  all 
the  gorgeous  splendor  which  Catholic  piety  bestows  upon  her  saints. 
The  features,  which  the  imperfect  light  and  my  more  imperfect 
faculties  had  endowed  with  an  expression  of  calm  angelic  beauty, 
were,  to  my  waking  senses,  but  the  cold  and  barren  mockery  of  love- 
liness. The  eyes,  which  my  excited  brain  gifted  with  looks  of  tender- 
ness and  pity,  stared  with  no  speculation  in  them ;  yet,  contrasting 
my  feelings  of  the  night  before,  full  as  they  were  of  their  deceptions, 
with  my  now  waking  thoughts,  I  longed  once  more  for  that  delusion 
which  threw  a  dreamy  pleasure  over  me,  and  subdued  the  stormy 
passions  of  my  soul  into  rest  and  repose. 

"  Who  knows,"  thought  I,  "  but  he  who  kneels  yonder  feels  now 
as  I  did  then  ?  Who  can  tell  how  little  the  cold,  unmeaning  reality 
before  him  resembles  the  spiritualized  creation  the  fervor  of  his 
love  and  the  ardor  of  his  devotion  may  have  placed  upon  that  altar? 
Who  can  limit  or  bound  the  depth  of  that  adoration  for  an  object 
whose  attributes  appeal  not  only  to  every  sentiment  of  the  heart, 
but  also  to  every  sense  of  the  brain  ?  I  fancy  that  I  can  picture  to 
myself  how  these  tinselled  relics,  these  tasteless  wax-works,  changed 
by  the  magic  of  devotion  and  of  dread,  became  to  the  humble  wor- 
shipper images  of  loveliness  and  beauty.  The  dim  religious  light  ; 
the  reverberating  footsteps  echoed  along  those  solemn  aisles;  the 
vaulted  arches,  into  whose  misty  heights  the  sacred  incense  floats 
upward,  while  the  deep  organ  is  pealing  its  notes  of  praise  or 
prayer, — these  are  no  slight  accessories  to  all  the  pomp  and 
grandeur  of  a  church  whose  forms  and  ceremonial,  unchanged  for 
ages,  and  hallowed  by  a  thousand  associations,  appeal  to  the  mind 
of  the  humblest  peasant  or  the  proudest  noble,  by  all  the  weak- 
nesses as  by  all  the  more  favored  features  of  our  nature." 

How  long  I  might  have  continued  to  meditate  in  this  strain  I 
know  not,  but  a  muttered  observation  from  Mike  turned  the  whole 
current  of  my  thoughts.  His  devotions  over,  he  had  seated  himself 
upon  the  steps  of  the  altar,  and  appeared  to  be  resolving  some 
doubts  within  himself  concerning  his  late  pious  duties. 

"  Masses  is  dearer  here  than  in  Galway.  Father  Bush  would  be 
well  pleased  at  two-and-sixpence  for  what  I  paid  three  doubloons 


584  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

for  this  morning.  And  sure  it's  droll  enough.  How  expensive  an 
amusement  it  is  to  kill  the  French.  Here's  half  a  dollar  I  gave  for 
the  soul  of  a  cuirassier  that  I  kilt  yesterday,  and  nearly  twice  as 
much  for  an  artilleryman  I  cut  down  at  the  guns  ;  and  because  the 
villain  swore  like  a  haythen,  Father  Pedro  told  me  he'd  cost  more 
nor  if  he  had  died  like  a  dacent  man." 

At  these  words  he  turned  suddenly  round  towards  the  Virgin,  and 
crossing  himself  devoutly,  added, 

"  And  sure  it's  yourself  knows  if  it's  fair  to  make  me  pay  for 
devils  that  don't  know  their  duties ;  and,  after  all,  if  you  don't 
understand  English  nor  Irish,  I've  been  wasting  my  time  here  this 
two  hours." 

"I  say,  Mike,  how's  the  Major?    How's  Major  O'Shaughnessy  ?" 

"  Charmingly,  sir.  It  was  only  the  loss  of  blood  that  ailed  him. 
A  thief  with  a  pike — one  of  the  chaps  they  call  Poles,  bekase  of  the 
long  sticks  they  carry  with  them — stuck  the  Major  in  the  ribs  ;  but 
Doctor  Quill — God  reward  him  ! — he's  a  great  doctor,  and  a  funny 
divil  too  ;  he  cured  him  in  no  time." 

"  And  where  is  he  now,  Mike  ?" 

"Just  convanient,  in  a  small  chapel  off  the  sacristy;  and  throuble 
enough  we  have  "to  keep  him  quiet.  He  gave  up  the  wnfusion  of 
roses,  and  took  to  punch;  and  faith,  it  isn't  hymns  nor  paslams 
[psalms]  he's  singing  all  night.  And  they  had  me  there,  mixing 
materials  and  singing  songs,  till  I  heard  the  bell  for  matins ;  and 
what  between  the  punch  and  the  prayers,  I  never  closed  my  eyes." 

"What  do  they  call  this  convent?"  « 

"  It  is  a  hard  word,  I  misremember.  It's  something  like  saltpetre. 
But  how's  your  honor?  it's  time  to  ask." 

"  Much  better,  Mike — much  better.  But,  as  I  see  that  either  your 
drink  or  your  devotion  seems  to  have  affected  your  nerves,  you'd 
better  lie  down  for  an  hour  or  two.     I  shall  not  want  you." 

"  That's  just  what  I  can't ;  for  you  see  I'm  making  a  song  for  this 
evening.  The  Rangers  has  a  little  supper,  and  I'm  to  be  there; 
and  though  I've  made  one,  I'm  not  sure  it'll  do.  Maybe  your 
honor  would  give  me  your  opinion  about  it  ?" 

"With  all  my  heart,  Mike:  let's  hear  it." 

"  Arrah  !  is  it  here,  before  the  Virgin  and  the  two  blessed  saints 
that's  up  there  in  the  glass  cases  ?  But,  sure,  when  they  make  an 
hospital  of  the  place,  and  after  the  Major's  songs  last  night " 

"  Exactly  so,  Mike :  out  with  it." 

"Well,  ma'am,"  said  he,  turning  towards  the  Virgin,  "as  I  sus- 
pect you  don't  know  English,  maybe  you'll  think  it's  my  offices  I'm 
singing.  So,  saving  your  favor,  here  it  is.  It  is  to  the  air  of 
'Arrah,  Catty,  now  can't  you  be  aisy?' 


THE  SAN  PETRO.  585 

MR.  FREE'S  SONG. 

"  Oh  what  stories  I'll  tell  when  my  sodgering's  o'er, 

And  the  gallant  Fourteenth  is  disbanded, 
Not  a  drill  nor  parade  will  I  hear  of  no  more, 

When  safely  in  Ireland  landed. 
With  the  blood  that  I  spilt— the  Frenchmen  I  kilt, 

I'll  drive  the  young  girls  half  crazy ; 
And  some  'cute  one  will  cry,  with  a  wink  of  her  eye, 

'Mister  Free,  now, — why  can't  you  be  aisy?' 

"  I'll  tell  how  we  routed  the  squadrons  in  fight, 

And  destroyed  them  all  at '  Talavera,' 
And  then  I'll  just  add  how  we  finished  the  night, 

In  learning  to  dance  the  '  bolera ;' 
How  by  the  moonshine  we  drank  rale  wine, 

And  rose  next  day  fresh  as  a  daisy ; 
Then  some  one  will  cry,  with  a  look  mighty  sly, 

'Arrah,  Mickey, — now  can't  you  be  aisy  ?' 

"  I'll  tell  how  the  nights  with  Sir  Arthur  we  spent, 

Around  a  big  fire  in  the  air  too, 
Or  maybe  enjoying  ourselves  in  a  tent, 

Exactly  like  Donnybrook  fair  too. 
How  he'd  call  out  to  me — '  Pass  the  wine,  Mr.  Free, 

For  you're  a  man  never  is  lazy !' 
Then  some  one  will  cry,  with  a  wink  of  her  eye, 

'Arrah,  Mickey,  dear, — can't  you  be  aisy  ?' 

"  I'll  tell,  too,  the  long  years  in  fighting  we  passed, 

Till  Mounseer  asked  Bony  to  lead  him ; 
And  Sir  Arthur,  grown  tired  of  glory  at  last, 

Begged  of  one  Mickey  Free  to  succeed  him. 
'But,  acushla,'  says  I,  'the  truth  is  I'm  shy ! 

There's  a  lady  in  Ballymacrazy ! 
And  I  swore  on  the  book '  He  gave  me  a  look, 

And  cried,  '  Mickey, — now  can't  you  be  aisy  ?' " 

"Arrah!  Mickey,  now  can't  you  be  aisy?"  sang  out  a  voice  in 
chorus,  and  the  next  moment  Dr.  Quill  himself  made  his  appear- 
ance. 

"  Well,  O'Malley,  is  it  a  penitential  psalm  you're  singing,  or  is 
my  friend  Mike  endeavoring  to  raise  your  spirits  with  a  Galway 
sonata?" 

"  A  little  bit  of  his  own  muse,  Doctor,  nothing  more.  But,  tell 
me,  how  goes  it  with  the  Major — is  the  poor  fellow  out  of  danger?" 

"  Except  from  the  excess  of  his  appetite,  I  know  of  no  risk  he 
runs.  His  servant  is  making  gruel  for  him  all  day  in  a  thing  like 
the  grog-tub  of  a  frigate.  But  you've  heard  the  news — Sparks  has 
been  exchanged;  he  came  here  last  night;  but  the  moment  he 
caught  sight  of  me,  he  took  his  departure.  Begad !  I'm  sure  he'd 
rather  pass  a  month  in  Verdun  than  a  week  in  my  company." 

"  By  the  bye,  Doctor,  you  never  told  me  how  this  same  antipathy 
of  Sparks  for  you  had  its  origin." 


586  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  Sure  I  drove  him  out  of  the  10th,  before  he  was  three  weeks 
with  the  regiment." 

"  Ay,  I  remember ;  you  began  the  story  for  me  one  night  on  the 
retreat  from  the  Coa,  but  something  happened  to  break  it  off  in  the 
middle." 

"  Just  so  ;  I  was  sent  for  to  the  rear  to  take  off  some  gentlemen's 
legs  that  weren't  in  dancing  condition;  but  as  there's  no  fear  of 
interruption  now,  I'll  finish  the  story.  But  first  let  us  have  a  peep 
at  the  wounded.  What  beautiful  anatomists  they  are  in  the  French 
artillery  I  Do  you  feel  the  thing  I  have  now  in  my  forceps? — there, 
don't  jump — that's  a  bit  of  the  brachial  nerve,  most  beautifully  dis- 
played ;  faith,  I  think  I'll  give  Mike  a  demonstration." 

"  Oh  !  Mister  Quill,  dear !  Oh  !  Doctor  darling ! " 

"Arrah!  Mickey,  now  can't  you  be  aisy?"  sang  out  Maurice,  with 
a  perfect  imitation  of  Mike's  voice  and  manner. 

"A  little  lint  here — bend  your  arm — that's  it — don't  move  your 
fingers.  Now,  Mickey,  make  me  a  cup  of  coffee  with  a  glass  of 
brandy  in  it.  And  now,  Charley,  for  Sparks.  I  believe  I  told  you 
what  kind  of  fellows  the  10th  were — regular  out-and-outers ;  we 
hadn't  three  men  in  the  regiment  that  were  not  from  the  south  of 
Ireland — the  bocca  Corkana  on  their  lips,  fun  and  devilment  in  their 
eyes,  and  more  drollery  and  humbug  in  their  hearts  than  in  all  the 
messes  in  the  service  put  together.  No  man  had  any  chance  among 
them  if  he  wasn't  a  real  droll  one ;  every  man  wrote  his  own  songs, 
and  sang  them  too ;  it  was  no  small  promotion  could  tempt  a  fellow 
to  exchange  out  of  the  corps.  You  may  think,  then,  what  a  prize 
your  friend  Sparks  proved  to  us ;  we  held  a  court-martial  upon  him 
the  week  after  he  joined ;  it  was  proved  in  evidence  that  he  had 
never  said  a  good  thing  in  his  life,  and  had  about  as  much  notion 
of  a  joke  as  a  Cherokee  has  of  the  Court  of  Chancery ;  and  as  to 
singing,  Lord  bless  you !  he  had  a  tune  with  wooden  turns  to  it,  it 
was  most  cruel  to  hear ;  and  then  the  look  of  him — those  eyes,  like 
dropsical  oysters,  and  the  hair  standing  every  way,  like  a  field  of 
insane  flax,  and  the  mouth,  with  a  curl  in  it  like  the  slit  in  the  side 
of  a  fiddle.  A  pleasant  fellow  that  for  a  mess  that  always  boasted 
the  best-looking  chaps  in  the  service. 

"  '  What's  to  be  done  with  him  ?'  said  the  Major ;  '  shall  we  tell^ 
him  we  are  ordered  to  India,  and  terrify  him  about  his  liver?' 

"  '  Or  drill  him  into  a  hectic  fever?' 

"  '  Or  drink  him  dry  V 

"•'Or  get  him  into  a  fight,  and  wing  him?' 

"  '  Oh,  no,'  said  I,  f  leave  him  to  me  ;  we'll  laugh  him  out  of  the 
corps.' 

" '  Yos,  we'll  leave  him  to  you,  Maurice,'  said  the  rest. 


THE  SAN  PETRO.  587 

"And  that  day  week  you  might  read  in  the  Gazette,  'Pierce  Flynn 
O'Haygerty,  to  be  Ensign,  10th  Foot,  vice  Sparks,  exchanged.' " 

"But  how  was  it  done,  Maurice?     You  haven't  told  me  that." 

"  Nothing  easier.  I  affected  great  intimacy  with  Sparks  ;  bemoaned 
our  hard  fate,  mutually,  in  being  attached  to  such  a  regiment.  'A 
d —  corps  this — low,  vulgar  fellows — practical  jokes — not  the  kind 
of  thing  one  expects  in  the  army.  But  as  for  me,  I've  joined  it 
partly  from  necessity.  You,  however,  who  might  be  in  a  crack 
regiment,  I  can't  conceive  your  remaining  in  it.' 

"  '  But  why  did  you  join,  Doctor?'  said  he ;  'what  necessity  could 
have  induced  you  ?' 

"  •  Ah !  my  friend,'  said  I,  '■  that  is  the  secret — that  is  the  hidden 
grief  that  must  lie  buried  in  my  own  bosom.' 

"  I  saw  that  his  curiosity  was  excited,  and  took  every  means  to 
increase  it  further.  At  length,  as  if  yielding  to  a  sudden  impulse 
of  friendship,  and  having  sworn  him  to  secrecy,  I  took  him  aside, 
and  began  thus : 

" '  I  may  trust  you,  Sparks, — I  feel  I  may ;  and  when  I  tell  you 
that  my  honor,  my  reputation,  my  whole  fortune  is  at  stake,  you 
will  judge  of  the  importance  of  the  trust.' 

"  The  goggle  eyes  rolled  fearfully,  and  his  features  exhibited  the 
most  craving  anxiety  to  hear  my  story. 

"  '  You  wish  to  know  why  I  left  the  56th.  Now,  I'll  tell  you ;  but 
mind,  you're  pledged,  you're  sworn,  never  to  divulge  it.' 

" '  Honor  bright.' 

" '  There,  that's  enough  ;  I'm  satisfied.  It  was  a  slight  infraction 
of  the  articles  of  war  ;  a  little  breach  of  the  rules  and  regulations  of 
the  service  ;  a  trifling  misconception  of  the  mess-code :  they  caught 
me  one  evening  leaving  the  mess  with — what  do  you  think  in  my 
pocket  ?  But  you'll  never  tell !  no,  no,  I  know  you'll  not — eight 
forks  and  a  gravy-spoon ;  silver  forks  every  one  of  them.  There 
now/  said  I,  grasping  his  hand,  'you  have. my  secret;  my  fame  and 
character  are  in  your  hands  ;  for,  you  see,  they  made  me  quit  the 
regiment — a  man  can't  stay  in  a  corps  where  he  is  laughed  at.' 

"  Covering  my  face  with  my  handkerchief,  as  if  .to  conceal  my 
shame,  I  turned  away,  and  left  Sparks  to  his  meditations.  That 
same  evening  we  happened  to  have  some  strangers  at  mess;  the 
bottle  was  passing  freely  round,  and  as  usual,  the  good  spirits  of  the 
party  at  the  top  of  their  bent,  when  suddenly,  from  the  lower  end  of 
the  table,  a  voice  was  heard  demanding,  in  tones  of  the  most  pomp- 
ous" importance,  permission  to  address  the  president  upon  a  topic 
where  the  honor  of  the  whole  regiment  was  concerned. 

"'I  rise,  gentlemen,'  said  Mr.  Sparks,  'with  feelings  the  most 
painful.     Whatever  may  have  been  the  laxity  of  habit  and  freedom 


588  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

of  conversation  habitual  in  this  regiment,  I  never  believed  that  so 
flagrant  an  instance  as  this  morning  came  to  my  ears } 

"  '  Oh,  murder  V  said  I.  '  Oh,  Sparks,  darling !  sure  you're  not 
going  to  tell  ?' 

111  Doctor  Quill,'  replied  he,  in  an  austere  tone,  'if  is  impossible 
for  me  to  conceal  it.' 

"  '  Oh,  Sparks,  dear!  will  you  betray  me?' 

"I  gave  him  here  a  look  of  the  most  imploring  entreaty,  to  which 
he  replied  by  one  of  unflinching  sternness. 

" ' I  have  made  up  my  mind,  sir,'  continued  he ;  'it  is  possible 
the  officers  of  this  corps  may  look  more  leniently  than  I  do  upon 
this  transaction  ;  but  know  it  they  shall.' 

" '  Out  with  it,  Sparks — tell  it  by  all  means  !'  cried  a  number  of 
voices ;  for  it  was  clear  to  every  one  by  this  time  that  he  was  in- 
volved in  a  hoax. 

"Amid,  therefore,  a  confused  volley  of  entreaty  on  the  one  side, 
and  my  reiterated  prayers  for  his  silence  on  the  other,  Sparks  thus 
began  : 

"  'Are  you  aware,  gentlemen,  why  Dr.  Quill  left  the  56th  V 

" '  No,  no,  no  !'  rang  from  all  sides  ;  '  let's  have  it.' 

"  '  No,  sir !'  said  he,  turning  towards  me,  '  concealment  is  impos- 
sible ;  an  officer  detected  with  the  mess-plate  in  his  pocket ' 

"  They  never  let  him  finish,  for  a  roar  of  laughter  shook  the  table 
from  one  end  to  the  other  ;  while  Sparks,  horror-struck  at  the  lack 
of  feeling  and  propriety  that  could  make  men  treat  such  a  matter 
with  ridicule,  glared  around  him  on  every  side. 

" '  Oh !  Maurice,  Maurice,'  cried  the  Major,  wiping  his  eyes,  'this 
is  too  bad — this  is  too  bad !' 

" '  Gracious  Heaven !'  screamed  Sparks,  f  can  you  laugh  at  it?' 

" '  Laugh  at  it  ?'  re-echoed  the  Paymaster,  ■  God  grant  I  only  don't 
burst  a  blood-vessel !'  And  once  more  the  sounds  of  merriment 
rang  out  anew,  and  lasted  for  several  minutes. 

" '  Oh !  Maurice  Quill/  cried  an  old  captain,  '  you've  been  too 
heavy  on  the  lad.     Why,  Sparks,  man,  he's  been  humbugging  you.' 

"  Scarcely  were  the  words  spoken  when  he  sprang  from  the  room ; 
the  whole  truth  flashed  at  once  upon  his  mind ;  in  an  instant  he 
saw  that  he  had  exposed  himself  to  the  merciless  ridicule  of  a 
mess-table,  and  that  all  peace  for  him,  in  that  regiment  at  least,  was 
over. 

"We  got  a  glorious  fellow  in  exchange  for  him;  and  Sparks  de- 
scended into  a  cavalry  regiment — I  ask  your  pardon,  Charley — 
where,  as  you  are  well  aware,  sharp  wit  and  quick  intellect  are  by 
no  means  indispensable.  There,  now,  don't  be  angry,  or  you'll  do 
yourself  harm.    So  good-bye,  for  an  hour  or  two." 


THE  COUNT'S  LETTER.  589 


CHAPTEE    XXXV. 

THE  COUNT'S   LETTER. 

O'SHATJGHNESSY'S  wound,  like  my  own,  was  happily  only 
formidable  from  the  loss  of  blood.  The  sabre  or  the  lance 
is  rarely,  indeed,  so  death-dealing  as  the  musket  or  the  bay- 
onet ;  and  the  murderous  fire  from  a  square  of  infantry  is  far  more 
terrific  in  its  consequences  than  the  heaviest  charge  of  a  cavalry 
column.  In  a  few  weeks,  therefore,  we  were  once  more  about,  and 
fit  for  duty ;  but,  for  the  present,  the  campaign  was  ended.  The 
rainy  season,  with  attendant  train  of  sickness  and  sorrow,  set  in  ; 
the  troops  were  cantoned  along  the  line  of  the  frontier,  the  infantry 
occupying  the  villages,  and  the  cavalry  being  stationed  wherever 
forage  could  be  obtained. 

The  14th  were  posted  at  Avintas,  but  I  saw  little  of  them.  I  was 
continually  employed  upon  the  staff;  and  as  General  Craufurd's 
activity  suffered  no  diminution  from  the  interruption  of  the  cam- 
paign, I  rarely  passed  a  day  without  eight  or  nine  hours  on  horse- 
back. 

The  preparations  for  the  siege  of  Ciudad  Kodrigo  occupied  our 
undivided  attention.  To  the  reduction  of  this  fortress  and  of  Bad- 
ajos  Lord  Wellington  looked  as  the  most  important  objects,  and 
prosecuted  his  plans  with  unremitting  zeal.  To  my  staff  appoint- 
ment I  owed  the  opportunity  of  witnessing  that  stupendous  feature 
of  war — a  siege ;  and  as  many  of  my  friends  formed  part  of  the 
blockading  force,  I  spent  more  than  one  night  in  the  trenches. 
Indeed,  except  for  this,  the  tiresome  monotony  of  life  was  most 
irksome  at  this  period.  Day  after  day  the  incessant  rain  poured 
down ;  the  supplies  were  bad,  scanty,  and  irregular ;  the  hospitals 
crowded  with  sick ;  field-sports  impracticable ;  books  there  were 
none ;  and  a  dullness  and  spiritless  depression  prevailed  on  every 
side.  Those  who  were  actively  engaged  around  Ciud?id  Eodrigo 
had,  of  course,  the  excitement  and  interest  which  the  enterprise 
involved ;  but  even  there  the  works  made  slow  progress ;  the  breach- 
ing artillery  was  defective  in  every  way ;  the  rain  undermined  the 
faces  of  the  bastions;  the  clayey  soil  sank  beneath  the  weight  of  the 
heavy  guns ;  and  the  storms  of  one  night  frequently  destroyed  more 
than  a  whole  week's  labor  had  effected. 

Thus  passed  the  dreary  months  along;  the  cheeriest  and  gayest 
amongst  us  were  broken  in  spirits  and  subdued  in  heart  by  the 
tedium  of  our  life.  The  very  news  which  reached  us  partook  of  the 
gloomy  features  of  our  prospects ;  we  heard  only  of  strong  reinforce- 
ments marching  to  the  support  of  the  French  in  Estramadura ;  we 


590  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

were  told  that  the  Emperor,  whose  successes  in  Germany  enabled 
him  to  turn  his  active  attention  to  the  Spanish  campaign,  would 
himself  be  present  in  the  coming  spring,  with  overwhelming  odds, 
and  a  firm  determination  to  drive  us  from  the  Peninsula. 

In  that  frame  of  mind  which  such  gloomy  and  depressing  pros- 
pects are  well  calculated  to  suggest,  I  was  returning  one  night  to 
my  quarters  at  Mucia,  when  suddenly  I  beheld  Mike  galloping 
towards  me  with  a  large  packet  in  his  hand,  which  he  held  aloft  to 
catch  my  attention.  "Letters  from  England,  sir,"  said  he,  "just 
arrived  with  the  General's  despatches."  I  broke  the  envelope  at 
once,  which  bore  the  War-office  seal,  and  as  I  did  so,  a  perfect 
avalanche  of  letters  fell  at  my  feet.  The  first  which  caught  my  eye 
was  an  official  intimation  from  the  Horse  Guards,  that  the  Prince 
Eegent  had  been  graciously  pleased  to  confirm  my  promotion  to  the 
troop,  my  commission  to  bear  date  from  the  appointment,  &c,  &c. 
I  could  not  help  feeling  struck,  as  my  eye  ran  rapidly  across  the 
lines,  that  although  the  letter  came  from  Sir  George  Dashwood's 
office,  it  Contained  not  a  word  of  congratulation  nor  remembrance 
on  his  part,  but  was  couched  in  the  usual  cold  and  formal  language 
of  an  official  document.  Impatient,  however,  to  look  over  my  other 
letters,  I  thought  but  little  of  this  ;  so,  throwing  them  hurriedly  into 
my  sabretasche,  I  cantered  on  to  my  quarters  without  delay.  Once 
more  alone  in  silence,  I  sat  down  to  commune  with  my  far-off 
friends,  and  yet,  with  all  my  anxiety  to  hear  of  home,  passed  several 
minutes  in  turning  over  the  letters,  guessing  from  whom  they  might 
have  come,  and  picturing  to  myself  their  probable  contents.  "Ah  I 
Frank  Webber,  I  recognize  your  slap-dash,  bold  hand  without  the 
aid  of  the  initials  in  the  corner  ;  and  this — what  can  this  be? — this 
queer,  misshapen  thing,  representing  nothing  but  the  forty-seventh 
proposition  of  Euclid,  and  the  address  seemingly  put  on  with  a  cat's 
tail  dipped  in  lampblack  ?  Yes  !  true  enough,  it  is  from  Mr.  Free 
himself,  ^.nd  what  have  we  here  ?  This  queer,  quaint  hand  is  no 
new  acquaintance ;  how  many  a  time  have  I  looked  upon  it  as  the 
ne  plus  ultra  of  caligraphy !  But  here  is  one  I'm  not  so  sure  of:  who 
could  have  written  this  bolt-upright,  old-fashioned  superscription, 
not  a  letter  of  which  seems  on  speaking  terms  with  its  neighbor? — • 
the  very  0  absolutely  turns  its  back  upon  the  M  in  O'Malley,  and 
the  final  Y  wags  his  tail  with  a  kind  of  independent  shake,  as  if  he 
did  not  care  a  curse  for  his  predecessors  !  And  the  seal,  too — surely 
I  know  that  griffin's  head,  and  that  stern  motto,  'Non  rogo  sed  capio.' 
To  be  sure,  it  is  Billy  Considine's,  the  Count  himself.  The  very 
paper,  yellow  and  time-stained,  looks  coeval  with  his  youth,  and  I 
could  even  venture  to  wager  that  his  sturdy  pen  was  nibbed  half  a 
century  since.     I'll  not  look  further  among  the  confused  mass  of 


THE  COUNT'S  LETTER.  591 

three-cornered  billets,  and  long,  treacherous-looking  epistles,  the 
very  folding  of  which  denote  the  dun.  Here  goes  for  the  Count I" 
So  saying  to  myself,  I  drew  closer  to  the  fire,  and  began  the  follow- 
ing epistle : 

"  O'Malley  Castle,  Nov.  a. 

"Dear  Charley: — Here  we  sit  in  the  little  parlor,  with  your 
last  letter,  the  Times,  and  a  big  map  before  us,  drinking  your  health 
and  wishing  you  a  long  career  of  the  same  glorious  success  you  have 
hitherto  enjoyed.  Old  as  I  am — eighty-two  or  eighty-three  (I  for- 
get which)  in  June — I  envy  you  with  all  my  heart.  Luck  has  stood 
to  you,  my  boy  ;  and  if  a  French  sabre  or  a  bayonet  finish  you  now, 
you've  at  least  had  a  splendid  burst  of  it.  I  was  right  in  my  own 
opinion  of  you,  and  Godfrey  himself  owns  it  now, — a  lawyer, 
indeed  !  Bad  luck  to  them !  we've  had  enough  of  lawyers.  There's 
old  Hennesy — honest  Jack,  as  they  used  to  call  him — that  your 
uncle  trusted  for  the  last  forty  years,  has  raised  eighteen  thousand 
pounds  on  the  title  deeds,  and  gone  off  to  America.  The  old  scoun- 
drel !  But  it's  no  use  talking :  the  blow  is  a  sore  one  to  Godfrey, 
and  the  gout  more  troublesome  than  ever.  Drumgold  is  making  a 
motion  in  Chancery  about  it  to  break  the  sale,  and  the  tenants  are 
in  open  rebellion,  and  swear  they'll  murder  a  receiver,  if  one  is  sent 
down  among  them.  Indeed,  they  came  in  such  force  into  Galway 
during  the  assizes,  and  did  so  much  mischief,  that  the  cases  for  trial 
were  adjourned,  and  the  judges  left,  with  a  military  escort  to  protect 
them.  This,  of  course,  is  gratifying  to  our  feelings ;  for,  thank  Pro- 
vidence, there  is  some  good  in  the  world  yet.  Kilmurry  was  sold 
last  week  for  twelve  thousand.  Andy  Blake  would  foreclose  the 
mortgage,  although  we  offered  him  every  kind  of  satisfaction.  This 
has  done  Godfrey  a  deal  of  harm ;  and  some  pitiful  economy — taking 
only  two  bottles  of  claret  after' his  dinner — has  driven  the  gout  to  his 
head.  They've  been  telling  him  he'd  lengthen  his  days  by  this,  and 
I  tried  it  myself,  and,  faith,  it  was  the  longest  day  I  ever  spent  in 
my  life.  I  hope  and  trust  you  take  your  liquor  like  a  gentleman — 
and  an  Irish  gentleman. 

"  Kinshela,  we  hear,  has  issued  an  execution  against  the  house  and 
furniture ;  but  the  attempts  to  sell  the  demesne  nearly  killed  your 
uncle.  It  was  advertised  in  a  London  paper,  and  an  offer  made  for 
it  by  an  old  general,  whom  you  may  remember  when  down  here. 
Indeed,  if  I  mistake  not,  he  was  rather  kind  to  you  in  the  beginning. 
It  would  appear  he  did  not  wish  to  have  his  name  known,  but  we 
found  him  out,  and  such  a  letter  as  we  sent  him  !  It's  little  liking 
he'll  have  to  buy  a  Galway  gentleman's  estate  over  his  head,  that 
same  Sir  George  Dashwood  !  Godfrey  offered  to  meet  him  anywhere 
he  pleased,  and  if  the  doctor  thought  he  could  bear  the  sea- voyage, 


592  CHARLES  0> MALLET. 

he'd  even  go  over  to  Holyhead ;  but  the  sneaking  fellow  sent  an 
apologetic  kind  of  a  letter,  with  some  humbug  excuse  about  very- 
different  motives,  &c.  But  we've  done  with  him,  and  I  think  he 
with  us." 

When  I  had  read  thus  far,  I  laid  down  the  letter,  unable  to  go  on ; 
the  accumulated  misfortunes  of  one  I  loved  best  in  the  world,  follow- 
ing so  fast  one  upon  another,  the  insult,  unprovoked,  gratuitous  in- 
sult, to  him  upon  whom  my  hopes  of  future  happiness  so  much  de- 
pended, completely  overwhelmed  me.  I  tried  to  continue.  Alas !  the 
catalogue  of  evils  went  on ;  each  line  bore  testimony  to  some  further 
wreck  of  fortune — some  clearer  evidence  of  a  ruined  house. 

All  that  my  gloomiest  and  darkest  forebodings  had  pictured  was 
come  to  pass ;  sickness,  poverty,  harassing,  unfeeling  creditors, 
treachery,  and  ingratitude,  were  goading  to  madness  and  despair  a 
spirit  whose  kindliness  of  nature  was  unequalled.  The  shock  of 
blasted  fortunes  was  falling  upon  the  dying  heart ;  the  convictions 
which  a  long  life  had  never  brought  home,  that  men  were  false,  and 
their  words  a  lie,  were  stealing  over  the  man,  upon  the  brink  of  the 
grave ;  and  he  who  had  loved  his  neighbor  like  a  brother  was  to  be 
taught,  at  the  eleventh  hour,  that  the  beings  he  trusted  were  perjured 
and  forsworn. 

A  more  unsuitable  adviser  than  Considine,  in  difficulties  like 
these,  there  could  not  be ;  his  very  contempt  for  all  the  forms  of  law 
and  justice  was  sufficient  to  embroil  my  poor  uncle  still  further,  so 
that  I  resolved  at  once  to  apply  for  leave,  and  if  refused,  and  no 
other  alternative  offered,  to  leave  the  service.  It  was  not  without  a 
sense  of  sorrow  bordering  on  despair  that  I  came  to  this  determina- 
tion. My  soldier's  life  had  become  a  passion  with  me ;  I  loved  it  for 
its  bold  and  chivalrous  enthusiasm ;  its  hour  of  battle  and  strife ;  its 
days  of  endurance  and  hardship  ;  its  trials,  its  triumphs, — its  very 
reverses  were  endeared  by  those  they  were  shared  with, — and  the 
spirit  of  adventure,  and  the  love  of  danger — that  most  exciting  of  all 
gambling — had  now  entwined  themselves  in  my  very  nature.  To 
surrender  all  these  at  once,  and  to  exchange  the  daily,  hourly  en- 
thusiasm of  a  campaign  for  the  prospects  now  before  me,  was  almost 
maddening.  But  still,  a  sustaining  sense  of  duty, of  what  I  owed  to 
him  who,  in  his  love,  had  sacrificed  all  for  me,  overpowered  every 
other  consideration.     My  mind  was  made  up. 

Father  Bush's  letter  was  little  more  than  a  recapitulation  of  the 
Count's.  Debts,  distress,  sickness,  and  the  heart-burnings  of  altered 
fortunes,  filled  it,  and  when  I  closed  it,  I  felt  like  one  over  all  whose 
views  in  life  a  dark  and  ill-omened  cloud  was  closing  forever. 
Webber's  I  could  not  read  :  the  light  and  cheerful  raillery  of  a  friend 
would  have  seemed,  at  such  a  time,  like  the  cold,  unfeeling  sarcasm 


THE  TRENCHES.  593 

of  an  enemy.  I  sat  down,  at  last,  to  write  to  the  General,  enclosing 
my  application  for  leave,  and  begging  of  him  to  forward  it,  with  a 
favorable  recommendation,  to  head-quarters. 

This  done,  I  lay  down  upon  my  bed,  and  overcome  by  fatigue  and 
fretting,  fell  asleep,  to  dream  of  my  home  and  those  I  had  left  there, 
which,  strangely,  too,  were  presented  to  my  mind  with  all  the  happy 
features  that  made  them  so  dear  to  my  infancy. 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

THE   TRENCHES. 

I  HAVE  not  had  time,  O'Malley,  to  think  of  your  application," 
said  Craufurd,  "  nor  is  it  likely  I  can  for  a  day  or  two.    Eead 
that."     So  saying,  he  pushed  towards  me  a  note,  written  in 
pencil,  which  ran  thus : 

"  Ciudad  Rodrigo,  Dec.  18. 

"  Dear  C. : — Fletcher  tells  me  that  the  breaches  will  be  practic- 
able by  to-morrow  evening,  and  I  think  so  myself.  Come  over,  then, 
at  once,  for  we  shall  not  lose  any  time. 

"  Yours,  W." 

"I  have  some  despatches  for  your  regiment,  but  if  you  prefer 
coming  along  with  me " 

"  My  dear  General,  dare  I  ask  for  such  a  favor  ?" 

"  Well,  come  along  ;  only  remember  that,  although  my  division 
will  be  engaged,  I  cannot  promise  you  anything  to  do  ;  so  now,  get 
your  horses  ready;  let's  away." 

It  was  in  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day  that  we  rode  into  the 
large  plain  before  Ciudad  Rodrigo,  and  in  which  the  allied  armies 
were  now  assembled  to  the  number  of  twelve  thousand  men.  The 
loud  booming  of  the  siege  artillery  had  been  heard  by  me  for  some 
hours  before ;  but  notwithstanding  this  prelude  and  my  own  high- 
wrought  expectations,  I  was  far  from  anticipating  the  magnificent 
spectacle  which  burst  upon  my  astonished  view.  The  air  was  calm 
and  still ;  a  clear  blue  wintry  sky  stretched  overhead.  Below,  the 
dense  blue  smoke  of  the  deafening  guns  rolled  in  mighty  volumes 
along  the  earth,  and  entirely  concealed  the  lower  part  of  the  for- 
tress ;  above  this  the  tall  towers  and  battlemented  parapets  rose 
into  the  thin  transparent  sky  like  fairy  palaces.  A  bright  flash  of 
flame  would  now  and  then  burst  forth  from  the  walls,  and  a  clang- 


594  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

ing  crash  of  the  brass  metal  be  heard ;  but  the  unceasing  roll  of  our 
artillery  nearly  drowned  all  other  sounds,  save  when  a  loud  cheer 
would  burst  from  the  trenches,  while  the  clattering  fall  of  masonry 
and  the  crumbling  stones  as  they  rolled  down,  bespoke  the  reason 
of  the  cry.  The  utmost  activity  prevailed  on  all  sides ;  troops 
pressed  forward  to  the  reliefs  in  the  parallels  ;  ammunition  wagons 
moved  to  the  front ;  general  and  staff  officers  rode  furiously  about 
the  plain,  and  all  betokened  that  the  hour  of  attack  was  no  longer 
far  distant. 

While  all  parties  were  anxiously  awaiting  the  decision  of  our 
chief,  the  general  order  was  made  known,  which,  after  briefly  de- 
tailing the  necessary  arrangements,  concluded  with  the  emphatic 
words,  "  Ciudad  Eodrigo  must  be  stormed  to-night."  All  specula- 
tion as  to  the  troops  to  be  engaged  in  this  daring  enterprise  was 
soon  at  an  end.  With  his  characteristic  sense  of  duty,  Lord  Wel- 
lington made  no  invidious  selection,  but  merely  commanded  that 
the  attack  should  be  made  by  whatever  divisions  might  chance  to  be 
that  day  in  the  trenches.  Upon  the  third  and  light  divisions,  there- 
fore, this  glorious  task  devolved.  The  former  was  to  attack  the 
main  breach ;  to  Craufurd's  division  was  assigned  the  (if  possible) 
more  difficult  enterprise  of  carrying  the  lesser  one ;  while  Pack's 
Portuguese  brigade  were  to  menace  the  convent  of  La  Caridad  by 
a  feint  attack,  to  be  converted  into  a  real  one,  if  circumstances 
should  permit. 

The  decision,  however  matured  and  comprehensive  in  all  its  de- 
tails, was  finally  adopted  so  suddenly  that  every  staff  officer  upon 
the  ground  was  actively  engaged  during  the  entire  evening  in  con- 
veying the  orders  to  the  different  regiments.  As  the  day  drew  to  a 
close,  the  cannonade  slackened  on  either  side ;  a  solitary  gun  would 
be  heard  at  intervals,  and,  in  the  calm  stillness  around,  its  booming 
thunder  re-echoed  along  the  valleys  of  the  Sierra ;  but  as  the  moon 
rose  and  night  set  in,  these  were  no  longer  heard,  and  a  perfect 
stillness  and  tranquillity  prevailed  around.  Even  in  the  trenches, 
crowded  with  armed  and  anxious  soldiers,  not  a  whisper  was  heard, 
and  amid  that  mighty  host  which  filled  the  plain,  the  tramp  of  a 
patrol  could  be  distinctly  noted,  and  the  hoarse  voice  of  a  French 
sentry  upon  the  walls,  telling  that  all  was  well  in  Ciudad  Eodrigo. 

The  massive  fortress,  looming  larger  as  its  dark  shadow  stood  out 
from  the  sky,  was  still  as  the  grave,  while  in  the  greater  breach 
a  faint  light  was  seen  to  twinkle  for  a  moment,  and  then  suddenly 
to  disappear,  leaving  all  gloomy  and  dark  as  before. 

Having  been  sent  with  orders  to  the  third  division,  of  which 
the  88th  formed  a  part,  I  took  the  opportunity  of  finding  out 
O'Shaughnessy,  who  was  himself  to  lead  an  escalade  party  in 


THE  TRENCHES.  595 

M'Kinnon's  brigade.  He  sprang  towards  me  as  I  came  forward, 
and,  grasping  my  hand  with  a  more  than  usual  earnestness,  called 
out,  "  The  very  man  I  wanted  !  Charley,  my  boy,  do  us  a  service 
now !" 

Before  I  could  reply,  he  continued,  in  a  lower  tone,  "  A  young 
fellow  of  ours,  Harry  Beauclerc,  has  been  badly  wounded  in  the 
trenches,  but  by  some  blunder  his  injury  is  reported  a  slight  one, 
and  although  the  poor  fellow  can  scarcely  stand,  he  insists  upon 
going  with  the  stormers." 

"  Come  here,  Major !  come  here !"  cried  a  voice  at  a  little  dis- 
tance. 

"Follow  me,  O'Malley,"  cried  O'Shaughnessy,  moving  in  the 
direction  of  the  speaker. 

By  the  light  of  a  lantern  we  could  descry  two  officers  leaning 
upon  the  ground ;  between  them  on  the  grass  lay  the  figure  of  a 
third,  upon  whose  features,  as  the  pale  light  fell,  the  hand  of  death 
seemed  rapidly  stealing.  A  slight  froth,  tinged  with  blood,  rested 
on  his  lip,  and  the  florid  blood,  which  stained  the  buff  facing  of  his 
uniform,  indicated  that  his  wound  was  through  the  lungs. 

"  He  has  fainted,"  said  one  of  the  officers,  in  a  low  tone. 

"Are  you  certain  it  i3  fainting?"  said  the  other,  in  a  still  lower. 

"  You  see  how  it  is,  Charley,"  said  O'Shaughnessy ;  "  this  poor  boy 
must  be  carried  to  the  rear.  Will  you,  then,  like  a  kind  fellow, 
hasten  back  to  Colonel  Campbell  and  mention  the  fact?  It  will  kill 
Beauclerc  should  any  doubt  rest  upon  his  conduct,  if  he  ever 
recover  this." 

While  he  spoke,  four  soldiers  of  the  regiment  placed  the  wounded 
officer  in  a  blanket.  A  long  sigh  escaped  him,  and  he  muttered  a 
few  broken  words. 

"  Poor  fellow  !  it's  his  mother  he's  talking  of.  He  only  joined  a 
month  since,  and  is  a  mere  boy.  Come,  O'Malley,  lose  no  time.  By 
Jove !  it  is  too  late ;  there  goes  the  first  rocket  for  the  columns  to 
form.    In  ten  minutes  more  the  stormers  must  fall  in." 

"  What's  the  matter,  Giles  ?"  said  he  to  one  of  the  officers  who 
had  stopped  the  soldiers  as  they  were  moving  off  with  their  burden ; 
"what  is  it?" 

"  I  have  been  cutting  the  white  tape  off  his  arm,  for  if  he  sees  it 
on  waking,  he'll  remember  all  about  the  storming." 

"  Quite  right — thoughtfully  done !"  said  the  other ;  "  but  who  is 
to  lead  his  fellows  ?    He  was  in  the  forlorn  hope." 

"I'll  do  it,"  cried  I,  with  eagerness.  "Come,  O'Shaughnessy, 
you'll  not  refuse  me." 

"  Kefuse  you,  boy !"  said  he,  grasping  my  hand  within  both  of  his, 
"  never !    But  you  must  change  your  coat.    The  gallant  88th  will 


596  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

never  mistake  their  countryman's  voice.  But  your  uniform  would 
be  devilish  likely  to  get  you  a  bayonet  through  it ;  so  come  back 
with  me,  and  we'll  make  you  a  Ranger  in  no  time." 

"  I  can  give  your  friend  a  cap." 

"  And  I,"  said  the  other,  "  a  brandy  flask,  which,  after  all,  is  not 
the  worst  part  of  a  storming  equipage." 

"I  hope,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  "they  may  find  Maurice  in  the 
rear.     Beauclerc's  all  safe  in  his  hands." 

"  That  they'll  not,"  said  Giles,  "  you  may  swear.  Quill  is  at  this 
moment  in  the  trenches,  and  will  not  be  the  last  man  at  the 
breach." 

"Follow  me  now,  lads,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  in  a  low  voice. 
"  Our  fellows  are  at  the  angle  of  this  trench.  Who  the  deuce  can 
that  be  talking  so  loud  ?" 

"  It  must  be  Maurice,"  said  Giles. 

The  question  was  soon  decided  by  the  Doctor  himself,  who  ap- 
peared giving  directions  to  his  hospital-sergeant. 

"Yes,  Peter,  take  the  tools  up  to  a  convenient  spot  near  the 
breach.  There's  many  a  snug  corner  there  in  the  ruins;  and 
although  we  mayn't  have  as  good  an  operation-room  as  in  old 
*  Stevens's,'  yet  we'll  beat  them  hollow  in  cases." 

"  Listen  to  the  fellow,"  said  Giles,  with  a  shudder.  "  The  thought 
of  his  confounded  thumbscrews  and  tourniquets  is  worse  to  me  than 
a  French  howitzer." 

"  The  devil  a  kinder-hearted  fellow  than  Maurice,"  said  O'Shaugh- 
nessy, "  for  all  that ;  and  if  his  heart  was  to  be  known  this  moment, 
he'd  rather  handle  a  sword  than  a  saw." 

"  True  for  you,  Dennis,"  said  Quill,  overhearing  him ;  "  but  we 
are  both  useful  in  our  way,  as  the  hangman  said  to  Lord  Clare." 

"But  should  you  not  be  in  the  rear,  Maurice?"  said  I. 

"  You  are  right,  O'Malley,"  said  he,  in  a  whisper ;  "  but,  you  see, 
I  owe  the  Cork  Insurance  Company  a  spite  for  making  me  pay  a 
gout  premium,  and  that's  the  reason  I'm  here.  I  warned  them  at 
the  time  that  their  stinginess  would  come  to  no  good." 

"  I  say,  Captain  O'Malley,"  said  Giles,  "  I  find  I  can't  be  as  good 
as  my  word  with  you ;  my  servant  has  moved  to  the  rear  with  all 
my  traps." 

"What  is  to  be  done?"  said  I. 

'"Is  it  shaving  utensils  you  want?"  said  Maurice.  "Would  a 
scalpel  serve  your  turn  ?" 

"  No,  Doctor ;  I'm  going  to  take  a  turn  of  duty  with  your  fellows 
to-night." 

"  In  the  breach — with  the  stormers  ?" 

"  With  the  forlorn  hope,"  said  O'Shaughnessy.     "  Beauclerc  is  so 


THE  TRENCHES.  597 

badly  wounded,  that  we've  sent  him  back ;  and  Charley,  like  a  good 
fellow,  has  taken  his  place." 

"  Martin  told  me,"  said  Maurice,  "  that  Beauclerc  was  only  stunned  j 
but,  upon  my  conscience,  the  hospital  mates  nowadays  are  no 
better  than  the  watchmakers ;  they  can't  tell  what's  wrong  with 
the  instrument  till  they  pick  it  to  pieces.  Whiz !  there  goes  a  blue 
light." 

"  Move  on,  move  on,"  whispered  O'Shaughnessy  ;  "  they're  telling 
off  the  stormers.    That  rocket  is  the  order  to  fall  in." 

"  But  what  am  I  to  do  for  a  coat  ?" 

"  Take  mine,  my  boy,"  said  Maurice,  throwing  off  an  upper  gar- 
ment of  coarse  gray  frieze  as  he  spoke. 

"  There's  a  neat  bit  of  uniform,"  continued  he,  turning  himself 
round  for  our  admiration ;  "  don't  I  look  mighty  like  the  pictures 
of  George  the  First  at  the  battle  of  Dettingen  ?" 

A  burst  of  approving  laughter  was  our  only  answer  to  this  speech, 
while  Maurice  proceeded  to  denude  himself  of  his  most  extraordi- 
nary garment. 

"  What,  in  the  name  of  Heaven,  is  it?"  said  I. 

"  Don't  despise  it,  Charley ;  it  knows  the  smell  of  gunpowder  as 
well  as  any  bit  of  scarlet  in  the  service;"  while  he  added,  in  a  whis- 
per, "  it's  the  ould  Koscommon  Yeomanry.  My  uncle  commanded 
them  in  the  year  '42,  and  this  was  his  coat.  I  don't  mean  to  say 
that  it  was  new  then;  for  you  see  it's  a. kind  of  heirloom  in  the 
Quill  family  ;  and  it's  not  every  one  I'd  be  giving  it  to." 

"  A  thousand  thanks,  Maurice,"  said  I,  as  I  buttoned  it  on,  amid 
an  ill-suppressed  titter  of  laughter. 

"  It  fits  you  like  a  sentry-box,"  said  Maurice,  as  he  surveyed  me 
with  a  lantern.  "  The  skirts  separate  behind  in  the  most  picturesque 
manner ;  and  when  you  button  the  collar,  it  will  keep  your  head  up 
so  high,  that  the  devil  a  bit  you'll  see  except  the  blessed  moon. 
It's  a  thousand  pities  you  haven't  the  three-cocked  hat,  with  the 
feather  trimming.  If  you  wouldn't  frighten  the  French,  my  name's 
not  Maurice.  Turn  about  here  till  I  admire  you.  If  you  only  saw 
yourself  in  a  glass,  you'd  never  join  the  dragoons  again.  And  look 
now,  don't  be  exposing  yourself,  for  I  wouldn't  have  those  blue 
facings  destroyed  for  a  week's  pay." 

"Ah  then,  it's  yourself  is  the  darling,  Doctor  dear !"  said  a  voice 
behind  me.  I  turned  round :  it  was  Mickey  Free,  who  was  standing 
with  a  most  profound  admiration  of  Maurice  beaming  in  every 
feature  of  his  face.  "  It's  yourself  has  a  joke  for  every  hour  o'  the 
day." 

"  Get  to  the  rear,  Mike — get  to  the  rear  with  the  cattle  ;  this  is  no 
place  for  you  or  them." 


698  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Good-night,  Mickey,"  said  Maurice. 

"Good-night,  your  honor,"  muttered  Mike  to  himself;  "may  I 
never  die  till  you  set  a  leg  for  me." 

"  Are  you  dressed  for  the  ball  ?"  said  Maurice,  fastening  the  white 
tape  upon  my  arm.  "  There  now,  my  boy,  move  on,  for  I  think  I 
hear  Picton's  voice ;  not  that  it  signifies  now,  for  he's  always  in  a 
heavenly  temper  when  any  one's  going  to  be  killed.  I'm  sure  he'd 
behave  like  an  angel  if  he  only  knew  the  ground  was  mined  under 
his  feet." 

"  Charley — Charley  !"  called  out  O'Shaughnessy,  in  a  suppressed 
voice,  "  come  up  quickly." 

"No.  24,  John  Forbes — here !     Edward  Gillespie — here !" 

"  Who  leads  this  party,  Major  O'Shaughnessy  ?" 

"  Mr.  Beauclerc,  sir,"  replied  O'Shaughnessy,  pushing  me  forward 
by  the  arm  while  he  spoke. 

"  Keep  your  people  together,  sir ;  spare  the  powder,  and  trust  to 
your  cold  iron."  He  grasped  my  hand  within  his  iron  grip,  and 
rode  on. 

"  Who  was  it,  Dennis  ?"  said  I. 

"  Don't  you  know  him,  Charley  ?    That  was  Picton." 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

THE  STORMING  OF  CIUDAD  RODMGO. 

WHATEVER  the  levity  of  the  previous  moment,  the  scene 
before  us  now  repressed  it  effectually.  The  deep-toned  bell 
of  the  cathedral  tolled  seven,  and  scarcely  were  its  notes 
dying  away  in  the  distance,  when  the  march  of  the  columns  was 
heard  stealing  along  the  ground.  A  low  murmuring  whisper  ran 
along  the  advanced  files  of  the  forlorn  hope  ;  stocks  were  loosened, 
packs  and  knapsacks  thrown  to  the  ground ;  each  man  pressed  his 
cap  more  firmly  down  upon  his  brow,  and,  with  lip  compressed  and 
steadfast  eye,  waited  for  the  word  to  move. 

It  came  at  last.  The  word  "  March !"  passed  in  whispers  from 
rank  to  rank,  and  the  dark  mass  moved  on.  What  a  moment  was 
that  as  we  advanced  to  the  foot  of  the  breach  !  The  consciousness 
that,  at  the  same  instant,  from  different  points  of  that  vast  plain 
similar  parties  were  moving  on  ;  the  feeling  that  at  a  word  the  flame 
of  the  artillery  and  the  flash  of  steel  would  spring  from  that  dense 


THE  STORMING  OF  CIUDAD  RODRIGO.  599 

cloud,  and  death  and  carnage,  in  every  shape  our  imagination  can 
conceive,  be  dealt  on  all  sides ;  the  hurried,  fitful  thought  of  home ; 
the  years  long  past,  compressed  into  one  minute's  space ;  the  last 
adieu  of  all  we've  loved,  mingling  with  the  muttered  prayer  to 
Heaven,  with,  high  above  all,  the  deep  pervading  sense  that  earth 
has  no  temptation  strong  enough  to  turn  us  from  that  path  whose 
ending  must  be  a  sepulchre  I 

Each  heart  was  too  full  for  words.  We  followed  noiselessly  along 
the  turf,  the  dark  figure  of  our  leader  guiding  us  through  the  gloom. 
On  arriving  at  the  ditch,  the  party  with  the  ladders  moved  to  the 
front.  Already  some  hay-packs  were  thrown  in,  and  the  forlorn 
hope  sprang  forward. 

All  was  still  and  silent  as  the  grave.  "  Quietly,  my  men — quietly !" 
said  M'Kinnon ;  "  don't  press."  Scarcely  had  he  spoken  when  a  mus- 
ket, whose  charge,  contrary  to  orders,  had  not  been  drawn,  went  off. 
The  whizzing  bullet  could  not  have  struck  the  wall,  when  suddenly 
a  bright  flame  burst  forth  from  the  ramparts,  and  shot  upward 
towards  the  sky.  For  an  instant  the  whole  scene  before  us  was  as 
bright  as  noonday.  On  one  side  the  dark  ranks  and  glistening 
bayonets  of  the  enemy ;  on  the  other,  the  red  uniform  of  the  British 
columns.  Compressed  like  some  solid  wall,  they  stretched  along  the 
plain. 

A  deafening  roll  of  musketry  from  the  extreme  right  announced 
that  the  third  division  was  already  in  action,  while  the  loud  cry  of 
our  leader,  as  he  sprang  into  the  trench,  summoned  us  to  the  charge. 
The  leading  sections,  not  waiting  for  the  ladders,  jumped  down, 
others  pressing  rapidly  behind  them,  when  a  loud  rumbling  thunder 
crept  along  the  earth,  a  hissing,  crackling  noise  followed,  and  from 
the  dark  ditch  a  forked  and  livid  lightning  burst  like  the  flame  from 
a  volcano,  and  a  mine  exploded.  Hundreds  of  shells  and  grenades 
scattered  along  the  ground  were  ignited  at  the  same  moment ;  the 
air  sparkled  with  the  whizzing  fuses,  the  musketry  plied  incessantly 
from  the  walls,  and  every  man  of  the  leading  company  of  the 
stormers  was  blown  to  pieces.  While  this  dreadful  catastrophe  was 
enacting  before  our  eyes,  the  different  assaults  were  made  on  all 
sides ;  the  whole  fortress  seemed  girt  around  with  fire.  From  every 
part  arose  the  yells  of  triumph  and  the  shouts  of  the  assailants.  As 
for  us,  we  stood  upon  the  verge  of  the  ditch,  breathless,  hesitating, 
and  horror-struck.  A  sudden  darkness  succeeded  to  the  bright 
glare,  but  from  the  midst  of  the  gloom  the  agonizing  cries  of  the 
wounded  and  the  dying  rent  our  very  hearts. 

"  Make  way  there !  make  way !  here  comes  Mackie's  party,"  cried 
an  officer  in  the  front,  and  as  he  spoke  the  forlorn  hope  of  the  88th 
came  forward  at  a  run.     Jumping  recklessly  into  the  ditch,  they 


600  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

made  towards  the  breach ;  the  supporting  division  of  stormers  gave 
one  inspiring  cheer,  and  sprang  after  them.  The  rush  was  tremen- 
dous ;  for  scarcely  had  we  reached  the  crumbling  ruins  of  the  ram- 
part, when  the  vast  column,  pressing  on  like  some  mighty  torrent, 
bore  down  upon  our  rear.  Now  commenced  a  scene  to  which 
nothing  I  ever  before  conceived  of  war  could  in  any  degree  compare. 
The  whole  ground,  .covered  with  combustibles  of  every  deadly  and 
destructive  contrivance,  was  rent  open  with  a  crash;  the  huge 
masses  of  masonry  bounded  into  the  air  like  things  of  no  weight ; 
the  ringing  clangor  of  the  iron  howitzers,  the  crackling  of  the  fuses, 
the  blazing  splinters,  the  shouts  of  defiance,  the  more  than  savage 
yells  of  those  in  whose  ranks  alone  the  dead  and  the  dying  were 
numbered,  made  up  a  mass  of  sights  and  sounds  almost  maddening 
with  their  excitement.  On  we  struggled,  the  mutilated  bodies  of 
the  leading  fil^  almost  filling  the  way. 

By  this  time  the  third  division  had  joined  us,  and  the  crush  of 
our  thickening  ranks  was  dreadful.  Every  moment  some  well- 
known  leader  fell  dead  or  mortally  wounded,  and  his  place  was 
supplied  by  some  gallant  fellow,  who,  springing  from  the  leading 
files,  would  scarcely  have  uttered  his  cheer  of  encouragement  ere 
he  himself  was  laid  low.  Many  a  voice  with  whose  notes  I  was 
familiar  would  break  upon  my  ear  in  tones  of  heroic  daring,  and 
the  next  moment  burst  forth  in  a  death-cry.  For  above  an  hour 
the  frightful  carnage  continued,  fresh  troops  continually  advancing, 
but  scarcely  a  foot  of  ground  was  made ;  the  earth  belched  forth  its 
volcanic  fires,  and  that  terrible  barrier  did  no  man  pass.  In  turn 
the  bravest  and  the  boldest  would  leap  into  the  whizzing  flame, 
and  the  taunting  cheers  of  the  enemy  triumphed  in  derision  at  the 
effort. 

"  Stormers,  to  the  front !  Only  the  bayonet !  trust  to  nothing  but 
the  bayonet !"  cried  a  voice  whose  almost  cheerful  accents  contrasted 
strangely  with  the  death-notes  around,  and  Gurwood,  who  led  the 
forlorn  hope  of  the  52d,  bounded  into  the  chasm.  All  the  officers 
sprang  simultaneously  after  him ;  the  men  pressed  madly  on  ;  a  roll 
of  withering  musketry  crashed  upon  them ;  a  furious  shout  replied 
to  it.  The  British,  springing  over  the  dead  and  dying,  bounded  like 
blood-hounds  on  their  prey.  Meanwhile,  the  ramparts  trembled 
beneath  the  tramp  of  the  light  division,  who,  having  forced  the 
lesser  breach,  came  down  upon  the  flank  of  the  French.  The  garri- 
son, however,  thickened  their  numbers,  and  bravely  held  their 
ground.  Man  to  man  now  was  the  combat.  No  cry  for  quarter. 
No  supplicating  look  for  mercy ;  it  was  the  death-struggle  of  ven- 
geance and  despair.  At  this  instant,  an  explosion  louder  than  the 
loudest  thunder  shook  the  air ;  the  rent  and  torn-up  ramparts  sprang 


THE  RAMPART.  601 

into  the  sky ;  the  conquering  and  the  conquered  were  alike  the  vic- 
tims :  for  one  of  the  greatest  magazines  had  been  ignited  by  a  shell. 
The  black  smoke,  streaked  with  a  lurid  flame,  hung  above  the  dead 
and  the  dying.  The  artillery  and  the  murderous  musketry  were 
stilled,  paralyzed,  as  it  were,  by  the  ruin  and  devastation  before 
them.  Both  sides  stood  leaning  upon  their  arms ;  the  pause  was 
but  momentary ;  the  cries  of  wounded  comrades  called  upon  their 
hearts.  A  fierce  burst  of  vengeance  rent  the  air.  The  British  closed 
upon  the  foe.  For  an  instant  they  were  met ;  the  next,  the  bayo- 
nets gleamed  upon  the  ramparts,  and  Ciudad  Rodrigo  was  won. 


CHAPTER   XXXVIII. 

THE   RAMPART. 

WHILE  such  were  the  scenes  passing  around  me,  of  my  own 
part  in  them  I  absolutely  knew  nothing ;  for  until  the  mo- 
ment that  the  glancing  bayonets  of  the  light  division  came 
rushing  on  the  foe,  and  the  loud,  long  cheer  of  victory  burst  above 
us,  I  felt  ljke  one  in  a  trance.  Then  I  leaned  against  an  angle  of 
the  rampart,  overpowered  and  exhausted ;  a  bayonet  wound,  which 
some  soldier  of  our  own  ranks  had  given  me  when  mounting  the 
breach,  pained  me  somewhat;  my  uniform  was  actually  torn  to 
rags ;  my  head  bare.  Of  my  sword,  the  hilt  and  four  inches  of  the 
blade  alone  remained,  while  my  left  hand  firmly  grasped  the  ram- 
mer of  a  cannon,  but  why  or  wherefore  I  could  not  even  guess.  As 
thus  I  stood,  the  unceasing  tide  of  soldiery  pressed  on ;  fresh  divi- 
sions came  pouring  in,  eager  for  plunder,  and  thirsting  for  the  spoil. 
The  dead  and  the  dying  were  alike  trampled  beneath  the  feet  of 
that  remorseless  mass,  who,  actuated  by  vengeance  and  by  rapine^ 
sprang  fiercely  up  the  breach. 

Weak  and  exhausted,  faint  from  my  wound,  and  overcome  by  my 
exertions,  I  sank  among  the  crumbling  ruins.  The  loud  shouts 
which  rose  from  the  town,  mingled  with  cries  and  screams,  told  the 
work  of  pillage  was  begun ;  while  still  a  dropping  musketry  could 
be  heard  on  the  distant  rampart,  where  even  yet  the  French  made 
resistance.  At  last  even  this  was  hushed ;  but  to  it  succeeded  the 
far  more  horrifying  sounds  of  rapine  and  of  murder.  The  forked 
flames  of  burning  houses  rose  here  and  there  amid  the  black  dark- 
ness of  the  night ;  and  through  the  crackling  of  the  timbers,  and 


602  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

the  falling  crash  of  roofs,  the  heart-rending  shriek  of  women  rent 
the  very  air.  Officers  pressed  forward,  but  in  vain  were  their  efforts 
to  restrain  their  men ;  the  savage  cruelty  of  the  moment  knew  no 
bounds  of  restraint.  More  than  one  gallant  fellow  perished  in  his 
fruitless  endeavor  to  enforce  obedience ;  and  the  most  awful  denun- 
ciations were  now  uttered  against  those  before  whom  at  any  other 
time  they  dared  not  mutter. 

Thus  passed  the  long  night,  far  more  terrible  to  me  than  all  the 
dangers  of  the  storm  itself,  with  all  its  death  and  destruction  dealing 
around  it.  I  knew  not  if  I  slept ;  if  so,  the  horrors  on  every  side 
were  pictured  in  my  dreams ;  and  when  the  gray  dawn  was  breaking, 
the  cries  from  the  doomed  city  were  still  ringing  in  my  ears.  Close 
around  me  the  scene  was  still  and  silent ;  the  wounded  had  been 
removed  during  the  night,  but  the  thickly-packed  dead  lay  side  by 
side  where  they  fell.  It  was  a  fearful  sight  to  see  them,  as,  blood- 
stained and  naked  (for  already  the  camp-followers  had  stripped  the 
bodies),  they  covered  the  entire  breach.  From  the  rampart  to  the 
ditch,  the  ranks  lay  where  they  had  stood  in  life.  A  faint  phos- 
phoric flame  flickered  above  their  ghastly  corpses,  making  even 
death  still  more  horrible.  I  was  gazing  steadfastly,  with  all  that 
stupid  intensity  which  imperfect  senses  and  exhausted  faculties  pos- 
sess, when  the  sound  of  voices  near  aroused  me. 

"Bring  him  along — this  way,  Bob.  Over  the  breach  with  the 
scoundrel,  into  the  fosse." 

"  He  shall  die  no  soldier's  death,  by  Heaven !"  cried  another  and 
a  deeper  voice,  "  if  I  lay  his  skull  open  with  my  axe." 

"  Oh,  mercy,  mercy !  as  you  hope  for " 

"  Traitor !  don't  dare  to  mutter  here !"  As  the  last  words  were 
spoken,  four  infantry  soldiers,  reeling  from  drunkenness,  dragged 
forward  a  pale  and  haggard  wretch,  whose  limbs  trailed  behind  him 
like  those  of  palsy ;  his  uniform  was  that  of  a  French  chasseur,  but 
his  voice  bespoke  him  English. 

"  Kneel  down  there,  and  die  like  a  man  !     You  were  one  once !"  ; 

"  Not  so,  Bill ;  never.  Fix  bayonets,  boys  !  That's  right !  Now 
take  the  word  from  me." 

"  Oh,  forgive  me  !  for  the  love  of  Heaven,  forgive  me !"  screamed 
the  voice  of  the  victim ;  but  his  last  accents  ended  in  a  death-cry, 
for,  as  he  spoke,  the  bayonets  flashed  for  an  instant  in  the  air,  and 
the  next  were  plunged  into  his  body.  Twice  I  had  essayed  to  speak, 
but  my  voice,  hoarse  from  shouting,  came  not,  and  I  could  but  look 
upon  this  terrible  murder  with  staring  eyes  and  burning  brain.  At 
last  speech  came,  as  if  wrested  by  the  very  excess  of  my  agony,  and 
I  muttered  aloud,  "O  God!"  The  words  were  not  well  spoken, 
when  the  muskets  were  brought  to  the  shoulders,  and,  reeking  with 


THE  RAMPART.  603 

the  blood  of  the  murdered  man,  their  savage  faces  scowled  at  me  as 
Hay. 

A  short  and  heartfelt  prayer  burst  from  my  lips,  and  I  was  still. 
The  leader  of  the  party  called  out,  "  Be  steady  I  and  together.  One, 
two !  Ground  arms,  boys  !  Ground  arms !"  roared  he,  in  a  voice  like 
thunder;  "it's  the  Captain  himself!"  Down  went  the  muskets  with 
a  crash ;  while,  springing  towards  me,  the  fellows  caught  me  in  their 
arms,  and  with  one  jerk  mounted  me  upon  their  shoulders,  the  cheer 
that  accompanied  the  sudden  movement  seeming  like  the  yell  of 
maniacs.  "  Ha,  ha,  ha !  we  have  him  now  I"  sang  their  wild  voices, 
as,  with  blood-stained  hands  and  infuriated  features,  they  bore  me 
down  the  rampart.  My  sensations  of  disgust  and  repugnance  to  the 
party  seemed  at  once  to  have  evidenced  themselves,  for  the  corporal, 
turning  abruptly  round,  called  out, 

"  Don't  pity  him,  Captain ;  the  scoundrel  was  a  deserter ;  he  escaped 
from  the  picket  two  nights  ago,  and  gave  information  of  all  our  plans 
to  the  enemy." 

"Ay,"  cried  another,  "  and,  what's  worse,  he  fired  through  an 
embrasure  near  the  breach,  for  two  hours,  upon  his  own  regiment. 
It  was  there  we  found  him.     This  way,  lads." 

So  saying,  they  turned  short  from  the  walls,  and  dashed  down 
a  dark  and  narrow  lane  into  the  town.  My  struggles  to  get  free 
were  perfectly  ineffectual,  and  to  my  entreaties  they  were  totally 
indifferent. 

In  this  way,  therefore,  we  made  our  entrance  into  the  Plaza,  where 
some  hundred  soldiers,  of  different  regiments,  were  bivouacked.  A 
shout  of  recognition  welcomed  the  fellows  as  they  came;  while, 
suddenly,  a  party  of  88th  men,  springing  from  the  ground,  rushed 
forward  with  drawn  bayonets,  calling  out,  "  Give  him  up  this  min- 
ute, or,  by  the  Father  of  Moses,  we'll  make  short  work  of  ye !" 

The  order  was  made  by  men  who  seemed  well  disposed  to  execute 
it ;  and  I  was  accordingly  grounded  with  a  shock  and  a  rapidity 
that  savored  much  more  of  ready  compliance  than  any  respect  for 
my  individual  comfort.  A  roar  of  laughter  rang  through  the  mot- 
ley mass,  and  every  powder-stained  face  around  me  seemed  con- 
vulsed with  merriment.  As  I  sat  passively  upon  the  ground,  looking 
ruefully  about,  whether  my  gestures  or  my  words  heightened  the 
absurdity  of  my  appearance,  it  is  hard  to  say  ;  but  certainly  the 
laughter  increased  at  each  moment,  and  the  drunken  wretches 
danced  round  me  in  ecstasy. 

"Where  is  your  Major?    Major  O'Shaughnessy,  lads?"  said  I. 

"He's  in  the  church,  with  the  General,  your  honor,"  said  the 
sergeant  of  the  regiment,  upon  whom  the  mention  of  his  officer's 
name  seemed  at  once  to  have  a  sobering  influence.    Assisting  me  to 


604  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

rise  (for  I  was  weak  as  a  child),  he  led  me  through  the  dense  crowd, 
who,  such  is  the  influence  of  example,  now  formed  into  line,  and, 
as  well  as  their  state  permitted,  gave  me  a  military  salute  as  I 
passed.  "  Follow  me,  sir,"  said  the  sergeant ;  "  this  little  dark 
street  to  the  left  will  take  us  to  the  private  door  of  the  chapel." 

"  Wherefore  are  they  there,  sergeant  ?" 

"  There's  a  general  of  division  mortally  wounded." 

"  You  did  not  hear  his  name  ?" 

"  No,  sir.  All  I  know  is,  he  was  one  of  the  storming  party  at  the 
lesser  breach." 

A  cold,  sickening  shudder  came  over  me  1 1  durst  not  ask  further, 
but  pressed  on  with  anxious  steps  towards  the  chapel. 

"  There,  sir,  yonder,  where  you  see  the  light.     That's  the  door." 

So  saying,  the  sergeant  stopped  suddenly,  and  placed  his  hand  to 
his  cap.  I  saw  at  once  that  he  was  sufficiently  aware  of  his  condi- 
tion not  to  desire  to  appear  before  his  officers ;  so,  hurriedly  thank- 
ing him,  I  walked  forward. 

"  Halt,  there !  and  give  the  countersign,"  cried  a  sentinel,  who 
with  fixed  bayonet  stood  before  the  door. 

"  I  am  an  officer,"  said  I,  endeavoring  to  pass  in. 

"Stand  back,  stand  back!"  said  the  harsh  voice  of  the  High- 
lander, for  such  he  was. 

"Is  Major  O'Shaughnessy  in  the  church?" 

"  I  dinna  ken,"  was  the  short,  rough  answer. 

"  Who  is  the  officer  so  badly  wounded  ?" 

"  I  dinna  ken,"  replied  he,  as  gruffly  as  before ;  while  he  added, 
in  a  louder  key,  "  Stand  back,  I  tell  ye,  man  !  Dinna  ye  see  the 
staff  coming?" 

I  turned  round  hastily,  and  at  the  same  instant  several  officers, 
who,  apparently  from  precaution,  had  dismounted  at  the  end  of  the 
street,  were  seen  approaching.  They  came  hurriedly  forward,  but 
without  speaking.  He  who  was  in  advance  of  the  party  wore  a 
short  blue  cape,  over  an  undress  uniform.  The  rest  were  in  full 
regimentals.  I  had  scarcely  time  to  throw  a  passing  glance  upon 
him,  when  the  officer  I  have  mentioned  as  coming  first,  called  out 
in  a  stern  voice, 

"  Who  are  you,  sir  ?" 

I  started  at  the  sounds ;  it  was  not  the  first  time  those  accents  had 
been  heard  by  me. 

"  Captain  O'Malley,  14th  Light  Dragoons." 

"  What  brings  you  here,  sir  ?    Your  regiment  is  at  Cava." 

"  I  have  been  employed  as  acting  aide-de-camp  to  General  Crau- 
furd,"  said  I,  hesitatingly. 

"Is  that  your  staff  uniform?"  said  he,  as  with  compressed  brow 


THE  RAMPART.  605 

and  stern  look  he  fixed  his  eyes  upon  my  coat.  Before  I  had  time 
to  reply,  or,  indeed,  before  I  well  knew  how  to  do  so,  a  gruff  voice 
from  behind  called  out, 

"  D —  me !  if  that  ain't  the  fellow  that  led  the  stormers  through 
a  broken  embrasure  !  I  say,  my  lord,  that's  the  yeoman  I  was 
telling  you  of.  Is  it  not  so,  sir  ?"  continued  he,  turning  towards 
me. 

"  Yes,  sir.  I  led  a  party  of  the  88th  at  the  breach." 
"And  devilish  well  you  did  it,  too !"  added  Picton,  for  it  was  he 
who  recognized  me.  "  I  saw  him,  my  lord,  spring  down  from  the 
parapet  upon  a  French  gunner,  and  break  his  sword  as  he  cleft  his 
helmet  in  two.  Yes,  yes ;  I  shall  not  forget  in  a  hurry  how  you 
laid  about  you  with  the  rammer  of  the  gun !  By  Jove  !  that's  it  he 
has  in  his  hand !" 

While  Picton  ran  hurriedly  on,  Lord  Wellington's  calm  but  stern 
features  never  changed  their  expression.  The  looks  of  those  around 
were  bent  upon  me  with  interest  and  even  admiration;  but  his 
evinced  nothing  of  either. 

Eeverting  at  once  to  my  absence  from  my  post,  he  asked  me, 

"  Did  you  obtain  leave  for  a  particular  service,  sir  ?" 

"  No,  my  lord.     It  was  simply  from  an  accidental  circumstance 

that " 

"Then  report  yourself  at  your  quarters  as  under  arrest." 

"  But,  my  lord,"  said  Picton .     Lord  Wellington  waited  not 

for  the  explanation,  but  walked  firmly  forward,  and  strode  into  the 
church.  The  staff  followed  in  silence,  Picton  turning  one  look  of 
kindness  on  me  as  he  went,  as  though  to  say,  "  I'll  not  forget  you." 
"  The  devil  take  it,"  cried  I,  as  I  found  myself  once  more  alone, 
"  but  I'm  unlucky.  What  would  turn  out  with  other  men  the  very 
basis  of  their  fortune,  is  ever  with  me  the  source  of  ill  luck." 

It  was  evident,  from  Picton's  account,  that  I  had  distinguished 
myself  at  the  breach ;  and  yet,  nothing  was  more  clear  than  that 
my  conduct  had  displeased  the  Commander-in-Chief.  Picturing 
him  ever  to  my  mind's  eye  as  the  beau  idAal  of  a  military  leader,  by 
some  fatality  of  fortune  I  was  continually  incurring  his  displeasure, 
for  whose  praise  I  would  have  risked  my  life.  "And  this  con- 
founded costume — what,  in  the  name  of  every  absurdity,  could  have 
ever  persuaded  me  to  put  it  on  ?  What  signifies  it  though  a  man 
should  cover  himself  with  glory,  if  in  the  end  he  is  to  be  laughed 
at  ?  Well,  well,  it  matters  not  much ;  now  my  soldiering's  over ! 
And  yet  I  could  have  wished  that  the  last  act  of  my  campaigning 
had  brought  with  it  pleasanter  recollections." 

As  thus  I  ruminated,  the  click  of  the  soldier's  musket  near  aroused 
me.     Picton  was  passing  out.    A  shade  of  gloom  and  depression  was 


606  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

visible  upon  his  features,  and  his  lip  trembled  as  he  muttered  some 
sentences  to  himself. 

"  Ha !  Captain — I  forget  the  name.  Yes — Captain  O'Malley ; 
you  are  released  from  arrest.  General  Craufurd  has  spoken  very 
well  of  you,  and  Lord  Wellington  has  heard  the  circumstances  of 
your  case." 

"Is  it  General  Craufurd,  then,  that  is  wounded,  sir?"  said  I, 
eagerly. 

Picton  paused  for  a  moment,  while  with  an  effort  he  controlled  his 
features  into  their  stern  and  impassive  expression,  then  added  hur- 
riedly, and  almost  harshly : — 

"  Yes,  sir ;  badly  wounded,  through  the  arm  and  in  the  lung.  He 
mentioned  you  to  the  notice  of  the  Commander-in-Chief,  and  your 
application  for  leave  is  granted.  In  fact,  you  are  to  have  the  dis- 
tinguished honor  of  carrying  back  despatches.  There,  now ;  you  had 
better  join  your  brigade." 

"  Could  I  not  see  my  General  once  more  ?  It  may  be  for  the  last 
time." 

"  No,  sir !"  sternly  replied  Picton.  "  Lord  Wellington  believes 
you  under  arrest.  It  is  as  well  he  should  suppose  you  obeyed  his 
orders."  / 

There  was  a  tone  of  sarcasm  in  these  words  that  prevented  my 
reply ;  and  muttering  my  gratitude  for  his  well-timed  and  kindly 
interference  in  my  behalf,  I  bowed  deeply,  and  turned  away. 

"  I  say,  sir,"  said  Picton,  as  he  turned  towards  the  church,  "  should 
anything  befall — that  is,  if,  unfortunately,  circumstances  should 
make  you  in  want,  and  desirous  of  a  staff  appointment,  remember 
that  you  are  known  to  General  Picton." 

Downcast  and  depressed  by  the  news  of  my  poor  General,  I 
wended  my  way,  with  slow  and  uncertain  steps,  towards  the  ram- 
part. A  clear,  cold,  wintry  sky,  and  a  sharp,  bracing  air,  made  my 
wound,  slight  as  it  was,  more  painful,  and  I  endeavored  to  reach  the 
reserves,  where  I  knew  the  hospital  staff  had  established  for  the 
present  their  quarters.  I  had  not  gone  far  when,  from  a  marauding 
party,  I  learned  that  my  man  Mike  was  in  search  of  me  through  the 
plain.  A  report  of  my  death  had  reached  him,  and  the  poor  fellow 
was  half  distracted. 

Longing  anxiously  to  allay  his  fears  on  my  account,  which  I  well 
knew  might  lead  him  into  any  act  of  folly  or  insanity,  I  pressed  for- 
ward; besides — shall  1  confess  it? — amid  the  manifold  thoughts  of 
sorrow  and  affliction  which  weighed  me  down,  I  could  not  divest 
myself  of  the  feeling  that  so  long  as  I  wore  my  present  absurd  cos- 
tume, I  could  be  nothing  but  an  object  of  laughter  and  ridicule  to 
all  who  met  me. 


THE  DESPA  TGH.  607 

I  had  not  long  to  look  for  my  worthy  follower,  for  I  soon  beheld 
him  cantering  about  the  plain.  A  loud  shout  brought  him  beside 
me ;  and  truly  the  poor  fellow's  delight  was  great  and  sincere. 
With  a  thousand  protestations  of  his  satisfaction,  and  reiterated 
assurances  of  what  he  would  have  done  to  the  French  prisoners  if 
anything  had  happened  me,  we  took  our  way  together  towards  the 
camp. 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

THE  DESPATCH. 

I  WAS  preparing  to  visit  the  town  on  the  following  morning, 
when  my  attention  was  attracted  by  a  dialogue  which  took 
place  beneath  my  window. 

"  I  say,  my  good  friend,"  cried  a  mounted  orderly  to  Mike,  who 
was  busily  employed  in  brushing  a  jacket, — "  I  say,  are  you  Captain 
O'Malley's  man  ?" 

"  The  least  taste  in  life  o'  that  same,"  replied  he,  with  a  half-jocu- 
lar expression. 

"  Well,  then,"  said  the  other,  "  take  up  these  letters  to  your  mas- 
ter. Be  alive,  my  fine  fellow,  for  they  are  despatches,  and  I  must 
have  a  written  return  for  them." 

"  Won't  ye  get  off,  and  take  a  drop  of  somethin'  refreshin'  ?  the 
air  is  cowld  this  mornin'." 

"  I  can't  stay,  my  good  friend,  but  thank  you  all  the  same  ;  so  be 
alive,  will  you  ?" 

"  Arrah,  there's  no  hurry  in  life.  Sure  it's  an  invitation  to  dinner 
to  Lord  Wellington,  or  a  tea-party  at  Sir  Denny's  ;  sure,  my  mas- 
ter's bothered  with  them  every  day  o'  the  week ;  that's  the  misfor- 
tune of  being  an  agreeable  creature ;  and  I'd  be  led  into  dissipation 
myself  if  I  wasn't  rear'd  prudent." 

"Well,  come  along;  take  these  letters,  for  I  must  be  off;  my 
time  is  short." 

"That's  more  nor  your  nose  is,  honey,"  said  Mike,  evidently 
somewhat  piqued  at  the  little  effect  his  advances  had  made  upon 
the  Englishman.  "Give  them  here,"  continued  he,  while  he 
turned  the  various  papers  in  every  direction,  affecting  to  read  their 
addresses. 

"  There's  nothing  for  me  here,  I  see.  Did  none  of  the  generals 
ask  after  me  ?" 


608  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  You  are  a  queer  one !"  said  the  dragoon,  not  a  little  puzzled 
what  to  make  of  him. 

Mike  meanwhile  thrust  the  papers  carelessly  into  his  pocket,  and 
strode  into  the  house,  whistling  a  quickstep  as  he  went,  with  the  air 
of  a  man  perfectly  devoid  of  care  or  occupation.  The  next  moment, 
however,  he  appeared  at  my  door,  wiping  his  forehead  with  the  back 
of  his  hand,  and  apparently  breathless  with  haste. 

"  Despatches,  Mister  Charles — despatches  from  Lord  Wellington. 
The  orderly  is  waiting  below  for  a  return." 

"  Tell  him  he  shall  have  it  in  one  moment,"  replied  I.  "  And  now 
bring  me  a  light." 

Before  I  had  broken  the  seal  of  the  envelope,  Mike  was  once  more 
at  the  porch. 

"  My  master  is  writing  a  few  lines  to  say  he'll  do  it.  Don't  be 
talking  of  it,"  added  he,  dropping  his  voice,  "  but  they  want  him  to 
take  another  fortress." 

What  turn  the  dialogue  subsequently  took,  I  cannot  say,  for  I  was 
entirely  occupied  by  a  letter  which  accompanied  the  despatches.  It 
ran  as  follows : — 

"  Dear  Sir  : — The  Commander-in-Chief  has  been  kind  enough 
to  accord  you  the  leave  of  absence  you  applied  for,  and  takes  the 
opportunity  of  your  return  to  England  to  send  you  the  accompany- 
ing letters  to  his  Royal  Highness  the  Duke  of  York.  To  his  ap- 
proval of  your  conduct  in  the  assault  of  last  night  you  owe  this  dis- 
tinguished mark  of  Lord  Wellington's  favor,  which  I  hope  will  be 
duly  appreciated  by  you,  and  serve  to  increase  your  zeal  for  that 
service  in  which  you  have  already  distinguished  yourself. 

"  Believe  me  that  I  am  most  happy  in  being  made  the  medium  of 
this  communication,  and  have  the  honor  to  be, 

"  Very  truly  yours, 

"  T.  Picton." 

"  Quarter-General, 
"Ciudad  Rodrigo,  Jan.  20,  1812." 

I  read  and  re-read  this  note  again  and  again.  Every  line  was 
conned  over  by  me,  and  every  phrase  weighed  and  balanced  in  my 
mind.  Nothing  could  be  more  gratifying,  nothing  more  satisfactory 
to  my  feelings,  and  I  would  not  have  exchanged  its  possession  for 
the  brevet  of  a  lieutenant-colonel. 

"  Halloo,  orderly !"  cried  I  from  the  window,  as  I  hurriedly  sealed 
my  few  words  of  acknowledgment ;  "  take  this  note  back  to  General 
Picton,  and  here's  a  guinea  for  yourself."  So  saying,  I  pitched  into 
his  ready  hand  one  of  the  very  few  which  remained  to  me  in  the 


THE  DESPA  TCH.  609 

world.  "This  is  indeed  good  news  !"  said  I  to  myself;  "  this  is  in- 
deed a  moment  of  unmixed  happiness  !" 

As  I  closed  the  window,  I  could  hear  Mike  pronouncing  a  glow- 
ing eulogium  upon  my  liberality,  from  which  he  could  not,  how- 
ever, help  in  some  degree  detracting,  as  he  added, — 

"But  the  devil  thank  him,  after  all!  Sure  it's  himself  has  the 
illegant  fortune  and  the  fine  place  of  it!" 

Scarcely  were  the  last  sounds  of  the  retiring  horseman  dying  away 
in  the  distance,  when  Mike's  meditations  took  another  form,  and  he 
muttered  between  his  teeth — "  Oh  !  holy  Agatha ;  a  guinea,  a  raal 
gold  guinea,  to  a  thief  of  a  dragoon  that  come  with  the  letter,  and  here 
am  I  wearing  a  picture  of  the  holy  family  for  a  back  to  my  waist- 
coat, all  out  of  economy ;  and  sure,  God  knows,  but  maybe  they'll 
take  their  dealing  trick  out  of  me  in  purgatory  for  this  hereafter ; 
and  faith,  it's  a  beautiful  pair  of  breeches  I'd  have  had,  if  I  wasn't 
ashamed  to  put  the  twelve  apostles  on  my  legs." 

While  Mike  ran  on  at  this  rate,  my  eyes  fell  upon  a  few  lines  of 
postscript  in  Picton's  letter,  which  I  had  not  previously  noticed. 

"  The  official  despatches  of  the  storming  are  of  course  entrusted 
to  senior  officers ;  but  I  need  scarcely  remind  you  that  it  will  be  a 
polite  and  proper  attention  to  his  Koyal  Highness  to  present  your 
letters  with  as  little  delay  as  possible.  Not  a  moment  is  to  be  lost 
on  your  landing  in  England." 

"Mike  !"  cried  I,  "  how  look  the  cattle  for  a  journey  ?" 

"  The  chestnut  is  a  little  low  in  flesh,  but  in  great  wind,  your 
honor ;  and  the  black  horse  is  jumping  like  a  filly." 

"And  Badger?"  said  I. 

"  Howld  him,  if  you  can,  that's  all ;  but  it's  murthering  work 
this,  carrying  despatches  day  after  day." 

"  This  time,  however,  Mike,  we  must  not  grumble." 

"  Maybe  it  isn't  far  ?" 

"Why,  as  to  that,  I  shall  not  promise  much.  I'm  bound  for 
England,  Mickey." 

"  For  England!" 

"  Yes,  Mike,  and  for  Ireland." 

"  For  Ireland !  whoop  !"  shouted  he,  as  he  shied  his  cap  into  one 
corner  of  the  room,  the  jacket  he  was  brushing  into  the  other,  and 
began  dancing  round  the  table  with  no  bad  imitation  of  an  Indian 
war  dance. 

"  How  I'll  dance  like  a  fairy, 
To  see  oulcl  Dunleary, 
And  think  twice  ere  I  leave  it  to  be  a  dragoon." 

"  Oh !  blessed  hour !  isn't  it  beautiful  to  think  of  the  illuminations, 


610  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

and  dinners,  and  speeches,  and  shaking  of  hands,  huzzaing,  and  hip, 
hipping.  Maybe  there  won't  be  pictures  of  us  in  all  the  shops — 
Mister  Charles  and  his  man  Mister  Free.  Maybe  they  won't  make 
plays  out  of  us ;  myself  dressed  in  the  gray  coat  with  the  red  cuffs, 
the  cords,  the  tops,  and  the  Caroline  hat  a  little  cocked,  with  a  phiz 
in  the  side  of  it."  Here  he  made  a  sign  with  his  expanded  fingers 
to  represent  a  cockade,  which  he  designated  by  this  word.  "  I  think 
I  see  myself  dining  with  the  Corporation,  and  the  Lord  Mayor  of 
Dublin  getting  up  to  propose  the  health  of  the  hero  of  El  Boden, 
Mr.  Free  !  and  three  times  three,  hurrah  !  hurrah !  hurrah  !  Musha, 
but  it's  dry  I  am  gettin'  with  the  thoughts  of  the  punch  and  the 
potteen  negus." 

rt  If  you  go  on  at  this  rate,  we're  not  likely  to  be  soon  at  our  jour- 
ney's end ;  so  be  alive  now  ;  pack  up  my  kit ;  I  shall  start  by  twelve 
o'clock." 

With  one  spring  Mike  cleared  the  stairs,  and,  overthrowing  every- 
thing and  everybody  in  his  way,  hurried  towards  the  stable,  chant- 
ing at  the  top  of  his  voice  the  very  poetical  strain  he  had  indulged 
me  with  a  few  minutes  before. 

My  preparations  were  rapidly  made.  A  few  hurried  lines  of  leave- 
taking  to  the  good  fellows  I  had  lived  so  much  with  and  felt  so 
strongly  attached  to,  with  a  firm  assurance  that  I  should  join  them 
again  ere  long,  was  all  that  my  time  permitted.  To  Power  I  wrote 
more  at  length,  detailing  the  circumstances  which  my  own  letters 
informed  me  of,  and  also  those  which  invited  me  to  return  home. 
This  done,  I  lost  not  another  moment,  but  set  out  upon  my  journey. 


CHAPTER   XL. 

THE  LEAVE. 

AFTER  an  hour's  sharp  riding  we  reached  the  Aguada,  where 
the  river  was  yet  fordable;  crossing  this,  we  mounted  the 
Sierra  by  a  narrow  and  winding  pass  which  leads  through 
the  mountains  towards  Almeida.  Here  I  turned  once  more  to  cast 
a  last  and  farewell  look  at  the  scene  of  our  late  encounter:  It  was 
but  a  few  hours  that  I  had  stood  almost  on  the  same  spot,  and  yet 
how  altered  was  all  around.  The  wide  plain,  then  bustling  with  all 
the  life  and  animation  of  a  large  army,  was  now  nearly  deserted; 
some  dismounted  guns,  some  broken  up,  dismantled  batteries,  around 
which  a  few  sentinels  seemed  to  loiter  rather  than  to  keep  guard ;  a 


THE  LEA  VE.  611 

strong  detachment  of  infantry  could  be  seen  wending  their  way 
towards  the  fortress,  and  a  confused  mass  of  camp-followers,  sutlers, 
and  peasants,  following  their  steps  for  protection  against  the  pil- 
lagers and  the  still  ruder  assaults  of  their  own  Guerillas.  The  for- 
tress, too,  was  changed  indeed.  Those  mighty  walls  before  whose 
steep  sides  the  bravest  fell  back  baffled  and  beaten,  were  now  a  mass 
of  ruin  and  decay ;  the  muleteer  could  be  seen  driving  his  mule 
along  through  the  rugged  ascent  of  that  breach,  to  win  whose  top 
the  best  blood  of  Albion's  chivalry  was  shed ;  and  the  peasant  child 
looked  timidly  from  those  dark  enclosures  into  the  deep  fosse  below, 
where  perished  hundreds  of  our  best  and  bravest.  The  air  was  calm, 
clear  and  unclouded ;  no  smoke  obscured  the  transparent  atmos- 
phere ;  the  cannon  had  ceased ;  and  the  voices  that  rang  so  late  in 
accents  of  triumphant  victory  were  stilled  in  death.  Everything, 
indeed,  had  undergone  a  mighty  change ;  but  nothing  brought  the 
altered  fortunes  of  the  scenes  so  vividly  to  my  mind  as  when  I  re- 
membered that  when  last  I  had  seen  those  walls,  the  dark  shako  of  the 
French  grenadiers  peered  above  their  battlements,  an<^  now  the  gay 
tartan  of  the  Highlander  fluttered  above  them,  and  the  red  flag  of 
England  waved  boldly  in  the  breeze. 

Up  to  that  moment  my  sensations  were  those  of  unmixed  pleasure. 
The  thought  of  my  home,  my  friends,  my  country,  the  feeling  that 
I  was  returning  with  the  bronze  of  battle  upon  my  cheek,  and  the 
voice  of  praise  still  ringing  in  my  heart, — these  were  proud  thoughts, 
and  my  bosom  heaved  short  and  quickly  as  I  revolved  them ;  but  as 
I  turned  my  gaze  for  the  last  time  towards  the  gallant  army  I  was 
leaving,  a  pang  of  sorrow,  of  self-reproach,  shot  through  me,  and  I 
could  not  help  feeling  how  far  less  worthily  was  I  acting  in  yielding 
to  the  impulse  of  my  wishes,  than  had  I  remained  to  share  the  for- 
tunes of  the  campaign. 

So  powerfully  did  these  sensations  possess  me,  that  I  sat  motion- 
less for  some  time,  uncertain  whether  to  proceed.  Forgetting  that  I 
was  the  bearer  of  important  information,  I  only  remembered  that  by 
my  own  desire  I  was  there ;  my  reason  but  half  convinced  me  that 
the  part  I  had  adopted  was  right  and  honorable,  and  more  than  once 
my  resolution  to  proceed  hung  in  the  balance.  It  was  just  at  this 
critical  moment  of  my  doubts  that  Mike,  who  had  been  hitherto  be- 
hind, came  up. 

"  Is  it  the  upper  road,  sir  ?"  said  he,  pointing  to  a  steep  and 
rugged  path  which  led  by  a  zigzag  ascent  towards  the  crest  of  the 
mountain. 

I  nodded  in  reply,  when  he  added  : 

"Doesn't  this  remind  your  honor  of  Sleibh  More,  above  the  Shan- 
non, where  we  used  to  be  grouse-shooting  ?  And  there's  the  keeper's 


612  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

house  m  the  valley  :  and  that  might  be  your  uncle,  the  master  him- 
self, waving  his  hat  to  you." 

Had  he  known  the  state  of  my  conflicting  feelings  at  the  moment, 
he  could  not  more  readily  have  decided  this  doubt.  I  turned 
abruptly  away,  put  spurs  to  my  horse,  and  dashed  up  the  steep  pass 
at  a  pace  which  evidently  surprised,  and  as  evidently  displeased,  my 
follower. 

How  natural  it  is  ever  to  experience  a  reaction  of  depression  and 
lowness  after  the  first  burst  of  unexpected  joy !  The  moment  of  hap- 
piness is  scarce  experienced  ere  come  the  doubts  of  its  reality,  the 
fears  for  its  continuance,  the  higher  state  of  pleasurable  excitement, 
the  more  painful  and  the  more  pressing  the  anxieties  that  await  on 
it;  the  tension  of  delighted  feelings  cannot  last,  and  our  over- 
wrought faculties  seek  repose  in  regrets.  Happy  he  who  can  so 
temper  his  enjoyments  as  to  view  them  in  their  shadows  as  in  their 
sunshine ;  he  may  not,  it  is  true,  behold  the  landscape  in  the  blaze 
of  its  noonday  brightness,  but  he  need  not  fear  the  thunder-cloud 
nor  the  hurricane.  The  calm  autumn  of  his  bliss,  if  it  dazzle  not  in 
its  brilliancy,  will  not  any  more  be  shrouded  in  darkness  and  in 
gloom. 

My  first  burst  of  pleasure  over,  the  thought  of  my  uncle's  changed 
fortunes  pressed  deeply  on  my  heart,  and  a  hundred  plans  suggested 
themselves  in  turn  to  my  mind  to  relieve  his  present  embarrass- 
ments ;  but  I  knew  how  impracticable  they  would  all  prove  when 
opposed  by  his  prejudices.  To  sell  the  old  home  of  his  forefathers, 
to  wander  from  the  roof  which  had  sheltered  his  name  for  genera- 
tions, he  would  never  consent  to ;  the  law  might  by  force  expel  him, 
and  drive  him  a  wanderer  and  an  exile,  but  of  his  own  free  will  the 
thing  was  hopeless.  Considine,  too,  would  encourage  rather  than 
repress  such  feelings  ;  his  feudalism  would  lead  him  to  any  lengths ; 
and,  in  defence  of  what  he  would  esteem  a  right,  he  would  as  soon 
shoot  a  sheriff  as  a  snipe,  and,  old  as  he  was,  ask  for  no  better  amuse- 
ment than  to  arm  the  whole  tenantry  and  give  battle  to  the  king's 
troops  on  the  wide  plain  of  ScarifT.  Amid  such  conflicting  thoughts 
I  travelled  on  moodily  and  in  silence,  to  the  palpable  astonishment 
of  Mike,  who  could  not  help  regarding  me  as  one  from  whom  for- 
tune met  the  most  ungrateful  returns.  At  every  new  turn  of  the 
road  he  would  endeavor  to  attract  my  attention  by  the  objects 
around  ;  no  white-turreted  chateau,  no  tapered  spire  in  the  distance 
escaped  him  ;  he  kept  up  a  constant  ripple  of  half-muttered  praise 
and  censure  upon  all  he  saw,  and  instituted  unceasing  comparisons 
between  the  country  and  his  own,  in  which,  I  am  bound  to  say,  Ire- 
land rarely,  if  ever,  had  to  complain  of  his  patriotism. 

When  we  arrived  at  Almeida,  I  learned  that  the  Medea  sloop  of 


THE  LEA  VE.  613 

war  was  lying  off  Oporto,  and  expected  to  sail  for  England  in  a  few 
days.  The  opportunity  was  not  to  be  neglected ;  the  official  de- 
spatches, I  was  aware,  would  be  sent  through  Lisbon,  where  the 
Gorgon  frigate  wa3  in  waiting  to  convey  them ;  but  should  I  be  for- 
tunate enough  to  reach  Oporto  in  time,  I  had  little  doubt  of  arriving 
in  England  with  the  first  intelligence  of  the  fall  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo. 
. Reducing  my  luggage,  therefore,  to  the  smallest  possible  compass, 
and  having  provided  myself  with  a  juvenile  guide  for  the  pass  of  La 
Reyna,  I  threw  myself,  without  undressing,  upon  the  bed,  and  wait- 
ed   anxiously  for  the  break  of  day  to  resume  my  journey. 

As  I  ruminated  over  the  prospect  my  return  presented,  I  suddenly 
remembered  Frank  Webber's  letter,  which  I  had  hastily  thrust  into 
a  portfolio  without  reading,  so  occupied  was  I  by  Considine's  epistle. 
With  a  little  searching  I  discovered  it,  and,  trimming  my  lamp,  as 
I  felt  no  inclination  to  sleep,  I  proceeded  to  the  examination  of 
what  seemed  a  more  than  usually  voluminous  epistle.  It  contained 
four  closely-written  pages,  accompanied  by  something  like  a  plan 
in  an  engineering  sketch.  My  curiosity  becoming  further  stimu- 
lated by  this,  I  sat  down  to  peruse  it.     It  began  thus : 

"  Official  Despatch  of  Lieutenant-General  Francis  Webber  to  Lord 
Castlereagh,  detailing  the  assault  and  capture  of  the  old  pump  in 
Trinity  College,  Dublin,  on  the  night  of  the  second  of  December, 
eighteen  hundred  and  eleven,  with  returns  of  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing,  with  other  information  from  the  seat  of  war. 

"  Head-quarters,  No.  2,  Old  Square. 

"  My  Lord, — In  compliance  with  the  instructions  contained  in 
your  lordship's  despatch  of  the  twenty-first  ultimo,  I  concentrated 
the  force  under  my  command,  and,  assembling  the  generals  of  div- 
ision, made  known  my  intentions  in  the  following  general  order : 

"A.  G.  O. 

"  The  following  troops  will  this  evening  assemble  at  head-quarters, 
and,  having  partaken  of  a  sufficient  dinner  for  the  next  two  days, 
with  punch  for  four,  will  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  march  in 
the  following  order: 

"Harry  Nesbitt's  brigade  of  Incorrigibles  will  form  a  blockading 
force,  in  the  line  extending  from  the  Vice-Provost's  house  to  the 
library.  The  light  division,  under  Mark  Waller,  will  skirmish  from 
the  gate  towards  the  middle  of  the  square,  obstructing  the  march  of 
the  Cuirassiers  of  the  Guard,  which,  under  the  command  of  old 
Duncan,  the  porter,  are  expected  to  move  in  that  direction.  Two 
columns  of  attack  will  be  formed  by  the  senior  sophisters  of  the  Old 


614  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Guard,  and  a  forlorn  hope  of  the  '  cautioned'  men  at  the  last  four 
examinations  will  form,  under  the  orders  of  Timothy  O'Rourke, 
beneath  the  shadow  of  the  dining-hall. 

"At  the  signal  of  the  Dean's  bell  the  stormers  will  move  forward. 
A  cheer  from  the  united  corps  will  then  announce  the  moment  of 
attack. 

"  The  word  for  the  night  will  be  •  May  the  devil  admire  me  !' 
"  The  Commander  of  the  Forces  desires  that  the  different  corps 
should  be  as  strong  as  possible,  and  expects  that  no  man  will  re- 
main, on  any  pretence  whatever,  in  the  rear,  with  the  lush.  Dur- 
ing the  main  assault,  Cecil  Cavendish  will  make  a  feint  upon  the 
Provost's  windows,  to  be  converted  into  a  real  attack  if  the  ladies 
scream. 

"general  order. 

"  The  Commissary-General  Foley  will  supply  the  following  arti- 
cles for  the  use  of  the  troops : — Two  hams  ;  eight  pair  of  chickens, 
the  same  to  be  roasted  ;  a  devilled  turkey  ;  sixteen  lobsters ;  eight 
hundred  of  oysters,  with  a  proportionate  quantity  of  cold  sherry  and 
hot  punch. 

"  The  army  will  get  drunk  by  ten  o'clock  to-night. 

"  Having  made  these  dispositions,  my  lord,  I  proceeded  to  mis- 
lead the  enemy  as  to  our  intentions,  in  suffering  my  servant  to  be 
taken  with  an  intercepted  despatch.  This,  being  a  prescription  by 
Doctor  Colles,  would  convey  to  the  Dean's  mind  the  impression  that 
I  was  still  upon  the  sick  list.  This  being  done,  and  four  canisters 
of  Dartford  gunpowder  being  procured  on  tick,  our  military  chest 
being  in  a  most  deplorable  condition,  I  waited  for  the  moment  of 
attack. 

"  A  heavy  rain,  accompanied  with  a  frightful  hurricane,  prevailed 
during  the  entire  day,  rendering  the  march  of  the  troops,  who  came 
from  the  neighborhood  of  Merrion-square  and  Fitzwilliam  street,  a 
service  of  considerable  fatigue.  The  outlying  pickets  in  College- 
green,  being  induced,  probably,  by  the  inclemency  of  the  season, 
were  rather  tipsy  in  joining,  and  having  engaged  in  a  skirmish  with 
old  M'Calister,  tying  his  red  uniform  over  his  head,  the  moment  of 
attack  was  precipitated,  and  we  moved  to  the  trenches  by  half-past 
nine  o'clock. 

"  Nothing  could  be  more  orderly,  nothing  more  perfect,  than  the 
march  of  the  troops.  As  we  approached  the  corner  of  the  commons'- 
hall,  a  skirmish  on  the  rear  apprised  us  that  our  intentions  had  be- 
come known;  and  I  soon  learned  from  my  aide-de-camp,  Bob 
Moore,  that  the  attack  was  made  by  a  strong  column  of  the  enemy, 
under  the  command  of  old  Fitzgerald. 


THE  LEA  VE.  615 

"  Perpendicular  (as  your  lordship  is  aware  he  is  styled  by  the 
army)  came  on  in  a  determined  manner,  and  before  many  minutes 
had  elapsed  had  taken  several  prisoners,  among  others  Tom  Drum- 
mond — Long  Tom — who,  having  fallen  on  all  fours,  was  mistaken 
for  a  long  eighteen.  The  success,  however,  was  but  momentary ; 
Nesbitt's  brigade  attacked  them  in  flank,  rescued  the  prisoners,  ex- 
tinguished the  Dean's  lantern,  and,  having  beaten  back  the  heavy 
porters,  took  Perpendicular  himself  prisoner. 

"An  express  from  the  left  informed  me  that  the  attack  upon  the 
Provost's  house  had  proved  equally  successful :  there  wasn't  a  whole 
pane  of  glass  in  the  front,  and  from  a  footman  who  deserted,  it  was 
learned  that  Mrs.  Hutchinson  was  in  hysterics. 

"  While  I  was  reading  this  despatch,  a  strong  feeling  of  the  line 
towards  the  right  announced  that  something  was  taking  place  in 
that  direction.  Bob  Moore,  who  rode  by  on  Drummond's  back, 
hurriedly  informed  me  that  Williams  had  put  the  lighted  end  of  his 
cigar  to  one  of  the  fuses,  but  the  powder,  being  wet,  did  not  explode, 
notwithstanding  his  efforts  to  effect  it.  Upon  this,  I  hastened  to  the 
front,  where  I  found  the  individual  in  question  kneeling  upon  the 
ground,  and  endeavoring,  as  far  as  punch  would  permit  him,  to 
kindle  a  flame  at  the  port-fire.  Before  I  could  interfere,  the  spark 
had  caught ;  a  loud,  hissing  noise  followed ;  the  different  magazines 
successively  became  ignited,  and  the  fire  reached  the  great  four- 
pound  charge. 

"  I  cannot  convey  to  your  lordship,  by  any  words  of  mine,  an  idea 
of  this  terrible  explosion ;  the  blazing  splinters  were  hurled  into 
the  air  and  fell  in  fiery  masses  on  every  side  from  the  Park  to  King 
William ;  Ivey,  the  bell-ringer,  was  precipitated  from  the  scaffold 
beside  the  bell,  and  fell  headlong  into  the  mud  beneath ;  the  sur- 
rounding buildings  trembled  at  the  shock;  the  windows  were 
shattered,  and,  in  fact,  a  scene  of  perfect  devastation  ensued  on  all 
sides. 

"  When  the  smoke  cleared  away,  I  rose  from  my  recumbent 
position,  and  perceived  with  delight  that  not  a  vestige  of  the 
pump  remained.  The  old  iron  handle  was  imbedded  in  the  wall 
of  the  dining-hall,  and  its  round  knob  stood  out  like  the  end  of  a 
queue. 

"  Our  loss  was,  of  course,  considerable.  Ordering  the  wounded 
to  the  rear,  I  proceeded  to  make  an  orderly  and  regular  retreat.  At 
this  time,  however,  the  enemy  had  assembled  in  force.  Two  bat- 
talions of  porters,  led  on  by  Doctor  Dobbin,  charged  us  on  the 
flank ;  a  heavy  brigade  poured  down  upon  us  from  the  battery,  and 
but  for  the  exertions  of  Harry  Nesbitt,  our  communication  with  our 
reserves  must  have  been  cut  off.    Cecil  Cavendish  also  came  up ;  for, 


616  CHARLES  0' MALLET. 

although  beaten  in  his  great  attack,  the  forces  under  his  command 
had  penetrated  by  the  kitchen  windows,  and  carried  off  a  considera- 
ble quantity  of  cold  meat. 

"  Concentrating  the  different  corps,  I  made  an  echelon  movement 
upon  the  chapel,  to  admit  of  the  light  division  coining  up.  This 
they  did  in  a  few  moments,  informing  me  that  they  had  left  Per- 
pendicular in  the  haha,  which,  as  your  lordship  is  aware,  is  a  fosse 
of  the  very  greenest  and  most  stagnant  nature.  We  now  made  good 
our  retreat  upon  number  '  2,'  carrying  our  wounded  with  'us.  The 
plunder  we  also  secured,  but  we  kicked  the  prisoners  and  suffered 
them  to  escape. 

"  Thus  terminated,  my  lord,  one  of  the  brightest  achievements 
of  the  under-graduate  career.  I  enclose  a  list  of  the  wounded,  as 
also  an  account  of  the  various  articles  returned  in  the  Commissary- 
General's  list. 

Harry  Nesbitt :  severely  wounded ;  no  coat  nor  hat ;  a  black 
eye ;  left  shoe  missing. 

Cecil  Cavendish :  face  severely  scratched  ;  supposed  to  have  re- 
ceived his  wound  in  the  attack  upon  the  kitchen. 

"  Tom  Drummond :  not  recognizable  by  his  friends  ;  his  features 
resembling  a  transparency  disfigured  by  the  smoke  of  the  preceding 
night's  illumination. 

"  Bob  Moore :  slightly  wounded. 

"  I  would  beg  particularly  to  recommend  all  these  officers  to  your 
lordship's  notice;  indeed,  the  conduct  of  Moore,  in  kicking  the 
Dean's  lantern  out  of  the  porter's  hand,  was  marked  by  great 
promptitude  and  decision.  This  officer  will  present  to  H.  R.  H. 
the  following  trophies,  taken  from  the  enemy :  The  Dean's  cap  and 
tassel;  the  key  of  his  chambers;  Dr.  Dobbin's  wig  and  bands;  four 
porters'  helmets,  and  a  book  on  the  cellar. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  remain,  my  lord,  &c, 

"Francis  Webber. 
"G.  O. 

"  The  Commander  of  the  Forces  returns  his  thanks  to  the  various 
officers  and  soldiers  employed  in  the  late  assault,  for  their  perse- 
vering gallantry  and  courage.  The  splendor  of  the  achievement  can 
only  be  equalled  by  the  humanity  and  good  conduct  of  the  troops. 
It  only  remains  for  him  to  add,  that  the  less  they  say  about  the 
transaction,  and  the  sooner  they  are  severally  confined  to  their  beds 
with  symptoms  of  contagious  fever,  the  better. 

"Meanwhile,  to  concert  upon  the  future  measures  of  the  cam- 
paign, the  army  will  sup  to-night  at  Morrison's." 

Here  ended  this  precious  epistle,  rendering  one  fact  sufficiently 


THE  LEA  VE.  617 

evident— that  however  my  worthy  friend  had  advanced  in  years,  he- 
had  not  grown  in  wisdom. 

While  ruminating  upon  the  strange  infatuation  which  could  per- 
suade a  gifted  and  an  able  man  to  lavish  upon  dissipation  and  reck- 
less absurdity  the  talents  that  might,  if  well  directed,  raise  him  to 
eminence  and  distinction,  a  few  lines  of  a  newspaper  paragraph  fell 
from  the  paper  I  was  reading.     It  ran  thus : 

"LATE  OUTRAGE  IN  TRINITY   COLLEGE,    DUBLIN. 

"  We  have  great  pleasure  in  stating  that  the  serious  disturbance 
which  took  place  within  the  walls  of  our  University  a  few  evenings 
since  was  in  nowise  attributable  to  the  conduct  of  the  students.  A 
party  of  ill-disposed  townspeople  were,  it  would  appear,  the  insti- 
gators and  perpetrators  of  the  outrage.  That  their  object  was  the 
total  destruction  of  our  venerated  University  there  can  be  but  little 
doubt.  Fortunately,  however,  they  did  not  calculate  upon  the  esprit 
de  corps  of  the  students,  a  body  of  whom,  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
Webber,  successfully  opposed  the  assailants,  and  finally  drove  them 
from  the  walls. 

"  It  is,  we  understand,  the  intention  of  the  board  to  confer  some 
mark  of  approbation  upon  Mr.  Webber,  who,  independently  of  this, 
has  strong  claims  upon  their  notice,  Kis  collegiate  success  pointing 
him  out  as  the  most  extraordinary  man  of  his  day." 

"  This,  my  dear  Charley,  will  give  you  some  faint  conception  of 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  exploits  of  modern  days.  The  bulletin, 
believe  me,  is  not  Napoleonized  into  any  bombastic  extravagance 
of  success.  The  thing  was  splendid ;  from  the  brilliant  firework  of 
the  old  pump  itself  to  the  figure  of  Perpendicular  dripping  with 
duckweed,  like  an  insane  river-god,  it  was  unequalled.  Our  fellows 
behaved  like  trumps ;  and,  to  do  them  justice,  so  did  the  enemy. 
But  unfortunately,  notwithstanding  this,  and  the  plausible  para- 
graphs of  the  morning  papers,  I  have  been  summoned  before  the 
board  for  Tuesday  next. 

"  Meanwhile,  I  employ  myself  in  throwing  off  a  shower  of  small 
squibs  for  the  journals,  so  that  if  the  board  deal  not  mercifully  with 
me,  I  may  meet  with  sympathy  from  the  public.  I  have  just  de- 
spatched a  little  editorial  bit  for  the  Times,  calling,  in  terms  of 
parental  tenderness,  upon  the  University  to  say — 

"'How  long  will  the  extraordinary  excesses  of  a  learned  func- 
tionary be  suffered  to  disgrace  college  ?  Is  Doctor  ■ to  be  per- 
mitted to  exhibit  an  example  of  more  riotous  insubordination  than 
would  be  endured  in  an  under-graduate  ?  More  on  this  subject 
hereafter.' 


618  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"'Saunders'  News  Letter. — Doctor  Barret  appeared  at  the  head 
police-office,  before  Alderman  Darley,  to  make  oath  that  neither 
he  nor  Catty  were  concerned  in  the  late  outrage  upon  the  pump/ 
&c,  &c. 

"  Paragraphs  like  these  are  flying  about  in  every  provincial  paper 
of  the  empire.  People  shake  their  heads  when  they  speak  of  the 
University,  and  respectable  females  rather  cross  over  by  King  Wil- 
liam and  the  Bank  than  pass  near  its  precincts. 

"Tuesday  Evening. 

"  Would  you  believe  it,  they've  expelled  me !  Address  your  next 
letter  as  usual,  for  they  haven't  got  rid  of  me  yet.    Yours, 

"  F.  W." 

"So  I  shall  find  him  in  his  old  quarters,"  thought  I,  "and  evi- 
dently not  much  altered  since  we  parted."  It  was  not  without  a 
feeling  of  (I  trust  pardonable)  pride  that  I  thought  over  my  own 
career  in  the  interval.  My  three  years  of  campaigning  life  had 
given  me  some  insight  into  the  world,  and  some  knowledge  of  my- 
self, and  conferred  upon  me  a  boon  of  which  I  know  not  the  equal 
— that,  while  yet  young,  and  upon  the  very  threshold  of  life,  I 
should  have  tasted  the  enthusiastic  pleasures  of  a  soldier's  fortune 
and  braved  the  dangers  and  difficulties  of  a  campaign  at  a  time 
when,  under  other  auspices,  I  might  have  wasted  my  years  in  un- 
profitable idleness  or  careless  dissipation. 


CHAPTER   XLI, 

LONDON. 


TWELVE  hours  after  my  arrival  in  England  I  entered  London. 
I  cannot  attempt  to  record  the  sensations  which  thronged  my 
mind  as  the  din  and  tumult  of  that  mighty  city  awoke  me 
from  a  sound  sleep  I  had  fallen  into  in  the  corner  of  the  chaise- 
The  seemingly  interminable  lines  of  lamplight,  the  crash  of  carri- 
ages, the  glare  of  the  shops,  the  buzz  of  voices,  made  up  a  chaotic 
mass  of  sights  and  sounds,  leaving  my  efforts  at  thought  vain  and 
fruitless. 

Obedient  to  my  instructions,  I  lost  not  a  moment  in  my  prepara- 
tions to  deliver  my  despatches.     Having  dressed  myself  in  the  full 


LONDON.  619 

uniform  of  my  corps,  I  drove  to  the  Horse  Guards.  It  was  now 
nine  o'clock,  and  I  learned  that  his  Royal  Highness  had  gone  to 
dinner  at  Carlton  House.  In  a  few  words  which  I  spoke  with  the 
aide-de-camp,  I  discovered  that  no  information  of  the  fall  of  Ciudad 
Eodrigo  had  yet  reached  England.  The  greatest  anxiety  prevailed 
as  to  the  events  of  the  Peninsula,  from  which  no  despatches  had 
been  received  for  several  weeks  past. 

To  Carlton  House  I  accordingly  bent  my  steps,  without  any  pre- 
cise determination  how  I  should  proceed  when  there,  nor  knowing 
how  far  etiquette  might  be  an  obstacle  to  the  accomplishment  of  my 
mission.  The  news  of  which  I  was  the  bearer  was,  however,  of  too 
important  a  character  to  permit  me  to  hesitate,  and  I  presented  my- 
self to  the  aide-de-camp  in  waiting,  simply  stating  that  I  was  en- 
trusted with  important  letters  to  his  Royal  Highness,  the  purport 
of  which  did  not  admit  of  delay. 

"  They  have  not  gone  to  dinner  yet,"  lisped  out  the  aide-de-camp, 
"  and  if  you  would  permit  me  to  deliver  the  letters " 

"  Mine  are  despatches,"  said  I,  somewhat  proudly,  and  in  nowise 
disposed  to  cede  to  another  the  honor  of  personally  delivering  them 
into  the  hands  of  the  Duke. 

"  Then  you  had  better  present  yourself  at  the  levee  to-morrow 
morning,"  replied  he,  carelessly,  while  he  turned  into  one  of  the 
window  recesses,  and  resumed  the  conversation  with  one  of  the 
gentlemen  in  waiting. 

I  stood  for  some  moments  uncertain  and  undecided,  reluctant  on 
the  one  part  to  relinquish  my  claim  as  the  bearer  of  despatches,  and 
equally  unwilling  to  defer  their  delivery  till  the  following  day. 

Adopting  the  former  alternative,  I  took  my  papers  from  my 
sabretasche,  and  was  about  to  place  them  in  the  hands  of  the  aide- 
de-camp,  when  the  folding  doors  at  the  end  of  the  apartment  sud- 
denly flew  open,  and  a  large  and  handsome  man,  with  a  high,  bald 
forehead,  entered  hastily. 

The  different  persons  in  waiting  sprang  from  their  lounging  atti- 
tudes upon  the  sofas,  and  bowed  respectfully  as  he  passed  on  towards 
another  door.  His  dress  was  a  plain  blue  coat,  buttoned  to  the 
collar,  and  his  only  decoration  a  brilliant  star  upon  the  breast. 
There  was  that  air,  however,  of  high  birth  and  bearing  about  him 
that  left  no  doubt  upon  my  mind  that  he  was  of  the  blood  royal. 

As  the  aide-de-camp  to  whom  I  had  been  speaking  opened  the 
door  for  him  to  pass  out,  I  could  hear  some  words  in  a  low  voice, 
in  which  the  phrases  "letters  of  importance"  and  "your  Royal 
Highness"  occurred.  The  individual  addressed  turned  suddenly 
about,  and  casting  a  rapid  glance  around  the  room,  without  deign- 
ing a  word  in  reply,  walked  straight  up  to  where  I  was  standing. 


620  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Despatches  for  me,  sir  ?"  said  he,  shortly,  taking  the  packet 
from  my  hand  as  he  spoke. 

"  For  his  Royal  Highness  the  Commander-in-Chief,"  said  I,  bow- 
ing respectfully,  and  still  uncertain  in  whose  presence  I  was  stand- 
ing. He  broke  the  seal  without  answering,  and,  as  his  eye  caught 
the  first  lines  of  the  despatch,  broke  out  into  an  exclamation  of — 

"  Ha !  Peninsular  news  !     When  did  you  arrive,  sir  ?" 

"  An  hour  since,  sir." 

"  And  these  letters  are  from " 

"  General  Picton,  your  Eoyal  Highness." 

"  How  glorious  !— how  splendidly  done !"  muttered  he  to  himself, 
as  he  ran  his  eyes  rapidly  over  the  letter.  "Are  you  Captain 
O'Malley,  whose  name  is  mentioned  here  so  favorably  ?" 

I  bowed  deeply  in  reply. 

"You  are  most  highly  spoken  of,  and  it  will  give  me  sincere 
pleasure  to  recommend  you  to  the  notice  of  the  Prince  Eegent.  But 
stay  a  moment."  So  saying,  he  hurriedly  passed  from  the  room, 
leaving  me  overwhelmed  at  the  suddenness  of  the  incident,  and  a 
mark  of  no  small  astonishment  to  the  different  persons  in  waiting, 
who  had  hitherto  no  other  idea  but  that  my  despatches  were  from 
Hounslow  or  Knightsbridge. 

"  Captain  O'Malley,"  said  an  officer  covered  with  decorations,  and 
whose  slightly  foreign  accent  bespoke  the  Hanoverian,  "  his  Royal 
Highness  requests  you  will  accompany  me."  The  door  opened  as 
he  spoke,  and  I  found  myself  in  a  most  splendidly  lit-up  apartment, 
the  walls  covered  with  pictures,  and  the  ceiling  divided  into  panels, 
resplendent  with  the  richest  gilding.  A  group  of  persons,  in  court 
dresses,  were  conversing  in  a  low  tone  as  we  entered,  but  suddenly 
ceased,  and,  saluting  my  conductor  respectfully,  made  way  for  us  to 
pass  on.  The  folding-doors  again  opened  as  we  approached,  and  we 
found  ourselves  in  a  long  gallery,  whose  sumptuous  furniture  and 
costly  decorations  shone  beneath  the  rich  tints  of  a  massive  lustre 
of  ruby  glass,  diffusing  a  glow  resembling  the  most  gorgeous  sun- 
set. Here  also  some  persons  in  handsome  uniform  were  conversing 
one  of  whom  accosted  my  companion  by  the  title  of  "  Baron."  Nod- 
ding familiarly  as  he  muttered  a  few  words  in  German,  he  passed 
forward,  and  the  next  moment  the  doors  were  thrown  suddenly 
wide,  and  we  entered  the  drawing-room. 

The  buzz  of  voices  and  the  sound  of  laughter  reassured  me  as  I 
came  forward,  and  before  I  had  time  to  think  where  and  why  I  was 
there,  the  Duke  of  York  advanced  towards  me  with  a  smile  of  pecu- 
liar sweetness  in  its  expression,  and  said,  as  he  turned  towards  one 
side, — 

"  Your  Royal  Highness — Captain  O'Malley." 


LONDON.  G21 

As  he  spoke,  the  Prince  moved  forward,  and  bowed  slightly. 

"  You've  brought  us  capital  news,  Mr.  O'Malley.  May  I  beg,  if 
you're  not  too  much  tired,  you'll  join  us  at  dinner?  I  am  most 
anxious  to  learn  the  particulars  of  the  assault." 

As  I  bowed  my  acknowledgments  to  the  gracious  invitation,  he 
continued, — 

"  Are  you  acquainted  with  my  friend  here  ? — but  of  course  you 
can  scarcely  be — you  began  too  early  as  a  soldier.  So  let  me  pre- 
sent you  to  my  friend,  Mr.  Tierney,"— a  middle-aged  man,  whose' 
broad,  white  forehead  and  deep-set  eyes  gave  a  character  to  features 
that  were  otherwise  not  remarkable  in  expression,  and  who  bowed 
rather  stiffly. 

Before  he  had  concluded  a  somewhat  labored  compliment  to  me, 
we  were  joined  by  a  third  person,  whose  strikingly-handsome  fea- 
tures were  lit  up  with  an  expression  of  the  most  animated  kind.  He 
accosted  the  Prince  with  an  air  of  easy  familiarity,  and  while  he  led 
him  from  the  group,  appeared  to  be  relating  some  anecdote,  which 
actually  convulsed  his  Royal  Highness  with  laughter. 

Before  I  had  time  or  opportunity  to  inquire  who  the  individual 
could  be,  dinner  was  announced,  and  the  wide  folding-doors  being 
thrown  open,  displayed  the  magnificent  dining-room  of  Carlton 
House,  in  all  the  blaze  and  splendor  of  its  magnificence. 

The  sudden  change  from  the  rough  vicissitudes  of  campaigning 
life  to  all  the  luxury  and  voluptuous  elegance  of  a  brilliant  court, 
created  too  much  confusion  in  my  mind  to  permit  of  my  impressions 
being  the  most  accurate  or  most  collected.  The  splendor  of  the 
scene,  the  rank,  but  even  more  the  talent,  of  the  individuals  by 
whom  I  was  surrounded,  had  all  their  full  effect  upon  me;  and 
although  I  found,  from  the  tone  of  the  conversation  about,  how  im- 
measurably I  was  their  inferior,  yet  by  a  delicate  and  courteous 
interest  in  the  scene  of  which  I  had  lately  partaken,  they  took  away 
the  awkwardness  which,  in  some  degree,  was  inseparable  from  the 
novelty  of  my  position  among  them. 

Conversing  about  the  Peninsula  with  a  degree  of  knowledge 
which  I  could  in  nowise  comprehend  from  those  not  engaged  in  the 
war,  they  appeared  perfectly  acquainted  with  all  the  details  of  the 
campaign ;  and  I  heard  on  every  side  of  me  anecdotes  and  stories 
which  I  scarcely  believed  known  beyond  the  precincts  of  a  regi- 
ment. The  Prince  himself — the  grace  and  charm  of  whose  narra- 
tive talents  have  seldom  been  excelled — was  particularly  conspicu- 
ous, and  I  could  not  help  feeling  struck  with  his  admirable  imita- 
tions of  voice  and  manner.  The  most  accomplished  actor  could  not 
have  personated  the  cannie,  calculating  spirit  of  the  Scot,  or  the 
rollicking  recklessness  of  the  Irishman,  with  more  tact  and  finesse. 


622  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

But  far  above  all  this  shone  the  person  whom  I  have  already  alluded 
to  as  speaking  to  his  Royal  Highness  in  the  drawing-room.  Com- 
bining the  happiest  conversational  eloquence  with  a  quick,  ready, 
and  brilliant  fancy,  he  threw  from  him,  in  all  the  careless  profusion 
of  boundless  resource,  a  shower  of  pointed  and  epigrammatic  witti- 
cisms— now  illustrating  a  really  difficult  subject  by  one  happy 
touch,  as  the  blaze  of  the  lightning  will  light  up  the  whole  surface 
of  the  dark  landscape  beneath  it;  now  turning  the  force  of  an 
adversary's  argument  by  some  fallacious  but  unanswerable  jest, 
accompanying  the  whole  by  those  fascinations  of  voice,  look,  gesture, 
and  manner,  which  have  made  those  who  once  have  seen  never  able 
to  forget  Brinsley  Sheridan. 

I  am  not  able,  were  I  even  disposed,  to  record  more  particularly 
the  details  of  that  most  brilliant  evening  of  my  life.  On  every  side 
of  me  I  heard  the  names  of  those  whose  fame  as  statesmen,  or  whose 
repute  as  men  of  letters,  was  ringing  throughout  Europe.  They 
were  then,  too,  not  in  the  easy  indolence  of  ordinary  life,  but  dis- 
playing with  their  utmost  effort  those  powers  of  wit,  fancy,  imagina- 
tion, and  eloquence  which  had  won  for  them  elsewhere  their  high 
and  exalted  position.  The  masculine  understanding  and  powerful 
intellect  of  Tierney  vied  with  the  brilliant  and  dazzling  conceptions 
of  Sheridan.  The  easy  bonhomie  and  English  heartiness  of  Fox  con- 
trasted with  the  keen  sarcasm  and  sharp  raillery  of  O'Kelly.  While 
contesting  the  palm  with  each,  the  Prince  evinced  powers  of  mind 
and  eloquent  facilities  of  expression  that  in  any  walk  of  life  must 
have  made  their  possessor  a  most  distinguished  man.  Politics,  war, 
women,  literature,  the  turf,  the  navy,  the  opposition,  architecture, 
and  the  drama,  were  all  discussed  with  a  degree  of  information  and 
knowledge  that  proved  to  me  how  much  of  real  acquirements  can 
be  obtained  by  those  whose  exalted  station  surrounds  them  with  the 
collective  intellect  of  a  nation.  As  for  myself,  the  time  flew  past 
unconsciously.  So  brilliant  a  display  of  all  that  was  courtly  and 
fascinating  in  manner,  and  all  that  was  brightest  in  genius,  was  so 
new  to  me,  that  I  really  felt  like  one  entranced.  To  this  hour,  my 
impression,  however  confused  in  details,  is  as  though  that  evening 
were  but  yesternight;  and  although  since  that  period  I  have  enjoyed 
numerous  opportunities  of  meeting  with  the  great  and  the  gifted, 
yet  I  treasure  the  memory  of  that  evening  as  by  far  the  most  excit- 
ing of  my  whole  life. 

While  I  abstain  from  any  mention  of  the  many  incidents  of  the 
evening,  I  cannot  pass  over  one  which,  occurring  to  myself,  is  valu- 
able but  as  showing,  by  one  slight  and  passing  trait,  the  amiable 
and  kind  feeling  of  one  whose  memory  is  hallowed  in  the  service. 

A  little  lower  than  myself,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  table,  I 


THE  BELL  A  T  BRISTOL.  623 

perceived  an  old  military  acquaintance  whom  I  had  first  met  in 
Lisbon ;  he  was  then  on  Sir  Charles  Stewart's  staff,  and  we  met 
almost  daily.  Wishing  to  commend  myself  to  his  recollection,  I 
endeavored  for  some  time  to  catch  his  eye,  but  in  vain ;  but  at  last, 
when  I  thought  I  had  succeeded,  I  called  to  him, — 

"  I  say,  Fred,  a  glass  of  wine  with  you." 

When  suddenly,  the  Duke  of  York,  who  was  speaking  to  Lord 
Hertford,  turned  quickly  round,  and,  taking  the  decanter  in  his 
hand,  replied, — 

"  With  pleasure,  O'Malley ;  what  shall  it  be,  my  boy?" 

I  shall  never  forget  the  manly  good-humor  of  his  look  as  he  sat 
waiting  for  my  answer.  He  had  taken  my  speech  as  addressed  to 
himself,  and  concluding  that,  from  fatigue,  the  novelty  of  the  scene, 
my  youth,  &c,  I  was  not  over  collected,  vouchsafed  in  this  kind  way 
to  receive  it. 

"  So,"  said  he,  as  I  stammered  out  my  explanation,  "  I  was  de- 
ceived ;  however,  don't  cheat  me  out  of  my  glass  of  wine.  Let  us 
have  it  now." 

With  this  little  anecdote,  whose  truth  I  vouch  for,  I  shall  con- 
clude. More  than  one  now  living  was  a  witness  to  it,  and  my  only 
regret  in  the  mention  of  it  is  my  inability  to  convey  the  readiness 
with  which  he  seized  the  moment  of  apparent  difficulty  to  throw  the 
protection  of  his  kind  and  warm-hearted  nature  over  the  apparent 
folly  of  a  boy. 

It  was  late  when  the  party  broke  up,  and  as  I  took  my  leave  of  the 
Prince,  he  once  more  expressed  himself  in  gracious  terms  towards 
me,  and  gave  me  personally  an  invitation  to  a  breakfast  at  Houns- 
low  on  the  following  Saturday. 


CHAPTEE    XLII. 

THE  BELL  AT  BRISTOL. 

ON  the  morning  after  my  dinner  at  Carlton  House,  I  found  my 
breakfast-table  covered  with  cards  and  invitations.  The 
news  of  the  storming  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  was  published  in 
all  the  morning  papers,  and  my  own  humble  name  in  letters  of  three 
feet  long,  was  exhibited  in  placards  throughout  the  city.  Less  to 
this  circumstance,  however,  than  to  the  kind  and  gracious  notice  of 
the  Prince,  was  I  indebted  for  the  attentions  which  were  shown  me 
by  every  one ;  and,  indeed,  so  flattering  was  the  reception  I  met 


624  CHARLES  0>M  ALLEY. 

with,  and  so  overwhelming  the  civility  showered  on  me  from  all 
sides,  that  it  required  no  small  effort  on  my  part  not  to  believe  my- 
self as  much  a  hero  as  they  would  make  me.  An  eternal  round  of 
dinners,  balls,  breakfasts,  and  entertainments,  filled  up  the  entire 
week.  I  was  included  in  every  invitation  to  Carlton  House,  and 
never  appeared  without  receiving  from  his  Royal  Highness  the  most 
striking  marks  of  attention.  Captivating  as  all  this  undoubtediy 
was,  and  fascinated  as  I  felt  at  being  the  lion  of  London,  the 
courted  and  sought  after  by  the  high,  the  titled,  and  talented  of  the 
great  city  of  the  universe,  yet,  amid  all  the  splendor  and  seduction 
of  that  new  world,  my  heart  instinctively  turned  from  the  glare  and 
brilliancy  of  gorgeous  saloons — from  the  soft  looks  and  softer  voice 
of  beauty — from  the  words  of  praise,  as  they  fell  from  the  lips  of 
those  whose  notice  was  fame  itself-— to  my  humble  home  amid  the 
mountains  of  the  west.  Delighted  and  charmed  as  I  felt  by  that 
tribute  of  flattery  which  associated  my  name  with  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  actions  of  my  country,  yet  hitherto  I  had  experienced  no 
touch  of  home  or  fatherland.  England  was  to  me  as  the  high  and 
powerful  head  of  my  house  whose  greatness  and  whose  glory  shed  a 
halo  far  and  near,  from  the  proudest  to  the  humblest  of  those  that 
call  themselves  Britons ;  but  Ireland  was  the  land  of  my  birth — 
the  land  of  my  earliest  ties,  my  dearest  associations — the  kind 
mother,  whose  breath  had  fanned  my  brow  in  infancy;  and  for 
her  in  my  manhood  my  heart  beat  with  every  throb  of  filial  affec- 
tion. Need  I  say,  then,  how  ardently  I  longed  to  turn  homeward ; 
for  independent  of  all  else,  I  could  not  avoid  some  self-reproach  on 
thinking  what  might  be  the  condition  of  those  I  prized  the  most  on 
earth,  at  the  very  moment  I  was  engaging  in  all  the  voluptuous 
abandonment  and  all  the  fascinating  excesses  of  a  life  of  pleasure. 
I  wrote  several  letters  home,  but  received  no  answer ;  nor  did  I,  in 
the  whole  round  of  London  society,  meet  with  a  single  person  who 
could  give  me  information  of  my  family  or  my  friends.  The  Easter 
recess  had  sent  the  different  members  of  Parliament  to  their  homes ; 
and  thus,  within  a  comparatively  short  distance  of  all  I  cared  for,  1 
could  learn  nothing  of  their  fate. 

The  invitations  of  the  Prince  Regent,  which  were,  of  course,  to  be 
regarded  as  commands,  still  detained  me  in  London ;  and  I  knew 
not  in  what  manner  to  escape  from  the  fresh  engagements  which 
each  day  heaped  upon  me.  In  my  anxiety  upon  the  subject,  I  com- 
municated my  wishes  to  a  friend  on  the  Duke's  staff,  and  the  follow- 
ing morning,  as  I  presented  myself  at  his  levee,  he  called  me  towards 
him,  and  addressed  me  : — 

"What  leave  have  you  got,  Captain  O'Malley?" 

"  Three  months,  your  Royal  Highness." 


THE  BELL  AT  BRISTOL.  625 

"  Do  you  desire  an  unattached  troop  ?  for,  if  so,  an  opportunity 
occurs  just  at  this  moment." 

"  I  thank  you  most  sincerely,  sir,  for  your  condescension  in  think- 
ing of  me,  but  my  wish  is  to  join  my  regiment  at  the  expiration  of 
my  leave." 

"  Why,  I  thought  they  told  me  you  wanted  to  spend  some  time  in 
Ireland?" 

"  Only  sufficient  to  see  my  friends,  your  Royal  Highness.  That 
done,  I'd  rather  join  my  regiment  immediately/' 

"Ah  !  that  alters  the  case.  So  then,  probably,  you'd  like  to  leave 
us  at  once.  I  see  how  it  is ;  you've  been  staying  here  against  your 
will  all  this  while.  Then,  don't  say  a  word.  I'll  make  your  excuses 
at  Carlton  House ;  and  the  better  to  cover  your  retreat,  I'll  employ 
you  on  service.  Here,  Gordon,  let  Captain  O'Malley  have  the  des- 
patches for  Sir  Henry  Howard  at  Cork."  As  he  said  this,  he  turned 
towards  me  with  an  air  of  affected  sternness  in  his  manner,  and  con- 
tinued: "I  expect,  Captain  O'Malley,  that  you  will  deliver  the 
despatches  entrusted  to  your  care  without  a  moment's  loss  of  time. 
You  will  leave  London  within  an  hour.  The  instructions  for  your 
journey  will  be  sent  to  your  hotel.  And  now,"  said  he,  again 
changing  his  voice  to  its  natural  tone  of  kindliness  and  courtesy — 
"  and  now,  my  boy,  good-bye,  and  a  safe  journey  to  you.  These 
letters  will  pay  your  expenses,  and  the  occasion  save  you  all  the 
worry  of  leave-taking." 

I  stood  confused  and  speechless,  unable  to  utter  a  single  word  of 
gratitude  for  such  unexpected  kindness.  The  Duke  saw  at  once  my 
difficulty,  and,  as  he  shook  me  warmly  by  the  hand,  added,  in  a 
laughing  tone, — 

"  Don't  wait,  now.  You  mustn't  forget  that  your  despatches  are 
pressing." 

I  bowed  deeply,  attempted  a  few  words  of  acknowledgment,  hesi- 
tated, blundered,  and  broke  down ;  and  at  last  got  out  of  the  room, 
Heaven  knows  how  I  and  found  myself  running  towards  Long's  at 
the  top  of  my  speed.  Within  that  same  hour  I  was  rattling  along 
towards  Bristol  as  fast  as  four  posters  could  burn  the  pavement, 
thinking  with  ecstasy  over  the  pleasures  of  my  reception  in  Eng- 
land, but  far  more  than  all  of  the  kindness  evinced  towards  me  by 
him  who,  in  every  feeling  of  his  nature,  and  in  every  feature  of  his 
deportment,  was  "  every  inch  a  prince." 

However  astonished  I  had  been  at  the  warmth  by  which  I  was 
treated  in  London,  I  was  still  less  prepared  for  the  enthusiasm  which 
greeted  me  in  every  town  through  which  I  passed.  There  was  not 
a  village  where  we  stopped  to  change  horses  whose  inhabitants  did 
not  simultaneously  pour  forth  to  welcome  me  with  every  demonstra- 
40 


626  CHARLES  OyM ALLEY. 

tion  of  delight.  That  the  fact  of  four  horses  and  a  yellow  chaise 
should  have  elicited  such  testimonies  of  satisfaction,  was  somewhat 
difficult  to  conceive;  even  had  the  important  news  that  I  was  the 
bearer  of  despatches  been  telegraphed  from  London  by  successive 
postboys,  still  the  extraordinary  excitement  was  unaccountable.  It 
was  only  on  reaching  Bristol  that  I  learned  to  what  circumstance 
my  popularity  was  owing.  My  friend  Mike,  in  humble  imitation  of 
election  practices,  had  posted  a  large  placard  on  the  back  of  the 
chaise,  announcing,  in  letters  of  portentous  length,  something  like 
the  following : — 

"Bloody  news!  Fall  of  Ciudad  Eodrigo !  Five  thousand  pri- 
soners and  two  hundred  pieces  of  cannon  taken  I" 

This  veracious  and  satisfactory  statement,  aided  by  Mike's  per- 
sonal exertions,  and  an  unwearied  performance  on  the  trumpet  he 
had  taken  from  the  French  dragoon,  had  roused  the  population  of 
every  hamlet,  and  made  our  journey  from  London  to  Bristol  one 
scene  of  uproar,  noise  and  confusion.  All  my  attempts  to  suppress 
Mike's  oratory  or  music  were  perfectly  unavailing.  In  fact,  he  had 
pledged  my  health  so  many  times  during  the  day — he  had  drunk  so 
many  toasts  to  the  success  of  the  British  arms — so  many  to  the  Eng- 
lish nation — so  many  in  honor  of  Ireland — and  so  many  in  honor 
of  Mickey  Free  himself,  that  all  respect  for  my  authority  was  lost 
in  his  enthusiasm  for  my  greatness,  and  his  shouts  became  wilder, 
and  the  blasts  from  the  trumpet  more  fearful  and  incoherent ;  and 
finally,  on  the  last  stage  of  our  journey,  having  exhausted,  as  it  were, 
every  tribute  of  his  lungs,  he  seemed  (if  I  were  to  judge  by  the  evi- 
dence of  my  ears)  to  be  performing  something  very  like  a  hornpipe 
on  the  roof  of  the  chaise. 

Happily  for  me  there  is  a  limit  to  all  human  efforts,  and  even  his 
powers  at  length  succumbed ;  so  that,  when  we  arrived  at  Bristol,  I 
persuaded  him  to  go  to  bed,  and  I  once  more  was  left  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  some  quiet.  To  fill  up  the  few  hours  which  intervened 
before  bedtime,  I  strolled  into  the  coffee-room.  The  English  look 
of  every  one,  and  everything  around,  had  still  its  charm  for  me ;  and 
I  was  contemplating  with  no  small  admiration  that  air  of  neatness 
and  propriety  so  observant  from  the  bright-faced  clock,  that  ticked 
unwearily  upon  the  mantelpiece,  to  the  trim  waiter  himself,  with 
noiseless  step,  and  that  mixed  look  of  vigilance  and  vacancy.  The 
perfect  stillness  struck  me,  save  when  a  deep  voice  called  for 
"another  brandy-and-water,"  and  some  more  modestly-toned  re- 
quest would  utter  a  desire  for  "  more  cream."  The  attention  of 
each  man,  absorbed  in  the  folds  of  his  voluminous  newspaper, 
scarcely  deigning  a  glance  at  the  new  comer  who  entered,  were  all 
in  keeping,  giving,  in  their  solemnity  and  gravity,  a  character  of 


THE  BELL  AT  BRISTOL.  627 

almost  religious  seriousness  to  what  in  any  other  land  would  be  a 
scene  of  riotous  noise  and  discordant  tumult.  I  was  watching  all 
these  with  a  more  than  common  interest,  when  the  door  opened, 
and  the  waiter  entered  with  a  large  placard.  He  was  followed  by 
another  with  a  ladder,  by  whose  assistance  he  succeeded  in  attaching 
the  large  square  of  paper  to  the  wall,  above  the  fireplace.  Every 
one  about  rose  up,  curious  to  ascertain  what  was  going  forward ;  and 
I  myself  joined  in  the  crowd  around  the  fire.  The  first  glance  at 
the  announcement  showed  me  what  it  meant,  and  it  was  with  a 
strange  mixture  of  shame  and  confusion  I  read : 

" '  Fall  of  Ciudad  Eodrigo ;  with  a  full  and  detailed  account  at 
the  storming  of  the  great  breach — capture  of  the  enemy's  cannon, 
&c. — by  Michael  Free,  14th  Light  Dragoons.' " 

Leaving  the  many  around  me  busied  in  conjecturing  who  the 
aforesaid  Mr.  Free  might  be,  and  what  peculiar  opportunities  he 
might  have  enjoyed  for  his  report,  I  hurried  from  the  room  and 
called  the  waiter. 

"What's  the  meaning  of  the  announcement  you've  just  put  up  in 
the  coffee-room  ?     Where  did  it  come  from  ?" 

"Most  important  news,  sir;  exclusively  in  the  columns  of  the 
Bristol  Telegraph;  the  gentleman  has  just  arrived " 

"  Who,  pray  ?     What  gentleman  ?" 

"  Mr.  Free,  sir,  No.  13 — large  bedroom — blue  damask — supper  for 
two — oysters — a  devil — brandy-and-water — mulled  port." 

"  What  the  devil  do  you  mean  ?     Is  the  fellow  at  supper  ?" 

Somewhat  shocked  by  the  tone  I  ventured  to  assume  towards  the 
illustrious  narrator,  the  waiter  merely  bowed  his  reply. 

"Show  me  to  his  room,"  said  I ;  " I  should  like  to  see  him." 

"  Follow  me,  if  you  please,  sir — this  way — what  name  shall  I  say, 
sir?" 

"  You  need  not  mind  announcing  me — I'm  an  old  acquaintance — 
just  show  me  the  room." 

"  I  beg  pardon,  sir,  but  Mr.  Meekins,  the  editor  of  the  Telegraph, 
is  engaged  with  him  at  present ;  and  positive  orders  are  given  not 
to  suffer  any  interruption." 

" No  matter :  do  as  I  bid  you.  Is  that  it?  Oh !  I  hear  his  voice. 
There,  that  will  do.  You  may  go  down  stairs,  I'll  introduce  my- 
self." 

So  saying,  and  slipping  a  crown  into  the  waiter's  hand,  I  pro- 
ceeded cautiously  towards  the  door,  and  opened  it  stealthily.  My 
caution  was,  however,  needless ;  for  a  large  screen  was  drawn  across 
this  part  of  the  room,  completely  concealing  the  door.  Closing  this 
behind  me,  I  took  my  place  beneath  the  shelter  of  this  ambuscade, 
determined  on  no  account  to  be  perceived  by  the  parties. 


628  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Seated  in  a  large  arm-chair,  a  smoking  tumbler  of  mulled  port 
before  him,  sat  my  friend  Mike,  dressed  in  my  full  regimentals, 
even  to  the  helmet,  which,  unfortunately,  however,  for  the  effect, 
he  had  put  on  back  foremost ;  a  short  "  dudeen  "  graced  his  lip,  and 
the  trumpet  so  frequently  alluded  to  lay  near  him. 

Opposite  him  sat  a  short,  puny,  round-faced  little  gentleman, 
with  rolling  eyes  and  turned-up  nose.  Numerous  sheets  of  paper, 
pens,  &c,  lay  scattered  about;  and  he  evinced,  by  his  air  and 
gesture,  the  most  marked  and  eager  attention  to  Mr.  Free's  nar- 
rative, whose  frequent  interruptions,  caused  by  the  drink  and 
the  oysters,  were  viewed  with  no  small  impatience  by  the  anxious 
editor. 

"You  must  remember,  Captain,  time's  passing;  the  placards  are 
all  out ;  must  be  at  press  before  one  o'clock  to-night ;  the  morning 
edition  is  everything  with  us.  You  were  at  the  first  parallel,  I 
think." 

"  Devil  a  one  o'  me  knows.  Just  ring  that  bell  near  you.  Them's 
elegant  oysters ;  and  you're  not  taking  your  drop  of  liquor.     Here's 

a  toast  for  you:    'May '  whoop — raal   Carlingfords,  upon  my 

conscience.  See,  now,  if  I  won't  hit  the  little  black  chap  up  there, 
the  first  shot." 

Scarcely  were  the  words  spoken,  when  a  little  painted  bust  of 
Shakspeare  fell  in  fragments  on  the  floor  as  an  oyster-shell  laid  him 
low. 

A  faint  effort  at  a  laugh  at  the  eccentricities  of  his  friend  was 
all  the  poor  editor  could  accomplish,  while  Mike's  triumph  knew 
no  bounds. 

"Didn't  I  tell  you?  But  come  now,  are  you  ready?  Give  the 
pen  a  drink,  if  you  won't  take  one  yourself." 

"  I'm  ready,  quite  ready,"  responded  the  editor. 

"Faith,  and  it's  more  nor  I  am.  See  now,  here  it  is :  The  night 
was  murthering  dark ;  you  could  not  see  a  stim." 

"Not  see  a — a  what?" 

"A  stim,  bad  luck  to  you;  don't  you  know  English?  Hand  me 
the  hot  water.     Have  you  that  down  yet?" 

"  Yes.     Pray  proceed." 

"The  5th  division  was  orthered  up,  bekase  they  were  fighting 

chaps;  the  88th  was  among  them;  the  Eangers Oh!  upon  my 

soul,  we  must  drink  to  the  Rangers.  Here,  devil  a  one  o'  me  will 
go  on  till  we  give  them  all  the  honors— hip — begin." 

"  Hip,"  sighed  the  luckless  editor,  as  he  rose  from  his  chair,  obe- 
dient to  the  command. 

"  Hurra— hurra— hurra  !  Well  done  !  there's  stuff  in  you  yet,  ould 
foolscap !    The  little  bottle's  empty— ring  again,  if  ye  plaze." 


THE  BELL  A  T  BRISTOL.  629 

"  Oh,  Father  Magan 

Was  a  beautiful  man, 
But  a  bit  of  a  rogue,  a  bit  of  a  rogue, 

He  was  just  six  feet  high, 

Had  a  cast  in  his  eye, 
And  an  illigant  brogue,  an  illigant  brogue. 

"  He  was  born  in  Killarney, 
And  reared  up  in  Blarney " 

"Arrah,  don't  be  looking  miserable  and  dissolute  that  way.  Sure 
I'm  only  screwing  myself  up  for  you ;  besides,  you  can  print  the 
song  av  you  like :  it's  a  sweet  tune — i  Teddy,  ye  Gander.' " 

"  Really,  Mr.  Free,  I  see  no  prospect  of  our  ever  getting  done," 

"  The  saints  in  heaven  forbid,"  interrupted  Mike,  piously  ;  "  the 
evening's  young,  and  drink  plenty.     Here  now,  make  ready  !" 

The  editor  once  more  made  a  gesture  of  preparation. 

"  Well,  as  I  was  saying,"  resumed  Mike,  "  it  was  pitch  dark  when 
the  columns  moved  up,  and  a  cold,  raw  night,  with  a  little  thin  rain 
falling.     Have  you  that  down  ?" 

"  Yes.     Pray  go  on." 

"  Well,  just  as  it  might  be  here,  at  the  corner  of  the  trench  I  met 
Dr.  Quill.  '  They're  waiting  for  you,  Mr.  Free,'  says  he,  • down 
there.  Picton's  asking  for  you.'  ■*  Faith  and  he  must  wait,'  says  I, 
1  for  I'm  terrible  dry.'  With  that,  he  pulled  out  his  canteen  and 
mixed  me  a  little  brandy-and-water.  '  Are  you  taking  it  without  a 
toast  ?'  says  Dr.  Maurice.  '  Never  fear,  Doctor,'  says  I ;  '  here's  Mary 
Brady ' " 

"  But,  my  dear  sir,"  interposed  Mr.  Meekins,  "  pray  do  remember 
this  is  somewhat  irrelevant.  In  fifteen  minutes  it  will  be  twelve 
o'clock." 

"  I  know  it,  ould  boy,  I  know  it.  I  see  what  you're  at.  You  were 
going  to  observe  how  much  better  we'd  be  for  a  broiled  bone." 

"  Nothing  of  the  kind,  I  assure  you.  For  Heaven's  sake,  no  more 
eating  and  drinking." 

"  No  more  eating  nor  drinking !  Why  not  ?  You've  a  nice  notion 
of  a  convivial  evening.  Faith,  we'll  have  the  broiled  bone  sure 
enough,  and,  what's  more,  a  half-gallon  of  the  strongest  punch  they 
can  make  us ;  an'  I  hope  that,  grave  as  you  are,  you'll  favor  the 
company  with  a  song." 

"Really,  Mr.  Free " 

"  Arrah  !  none  of  your  blarney.  Don't  be  misthering  me.  Call  me 
Mickey,  or  Mickey  Free,  if  you  like  better." 

"  I  protest,"  said  the  editor,  with  dismay,  "  that  here  we  are  two 
hours  at  work,  and  we  haven't  got  to  the  foot  of  the  great  breach." 

"  And  wasn't  the  army  three  months  and  a  half  in  just  getting  that 
far,  with  a  battering  train,  and  mortars,  and  the  finest  troops  ever 


630  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

were  seen  ?  and  there  you  sit,  a  little  fat  creature,  with  your  pen  in 
your  hand,  grumbling  that  you  can't  do  more  than  the  whole  British 
army.  Take  care  you  don't  provoke  me  to  beat  you ;  for  I  am  quiet 
till  I'm  roused.     But,  by  the  Eock  o'  Cashel " 

Here  he  grasped  the  brass  trumpet  with  an  energy  that  made  the 
editor  spring  from  his  chair. 

"  For  mercy's  sake,  Mr.  Free " 

"  Well,  I  won't ;  but  sit  down  there,  and  don't  be  bothering  me 
about  sieges,  and  battles,  and  things  you  know  nothing  about." 

"  I  protest,"  rejoined  Mr.  Meekins,  "that,  had  you  not  sent  to  my 
office  intimating  your  wish  to  communicate  an  account  of  the  siege, 
I  never  should  have  thought  of  intruding  myself  upon  you.  And 
now,  since  you  appear  indisposed  to  afford  the  information  in  ques- 
tion, if  you  will  permit  me,  I'll  wish  you  a  very  good-night." 

"  Faith,  and  so  you  shall,  and  help  me  to  pass  one  too  ;  for  not  a 
step  out  o'  that  chair  shall  you  take  till  morning.  Do  ye  think  I  am 
going  to  be  left  here  by  myself,  all  alone  ?" 

"  I  must  observe "  said  Mr.  Meekins. 

"  To  be  sure,  to  be  sure,"  said  Mickey  ;  "  I  see  what  you  mean. 
You're  not  the  best  of  company,  it's  true  ;  but  at  a  pinch  like  this 
There  now,  take  your  liquor." 

"  Once  for  all,  sir,"  said  the  editor,  "  I  would  beg  you  to  recollect 
that,  on  the  faith  of  your  message  to  me,  I  have  announced  an  ac- 
count of  the  storming  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  for  our  morning  edition. 
Are  you  prepared,  may  I  ask,  for  the  consequences  of  my  disappoint- 
ing ten  thousand  readers  ?" 

"  It's  little  I  care  for  one  of  them.  I  never  knew  much  of  reading 
myself." 

"  If  you  think  to  make  a  jest  of  me "  interposed  Mr.  Meekins, 

reddening  with  passion. 

"  A  jest  of  you !  Troth  it's  little  fun  I  can  get  out  of  you ;  you're 
as  tiresome  a  crayture  as  ever  I  spent  an  evening  with.  See  now, 
I  told  you  before  not  to  provoke  me.  We'll  have  a  little  more 
drink;  ring  the  bell:  who  knows  but  you'll  turn  out  better  by- 
and-by  ?" 

As  Mike  rose  at  these  words  to  summon  the  waiter,  Mr.  Meekins 
seized  the  opportunity  to  make  his  escape.  Scarcely  had  he  reached 
the  door,  however,  when  he  was  perceived  by  Mickey,  who  hurled 
the  trumpet  at  him  with  all  his  force,  while  he  uttered  a  shout  that 
nearly  left  the  poor  editor  lifeless  with  terror.  This  time,  happily, 
Mr.  Free's  aim  failed  him,  and  before  he  could  arrest  the  progress  of 
his  victim,  he  had  gained  the  corridor,  and  with  one  bound  cleared 
the  first  flight  of  the  staircase,  his  pace  increasing  every  moment  as 
Mike's  denunciations  grew  louder  and  louder,  till  at  last,  as  he 


IRELAND.  631 

reached  the  street,  Mr.  Free's  delight  overcame  his  indignation,  and 
he  threw  himself  upon  a  chair  and  laughed  immoderately. 

"  Oh,  may  I  never !  if  I  didn't  frighten  the  editor.  The  little 
spalpeen,  couldn't  eat  his  oysters  and  take  his  punch  like  a  man. 
But  sure  if  he  didn't,  there's  more  left  for  his  betters."  So  saying, 
he  filled  himself  a  goblet  and  drank  it  off.  "  Mr.  Free,  we  won't  say 
much  for  your  inclinations,  for  maybe  they  are  not  the  best ;  but 
here's  bad  luck  to  the  fellow  that  doesn't  think  you  good  company  ; 
and  here,"  added  he,  again  filling  his  glass — "  and  here's  may  the 
devil  take  editors,  and  authors,  and  compositors,  that  won't  let  us 
alone,  but  must  be  taking  our  lives,  and  our  songs,  and  our  little 
devilments,  that  belongs  to  one's  own  family,  and  tell  them  all  over 
the  world.  A  lazy  set  of  thieves  you  are,  every  one  of  you ;  spend- 
ing your  time  inventing  lies — devil  a  more  nor  less ;  and  here" — this 
time  he  filled  again — "  and  here's  a  hot  corner  and  Kilkenny  coals, 
that's  half  sulphur,  to  the  villain " 

For  what  particular  class  of  offenders  Mike's  penal  code  was  now 
devised,  I  was  not  destined  to  learn ;  for,  overcome  by  punch  and 
indignation,  he  gave  one  loud  whoop,  and  measured  his  length  upon 
the  floor.  Having  committed  him  to  the  care  of  the  waiters,  from 
whom  I  learned  more  fully  the  particulars  of  his  acquaintance  with 
Mr.  Meekins,  I  enjoined  them  strictly  not  to  mention  that  I  knew 
anything  of  the  matter.  I  then  betook  myself  to  my  bed,  sincerely 
rejoicing  that  in  a  few  hours  more  Mike  would  be  again  in  that 
land  where  even  his  eccentricities  and  excesses  would  be  viewed 
with  a  favorable  and  forgiving  eye. 


CHAPTER    XLIII. 

IRELAND. 

ON  the  second  evening  after  our  departure  from  Bristol,  the 
Skipper  said  to  Mickey  Free,  "  You'd  better  call  your  master 
up ;  he  said  he'd  like  to  have  a  look  at  the  coast." 
The  words  were  overheard  by  me,  as  I  lay  between  sleeping  and 
waking  in  the  cabin  of  the  packet,  and  without  waiting  for  a  second 
invitation,  I  rushed  upon  deck.  The  sun  was  setting,  and  one  vast 
surface  of  yellow  golden  light  played  upon  the  water,  as  it  rippled 
beneath  a  gentle  gale.  The  white  foam  curled  at  our  prow,  and  the 
rushing  sound  told  the  speed  we  were  going  at.     The  little  craft  was 


632  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

staggering  under  every  sheet  of  her  canvas,  and  her  spars  creaked  as 
her  white  sails  bent  before  the  breeze.  Before  us,  but  to  my  lands- 
man's eyes  scarcely  perceptible,  were  the  ill-defined  outlines  of 
cloudy  darkness  they  called  land,  at  which  1  continued  to  gaze  with 
a  strange  sense  of  interest,  while  I  heard  the  names  of  certain  well- 
known  headlands  assigned  to  apparently  mere  masses  of  fog-bank 
and  vapor. 

He  who  has  never  been  separated  in  early  years,  while  yet  the 
budding  affections  of  his  heart  are  tender  shoots,  from  the  land  of 
his  birth  and  of  his  home,  knows  nothing  of  the  throng  of  sensations 
that  crowd  upon  him  as  he  nears  the  shore  of  his  country.  The 
names,  familiar  as  household  words,  come  with  a  train  of  long- 
buried  thoughts ;  the  feeling  of  attachment  to  all  we  call  our  own 
— that  patriotism  of  the  heart — stirs  strongly  within  him,  as  the 
mingled  thrills  of  hope  and  fear  alternately  move  him  to  joy  or  sad- 
ness. 

Hard  as  are  the  worldly  struggles  between  the  daily  cares  of  him 
who  carves  out  his  own  career  and  fortune,  yet  he  has  never  expe- 
rienced the  darkest  poverty  of  fate  who  has  not  felt  what  it  is  to  be 
a  wanderer,  without  a  country  to  lay  claim  to.  Of  all  the  desolations 
that  visit  us,  this  is  the  gloomiest  and  the  worst.  The  outcast  from 
the  land  of  his  fathers,  whose  voice  must  never  be  heard  within 
the  walls  where  his  infancy  was  nurtured,  nor  his  step  be  free  upon 
the  mountains  where  he  gambolled  in  his  youth, — this  is  indeed 
wretchedness.  The  instinct  of  country  grows  and  strengthens  with 
our  years  ;  the  joys  of  early  life  are  linked  with  it ;  the  hopes  of  age 
point  towards  it ;  and  he  who  knows  not  the  thrill  of  ecstasy  some 
well-remembered,  long-lost-sight-of  place  can  bring  to  his  heart  when 
returning  after  years  of  absence,  is  ignorant  of  one  of  the  purest 
sources  of  happiness  of  our  nature. 

With  what  a  yearning  of  the  heart,  then,  did  I  look  upon  the  dim 
and  misty  cliffs,  that  mighty  framework  of  my  island  home,  their 
stern  sides  lashed  by  the  blue  waters  of  the  ocean,  and  their  sum- 
mits lost  within  the  clouds  !  With  what  an  easy  and  natural  tran- 
sition did  my  mind  turn  from  the  wild  mountains  and  the  green 
valleys  to  their  hardy  sons,  who  toiled  beneath  the  burning  sun  of 
the  Peninsula !  and  how,  as  some  twinkling  light  of  the  distant 
shore  would  catch  my  eye,  did  I  wonder  within  myself  whether 
beside  that  hearth  and  board  there  might  not  sit  some  whose 
thoughts  were  wandering  over  the  sea  beside  the  bold  steeps  of  El 
Bodon,  or  the  death-strewn  plain  of  Talavera  !  their  memories  call- 
ing up  some  trait  of  him  who  was  the  idol  of  his  home ;  whose  clos- 
ing lids  some  fond  mother  had  watched  over ;  above  whose  peaceful 
slumber  her  prayers  had  fallen,  but  whose  narrow  bed  was  now 


IRELAND.  633 

beneath  the  breach  of  Badajos,  and  his  sleep  the  sleep  that  knows 
no  waking. 

I  knew  not  if  in  my  sad  and  sorrowing  spirit  I  did  not  envy  him 
who  thus  had  met  a  soldier's  fate —  for  what  of  promise  had  my 
own  !  My  hope  of  being  in  any  way  instrumental  to  my  poor  uncle's 
happiness  grew  hourly  less.  His  prejudices  were  deeply  rooted  and 
of  long  standing.  To  have  asked  him  to  surrender  any  of  what  he 
looked  upon  as  the  prerogatives  of  his  house  and  name,  would  be  to 
risk  the  loss  of  his  esteem.  What  then  remained  for  me  ?  Was  I  to 
watch,  day  by  day  and  hour  by  hour,  the  falling  ruin  of  our  for- 
tunes ?  Was  I  to  involve  myself  in  the  petty  warfare  of  unavailing 
resistance  to  the  law  ?  And  could  I  stand  aloof  from  my  best,  my 
truest,  my  earliest  friend,  and  see  him,  alone  and  unaided,  oppose 
his  weak  and  final  struggle  to  the  unrelenting  career  of  persecution? 
Between  these  two  alternatives,  the  former  could  be  my  only  choice; 
and  what  a  choice  ! 

Oh,  how  I  thought  over  the  wild  heroism  of  the  battle-field,  the 
reckless  fury  of  the  charge,  the  crash,  the  death-cry,  and  the  sad 
picture  of  the  morrow,  when  all  was  past,  and  a  soldier's  glory  alone 
remained  to  shed  its  high  halo  over  the  faults  and  the  follies  of  the 
dead. 

As  night  fell,  the  twinkling  of  the  distant  lighthouses,— some 
throwing  a  column  of  light  from  the  very  verge  of  the  horizon, 
others  shining  brightly,  like  stars,  from  some  lofty  promontory, — 
marked  the  different  outlines  of  the  coast,  and  conveyed  to  me  the 
memory  of  that  broken  and  wild  mountain  tract  that  forms  the  bul- 
wark of  the  Green  Isle  against  the  waves  of  the  Atlantic.  Alone 
and  silently  I  trod  the  deck,  now  turning  to  look  towards  the  shore, 
where  I  thought  I  could  detect  the  position  of  some  well-known 
headland,  now  straining  my  eyes  seaward  to  watch  some  bright  and 
flitting  star,  as  it  rose  from  or  merged  beneath  the  foaming  water, 
denoting  the  track  of  the  swift  pilot-boat,  or  the  hardy  lugger  of  the 
fisherman,  while  the  shrill  whistle  of  the  floating  sea-gull  was  the 
only  sound,  save  the  rushing  waves  that  broke  in  spray  upon  our 
qfuarter. 

What  is  it  that  so  inevitably  inspires  sad  and  depressing  thoughts 
as  we  walk  the  deck  of  some  little  craft  in  the  silence  of  the  night's 
dark  hours?  No  sense  of  danger  near,  we  hold  on  our  course 
swiftly  and  steadily,  cleaving  the  dark  waves,  and  bending  grace- 
fully beneath  the  freshening  breeze.  Yet  still  the  motion,  which,  in 
the  bright  sunshine  of  the  noonday,  tells  of  joy  and  gladness,  brings 
now  no  touch  of  pleasure  to  our  hearts.  The  dark  and  frowning 
sky,  the  boundless  expanse  of  gloomy  water,  spread  like  some 
gigantic  pall  around  us,  and  our  thoughts  either  turn  back  upon  the 


634  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

saddest  features  of  the  past,  or  look  forward  to  the  future  with  a 
sickly  hope  that  all  may  not  be  as  we  fear  it. 

Mine  were  indeed  of  the  gloomiest,  and  the  selfishness  alone  of 
the  thought  prevented  me  from  wishing  that,  like  many  another,  I 
had  fallen  by  a  soldier's  death  on  the  plains  of  the  Peninsula ! 

As  the  night  wore  on,  I  wrapped  myself  in  my  cloak  and  lay 
down  beneath  the  bulwark.  The  whole  of  my  past  life  came  in 
review  before  me.  I  thought  over  my  first  meeting  with  Lucy 
Dashwood ;  the  thrill  of  boyish  admiration  gliding  into  love — the 
hopes,  the  fears,  that  stirred  my  heart ;  the  firm  resolve  to  merit  her 
affection,  which  made  me  a  soldier.  Alas !  how  little  thought  she 
of  him  to  whose  life  she  had  been  a  guide-star  and  a  beacon  !  As 
I  thought  over  the  hard-fought  fields,  the  long,  fatiguing  marches, 
the  nights  around  the  watch-fires,  and  felt  how,  in  the  whirl  and 
enthusiasm  of  a  soldier's  life,  the  cares  and  sorrows  of  every-day 
existence  are  forgotten,  I  shuddered  to  reflect  upon  the  career  that 
might  now  open  before  me, — to  abandon,  perhaps  forever,  the  glo- 
rious path  I  had  been  pursuing  for  a  life  of  indolence  and  weari- 
ness, while  my  name,  that  had  already,  by  the  chance  of  some  for- 
tunate circumstances,  begun  to  be  mentioned  with  a  testimony  of 
approval,  should  be  lost  in  oblivion,  or  remembered  but  as  that  of 
one  whose  early  promise  was  not  borne  out  by  the  deeds  of  his 
manhood. 

As  day  broke,  overcome  by  watching,  I  slept,  but  was  soon  awoke 
by  the  stir  and  bustle  around  me.  The  breeze  had  freshened,  and 
we  were  running  under  a  reefed  mainsail  and  foresail ;  and  as  the 
little  craft  bounded  above  the  blue  water,  the  white  foam  crested 
above  her  prow,  and  ran  along  in  boiling  rivulets  towards  the  after- 
deck.  The  tramp  of  the  seamen,  the  hoarse  voice  of  the  captain, 
the  shrill  cry  of  the  sea-birds,  betokened,  however,  nothing  of  dread 
or  danger ;  listlessly  I  leant  upon  my  elbow,  and  asked  what  was 
going  forward. 

"  Nothing,  sir ;  only  making  ready  to  drop  our  anchor." 

"  Are  we  so  near  shore,  then  ?"  said  I. 

"  You've  only  to  round  that  point  to  windward,  and  have  a  clear 
run  into  Cork  harbor." 

I  sprang  at  once  to  my  legs ;  the  land-fog  prevented  my  seeing 
anything  whatever,  but  I  thought  that  in  the  breeze,  fresh  and 
balmy  as  it  blew,  I  could  feel  the  wind  off  shore. 

"  At  last,"  said  I — "  at  last !"  as  I  stepped  into  the  little  wherry 
which  shot  alongside  of  us,  and  we  glided  into  the  still  basin  of 
Cove.  How  I  remember  every  white-walled  cottage,  and  the  beet- 
ling cliffs,  and  that  bold  headland  beside  which  the  valley  opens, 
with  its  dark  green  woods ;  and  then  Spike  Island.    And  what  a  stir 


IRELAND.  635 

is  yonder,  early  as  it  is.  The  men-of-war  tenders  seem  alive  with 
people,  while  still  the  little  village  is  sunk  in  slumbers,  not  a  smoke- 
wreath  rising  from  its  silent  hearths.  Every  plash  of  the  oars  in 
the  calm  water,  as  I  neared  the  land,  every  chance  word  of  the 
bronzed  and  hardy  fishermen,  told  upon  my  heart.  I  felt  it  was  my 
home. 

"Isn't  it  beautiful,  sir? — isn't  it  illigant?"  said  a  voice  behind 
me,  which  there  could  be  little  doubt  in  my  detecting,  although  I 
had  not  seen  the  individual  since  I  left  England. 

"  Is  not  what  beautiful  ?"  replied  I,  rather  harshly,  at  the  inter- 
ruption of  my  own  thoughts. 

"  Ireland,  to  be  sure ;  and  long  life  to  her !"  cried  he  with  a 
cheer,  that  soon  found  its  responsive  echoes  in  the  hearts  of  our 
sailors,  who  seconded  the  sentiment  with  all  their  energy. 

"  How  am  I  to  get  up  to  Cork,  lads  ?"  said  I.  "  I  am  pressed  for 
time,  and  must  get  forward." 

"  We'll  row  your  honor  the  whole  way,  av  it's  plazin'  to  you." 

"  Why,  thank  you ;  I'd  rather  find  some  quicker  mode  of  pro- 
ceeding." 

"Maybe  you'd  have  a  chaise,  sir;  there's  an  illigant  one  at 
M'Cassidy's." 

"  Sure  the  blind  mare's  in  foal,"  said  the  bow  oar ;  "the  divil  a  step 
she  can  go  out  of  a  walk  ;  so,  your  honor,  take  Tim  Biley's  car,  and 
you'll  get  up  cheap.  Not  that  you  care  for  money ;  but  he's  going 
up  at  eight  o'clock  with  two  young  ladies." 

"  Oh  !  be-gorra,"  said  the  other,  "  and  so  he  is  ;  and  faix  he  might 
do  worse — they're  nice  craytures." 

"Well,"  said  I,  "your  advice  seems  good;  but  perhaps  they 
might  object  to  my  company." 

"  I've  no  fear ;  they're  always  with  the  officers.  Sure  the  Miss 
Dalrymples " 

"  The  Miss  Dalrymples  !— Push  ahead,  boys ;  it  must  be  later 
than  I  thought ;  we  must  get  the  chaise  ;  I  can't  wait." 

Ten  minutes  more  brought  us  to  land. 

My  arrangements  were  soon  made,  and  as  my  impatience  to  press 
forward  became  greater  the  nearer  I  drew  to  my  destination,  I  lost 
not  a  moment. 

The  yellow  chaise — sole  glory  of  Cove — was  brought  forth  at  my 
request ;  and,  by  good  fortune,  four  posters  which  had  been  down 
the  preceding  evening  from  Cork  to  some  gentleman's  seat  near 
were  about  to  return.  These  were  also  pressed  into  my  service ;  and 
just  as  the  first  early  riser  of  the  little  village  was  drawing  his  cur- 
tain to  take  a  half-closed  eye  glance  upon  the  breaking  morning, 


636  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

I  rattled  forth  upon  my  journey  at  a  pace  which,  could  I  only 
have  secured  its  continuance,  must  soon  have  terminated  my  weary 
way. 

Beautiful  as  the  whole  line  of  country  is,  I  was  totally  uncon- 
scious of  it ;  and  even  Mike's  conversational  powers,  divided  as 
they  were  between  myself  and  the  two  ppstilions,  were  fruitless  in 
arousing  me  from*the  deep  preoccupation  of  my  mind  by  thoughts 
of  home. 

It  was,  then,  with  some  astonishment  I  heard  the  boy  upon  the 
wheeler  ask  whither  he  should  drive  me  to. 

"  Tell  his  honor  to  wake  up,  we're  in  Cork  now." 
"  In  Cork  !  impossible  already." 
"  Faith,  maybe  so — but  it's  Cork  sure  enough." 
"  Drive  to  the  '  George  f  it's  not  far  from  the  Commander-in- 
Chiefs  quarters." 

"  "lis  five  minutes'  walk,  sir ;  you'll  be  there  before  they're  put  to 
again." 

"  Horses  for  Fermoy !"  shouted  out  the  postilions,  as  we  tore  up 
to  the  door  in  a  gallop.  I  sprang  out,  and,  by  the  assistance  of  the 
waiter,  discovered  Sir  Henry  Howard's  quarters,  to  whom  my  des- 
patches were  addressed.  Having  delivered  them  into  the  hands  of 
an  aide-de-camp,  who  sat  bolt  upright  in  his  bed,  rubbing  his  eyes 
to  appear  awake,  I  again  hurried  down  stairs,  and  throwing  myself 
into  the  chaise,  continued  my  journey. 

"  Them's  beautiful  streets  anyhow  !"  said  Mike,  "  av  they  wasn't 
kept  so  dirty,  and  the  houses  so  dark,  and  the  pavement  bad.  That's 
Mr.  Beamish's — that  fine  house  there,  with  the  brass  rapper  and  the 
green  lamp  beside  it :  and  there's  the  hospital ;  faix  !  and  there's 
the  place  we  beat  the  police,  when  I  was  here  before  ;  and  the  house 
with  the  sign  of  the  Highlander  is  thrown  down — and  what's  the 
big  building  with  the  stone  posts  at  the  door  ?" 

"  The  bank,  sir,"  said  the  postilion,  with  a  most  deferential  air,  as 
Mike  addressed  him. 
"What  bank,  acushla?" 

"  Not  a  one  of  me  knows,  sir  ;  but  they  call  it  the  bank,  though 
it's  only  an  empty  house." 

"  Cary  and  Moore's  Bank,  perhaps  ?"  said  I,  having  heard  that 
in  days  long  past  some  such  names  had  failed  in  Cork  for  a  large 
amount. 

"  So  it  is ;  your  honor's  right,"  cried  the  postilion ;  while  Mike, 
standing  up  on  the  box,  and  menacing  the  house  with  his  clenched 
fist,  shouted  out  at  the  very  top  of  his  voice, — 

"  Oh,  bad  luck  to  your  cobwebbed  windows  and  iron  railings ! 
sure  it's  my  father's  son  ought  to  hate  the  sight  of  you." 


IRELAND.  637 

"  I  hope  your  father  never  trusted  his  property  in  such  hands?" 

"  I  don't  suspect  he  did,  your  honor ;  he  never  put  much  belief  in 
the  banks ;  but  the  house  cost  him  dear  enough  without  that." 

As  I  could  not  help  feeling  some  curiosity  in  this  matter,  I  pressed 
Mickey  for  an  explanation. 

"  But  maybe  it's  not  Cary  and  Moore's,  after  all ;  and  I'm  maybe 
cursing  dacent  people." 

Having  reassured  his  mind,  by  telling  him  that  the  reservation  he 
made  by  the  doubt  would  tell  in  their  favor  should  he  prove  mis- 
taken, he  afforded  me  the  following  information : — 

"  When  my  father — the  heavens  be  his  bed ! — was  in  the  -  Cork/ 
they  put  him  one  night  on  guard  at  that  same  big  house  you  just 
passed — av  it  was  the  same ;  but,  if  it  wasn't  that,  it  was  another  ; 
and  it  was  a  beautiful  fine  night  in  August,  and  the  moon  up,  and 
plenty  of  people  walking  about,  and  all  kinds  of  fun  and  devilment 
going  on — drinking  and  dancing,  and  everything. 

"  Well,  my  father  was  stuck  up  there,  with  his  musket,  to  walk  up 
and  down,  and  not  say,  '  God  save  you  kindly,'  or  the  time  of  day, 
or  anything,  but  just  march  as  if  he  was  in  the  barrack-yard ;  and 
by  reason  of  his  being  the  man  he  was,  he  didn't  like  it  half,  but 
kept  cursing  and  swearing  to  himself  like  mad  when  he  saw  pleas- 
ant fellows  and  pretty  girls  going  by,  laughing  and  joking. 

"  '  Good-evening,  Mickey,'  Says  one ;  ■  fine  sport  ye  have  all  to 
yourself,  with  your  long  feather  in  your  cap.' 

"  'Arrah,  look  how  proud  he  is,'  says  another,  *  with  his  head  up 
as  if  he  didn't  see  a  body.' 

"  '  Shoulder  hoo  !'  cried  a  drunken  chap,  with  a  shovel  in  his  hand. 
They  all  began  laughing  away  at  my  father. 

"  '  Let  the  dacent  man  alone,'  said  an  ould  fellow  in  a  wig  ;  '  isn't 
he  guarding  the  bank,  wid  all  the  money  in  it?' 

"  '  Faix  he  isn't,'  says  another,  '  for  there's  none  left.' 

" '  What's  that  you're  saying?'  says  my  father. 

"  '  Just  that  the  bank's  broke,  devil  a  more,'  says  he. 

"  'And  there's  no  goold  in  it  V  says  my  father. 

" '  Divil  a  guinea.' 

" '  Nor  silver  ?' 

" '  No,  nor  silver,  nor  as  much  as  sixpence,  either.' 

" '  Didn't  ye  hear  that  all  day  yesterday,  when  the  people  was 
coming  in  with  their  notes,  the  chaps  there  were  heating  the  guineas 
in  a  frying-pan,  pretending  that  they  were  making  them  as  fast  as 
they  could  5  and  sure,  when  they  had  a  batch  red-hot  they  spread 
them  out  to  cool ;  and  what  between  the  heating  and  the  cooling, 
and  the  burning  the  fingers  counting  them,  they  kept  the  bank  open 
to  three  o'clock,  and  then  they  ran  away.' 


638  CHARLES  0> MALLET. 

"  '  Is  it  truth  yer  telling  ?'  says  my  father. 

"'Sorra  word  o'  lie  in  it!  myself  had  two-and-fourpence  of  their 
notes.' 

"  'And  so  they're  broke,'  says  my  father,  ?  and  nothing  left  ?' 

"  •  Not  a  brass  farden.' 

u  'And  what  am  I  staying  here  for,  I  wonder,  if  there's  nothing  to 
guard  ?' 

"  •  Faix,  if  it  isn't  for  the  pride  of  the  thing ' 

"  '  Oh,  sorra  taste.' 

" '  Well,  maybe  for  divarsion.' 

" '  Nor  that  either.' 

"  '  Faix !  then,  you're  a  droll  man,  to  spend  the  evening  that  way,' 
says  he ;  and  all  the  crowd — for  there  was  a  crowd — said  the  same. 
So  with  that  my  father  unscrewed  his  bayonet,  and  put  his  piece  on 
his  shoulder,  and  walked  off  to  his  bed  in  the  barrack  as  peaceable 
as  need  be.  But  well,  when  they  came  to  relieve  him,  wasn't  there 
a  raal  commotion  ?  and  faith,  you  see,  it  went  mighty  hard  with  my 
father  the  next  morning ;  for  the  bank  was  open  just  as  usual,  and 
my  father  was  sintinced  to  fifty  lashes,  but  got  off  with  a  week  in 
prison,  and  three  more  rowling  a  big  stone  in  the  barrack-yard." 

Thus  chatting  away,  the  time  passed  over,  until  we  arrived  at 
Fermoy.  Here  there  was  some  little  delay  in  procuring  horses ;  and 
during  the  negotiation,  Mike,  who  usually  made  himself  master  of 
the  circumstances  of  every  place  through  which  he  passed,  discov- 
ered that  the  grocer's  shop  of  the  village  was  kept  by  a  namesake, 
and  possibly  a  relation  of  his  own. 

"  I  always  had  a  notion,  Mr.  Charles,  that  I  came  from  a  good 
stock  ;  and  sure  enough,  here's  '  Mary  Free'  over  the  door  there,  and 
a  beautiful  place  inside ;  full  of  tay  and  sugar,  and  gingerbread,  and 
glue,  and  coffee,  and  bran,  pickled  herrings,  soap,  and  many  other 
commodities." 

"  Perhaps  you'd  like  to  claim  kindred,  Mike,"  said  I,  interrupt- 
ing ;  "  I'm  sure  she'd  feel  flattered  to  discover  a  relative  in  a  Penin- 
sular hero." 

"It's  just  what  I'm  thinking;  av  we  were  going  to  pass  the 
evening  here,  I'd  try  if  I  couldn't  make  her  out  a  second  cousin  at 
least." 

Fortune  upon  this  occasion  seconded  Mike's  wishes,  for  when  the 
horses  made  their  appearance,  I  learned  to  my  surprise  that  the  near 
side  one  would  not  bear  a  saddle,  and  the  off-sider  could  only  run  on 
his  own  side.  In  this  conjuncture,  the  postilion  was  obliged  to  drive 
from  what,  Hibernicl  speaking,  is  called  the  perch — no  ill-applied 
denomination  to  a  piece  of  wood  which,  about  the  thickness  of  one's 
arm,  is  hung  between  the  two  fore-springs,  and  serves  as  a  resting- 


IRELAND.  639 

place,  in  which  the  luckless  wight,  weary  of  the  saddle,  is  not  sorry 
to  repose  himself. 

"  What's  to  be  done  ?"  cried  I.  "  There's  no  room  within ;  my 
traps  barely  leave  space  for  myself  amongst  them." 

"Sure,  sir,"  said  the  postilion,  "the  other  gentleman  can  follow 
in  the  morning  coach ;  and  if  any  accident  happens  to  yourself 
on  the  road,  by  reason  of  a  breakdown,  he'll  be  there  as  soon  as 
yourself." 

This,  at  least,  was  an  agreeable  suggestion,  and,  as  I  saw  it 
chimed  with  Mike's  notions,  I  acceded  at  once ;  he  came  running 
up  at  the  moment. 

"  I  had  a  peep  at  her  through  the  window,  Mister  Charles,  and, 
faix,  she  has  a  great  look  of  the  family." 

"  Well,  Mickey,  I'll  leave  you  twenty-four  hours  to  cultivate  the 
acquaintance;  and  to  a  man  like  you,  I  know  the  time  is  ample. 
Follow  me  by  the  morning's  coach.    Till  then,  good-bye." 

Away  we  rattled  once  more,  and  soon  left  the  town  behind  us. 
The  wild  mountain  tract  which  stretched  on  either  side  of  the  road 
presented  one  bleak  and  brown  surface,  unrelieved  by  any  trace  of 
tillage  or  habitation ;  an  apparently  endless  succession  of  fern-clad 
hills  lay  on  every  side ;  above,  the  gloomy  sky  of  leaden,  louring 
aspect  frowned  darkly ;  the  sad  and  wailing  cry  of  the  pewit  or  the 
plover  was  the  only  sound  that  broke  the  stillness,  and  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach,  a  dreary  waste  extended.  The  air,  too,  was  cold 
and  chilly ;  it  was  one  of  those  days  which,  in  our  springs,  seemed 
to  cast  a  retrospective  glance  towards  the  winter  they  have  left  be- 
hind them.  The  prospect  was  no  cheering  one  ;  from  heaven  above 
or  earth  below  there  came  no  sight  nor  sound  of  gladness.  The  rich 
glow  of  the  Peninsular  landscape  was  still  fresh  in  my  memory — 
the  luxurious  verdure — the  olive,  the  citron,  and  the  vine — the  fair 
valleys  teeming  with  abundance— the  mountains  terraced  with  their 
vineyards — the  blue  transparent  sky  spreading  o'er  all— while  the 
very  air  was  rife  with  the  cheering  song  of  birds  that  peopled  every 
grove.  What  a  contrast  was  here  !  We  travelled  on  for  miles,  but 
no  village  nor  one  human  face  did  we  see.  Far  in  the  distance  a 
thin  wreath  of  smoke  curled  upward ;  but  it  came  from  no  hearth  ; 
it  arose  from  one  of  those  field-fires  by  which  spendthrift  husbandry 
cultivates  the  ground.  It  was  indeed  sad ;  and  yet,  I  know  not  how, 
it  spoke  more  home  to  my  heart  than  all  the  brilliant  display  and 
all  the  voluptuous  splendor  I  had  witnessed  in  London.  By  degrees 
some  traces  of  wood  made  their  appearance,  and,  as  we  descended 
the  mountain  towards  Cahir,  the  country  assumed  a  more  cultivated 
and  cheerful  look ;  patches  of  corn  or  of  meadow-land  stretched  on 
either  side,  and  the  voice  of  children,  and  the  lowing  of  oxen,  min- 


640  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

gled  with  the  cawing  of  the  rooks,  as  in  dense  clouds  they  followed 
the  ploughman's  track.  The  changed  features  of  the  prospect  re- 
sembled the  alternate  phases  of  temperament  of  the  dweller  in  the 
soil — the  gloomy  determination — the  smiling  carelessness — the  dark 
spirit  of  boding — the  recklessjollity — the  almost  savage  ferocity  of 
purpose,  followed  by  a  child-like  docility  and  a  womanly  softness — 
the  grave,  the  gay,  the  resolute,  the  fickle — the  firm,  the  yielding, 
the  unsparing,  and  the  tender-hearted,  blending  their  contrarieties 
into  one  nature,  of  whose  capabilities  one  cannot  predicate  the 
bounds,  but  to  whom,  by  some  luckless  fatality  of  fortune,  the  great 
rewards  of  life  have  been  generally  withheld,  until  one  begins  to 
feel  that  the  curse  of  Swift  was  less  the  sarcasm  wrung  from  indig- 
nant failures  than  the  cold  and  stern  prophecy  of  the  moralist. 

But  how  have  I  fallen  into  this  strain  ?  Let  me  rather  turn  my 
eyes  forward  towards  my  home.  How  shall  I  find  all  there  ?  Have 
his  altered  fortunes  damped  the  warm  ardor  of  my  poor  uncle's 
heart?  Is  his  smile  sicklied  over  by  sorrow?  Or  shall  I  hear  his 
merry  laugh,  and  his  cheerful  voice,  as  in  days  of  yore?  How  I 
longed  to  take  my  place  beside  that  hearth,  and,  in  the  same  oak- 
chair  where  I  have  sat  telling  the  bold  adventures  of  a  fox-chase 
or  some  long  day  upon  the  moors,  speak  of  the  scenes  of  my  cam- 
paigning life,  and  make  known  to  him  those  gallant  fellows  by 
whose  side  I  have  charged  in  battle  or  sat  in  the  bivouac !  How 
will  he  glory  in  the  soldier-like  spirit  and  daring  energy  of  Fred 
Power !  How  will  he  chuckle  over  the  blundering  earnestness  and 
Irish  warmth  of  O'Shaughnessy !  How  will  he  laugh  at  the  quaint 
stories  and  quainter  jests  of  Maurice  Quill !  And  how  often  will 
he  wish  once  more  to  be  young  in  hand  as  in  heart  to  mingle  with 
such  gay  fellows,  with  no  other  care,  no  other  sorrow  to  depress  him, 
save  the  passing  fortune  of  a  soldier's  life ! 


CHAPTER  XLIV, 


THE   RETURN. 


1  1  J  HILE  lying  asleep  in  the  corner  of  the  chaise,  a  rude  shock 
V  V     awoke  me ;  a  shout  followed,  and  the  next  moment  the  door 

*    *      was  torn  open,  and  I  heard  the  postilion's  voice  crying : 

"Spring  out!  jump  out  quickly,  sir!" 

A  whole  battery  of  kicks  upon  the  front  panel  drowned  the  rest 
of  his  speech ;  but  before  I  could  obey  his  injunction,  he  was  pitched 


THE  RETURN.  641 

upon  the  road,  the  chaise  rolled  over,  and  the  pole  snapped  short  in 
the  middle,  while  the  two  horses  belabored  the  carriage  and  each 
other  with  all  their  might.  Managing  as  well  as  I  was  able  to  ex- 
tricate myself,  I  leaped  out  upon  the  road,  and  by  the  aid  of  a  knife, 
and  at  the  cost  of  some  bruises,  succeeded  in  freeing  the  horses  from 
their  tackle.  The  postboy,  who  had  escaped  without  any  serious 
injury,  labored  manfully  to  aid  me,  blubbering  the  whole  time 
upon  the  consequences  his  misfortune  would  bring  down  upon  his 
head. 

"  Bad  luck  to  ye !"  cried  he,  apostrophizing  the  off-horse,  a  tall, 
raw-boned  beast,  with  a  Roman  nose,  a  dipped  back,  and  a  tail 
ragged  and  jagged  like  a  hand-saw.  "  Bad  luck  to  ye !  there  never 
was  a  good  one  of  your  color !" 

This,  for  the  information  of  the  "unjockeyed,"  I  may  add,  was  a 
species  of  brindled  gray. 

"  How  did  it  happen,  Patsey — how  did  it  happen,  my  lad  ?" 

"  It  was  the  heap  o'  stones  they  left  in  the  road  since  last  autumn ; 
and  though  I  riz  him  at  it  fairly,  he  dragged  the  ould  mare  over  it 
and  broke  the  pole.  Oh,  wirra,  wirra !"  cried  he,  wringing  his  hands 
in  an  agony  of  grief,  "  sure  there's  neither  luck  nor  grace  to  be  had 
with  ye  since  the  day  ye  drew  the  judge  down  to  the  last  assizes !" 

"  Well !  what's  to  be  done  ?" 

"Sorra  a  bit  o'  me  knows ;  the  shay's  ruined  intirely,  and  the  old 
devil  there  knows  he's  conquered  us.  Look  at  him  there,  listening 
to  every  word  we're  saying!  You  eternal  thief!  maybe  its  plough- 
ing you'd  like  better." 

"  Come,  come,"  said  I,  "  this  will  never  get  us  forward.  What 
part  of  the  country  are  we  in  ?" 

"  We  left  Banagher  about  four  miles  behind  us ;  that's  Killimur 
you  see  with  the  smoke  there  in  the  hollow." 

Now,  although  I  did  not  see  Killimur  (for  the  gray  mist  of  the 
morning  prevented  me  recognizing  any  object  a  few  hundred  yards 
distant),  yet,  from  the  direction  in  which  he  pointed,  and  from  the 
course  of  the  Shannon,  which  I  could  trace  indistinctly,  I  obtained 
a  pretty  accurate  notion  of  where  we  were. 

"Then,  we  are  not  very  far  from  Portumna?" 

"  Just  a  pleasant  walk  before  your  breakfast."  '} 

"And  is  there  not  a  short  cut  to  O'Malley  Castle  over  that  moun- 
tain?" 

"  Faix  and  so  there  is ;  and  ye  can  be  no  stranger  to  these  parts 
if  ye  know  that." 

"I  have  travelled  it  before  now.     Just  tell  me,  is  the  wooden 
bridge  standing  over  the  little  stream  ?    It  used  to  be  carried  away 
every  winter,  in  my  time." 
41 


642  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  It's  just  the  same  now.  You'll  have  to  pass  by  the  upper  ford ; 
but  it  comes  to  the  same,  for  that  will  bring  you  to  the  back  gate 
of  the  demesne,  and  one  way  is  just  as  short  as  the  other." 

"  I  know  it,  I  know  it ;  so  now,  do  you  follow  me  with  my  lug- 
gage to  the  castle,  and  I'll  set  out  on  foot." 

So  saying,  I  threw  off  my  cloak,  and  prepared  myself  for  a  sharp 
walk  of  some  eight  miles  over  the  mountain.  As  I  reached  the  little 
knoll  of  land,  which,  overlooking  the  Shannon,  affords  a  view  of 
several  miles  in  every  direction,  I  stopped  to  gaze  upon  the  scene, 
where  every  object  around  was  familiar  to  me  from  infancy.  The 
broad,  majestic  river,  sweeping  in  bold  curves  between  the  wild 
mountains  of  Connaught  and  the  wooded  hills  and  cultivated  slopes 
of  the  more  fertile  Munster — the  tall  chimneys  of  many  a  house  rose 
above  the  dense  woods,  where  in  my  boyhood  I  had  spent  hours  and 
days  of  happiness.  One  last  look  I  turned  towards  the  scene  of  my 
late  catastrophe,  ere  I  began  to  descend  the  mountain.  The  post- 
boy, with  the  happy  fatalism  of  his  country,  and  a  firm  trust  in  the 
future,  had  established  himself  in  the  interior  of  the  chaise,  from 
which  a  blue  curl  of  smoke  wreathed  upward  from  his  pipe;  the 
horses  grazed  contentedly  by  the  roadside,  and  were  I  to  judge  from 
the  evidence  before  me,  I  should  say  that  I  was  the  only  member  of 
the  party  inconvenienced  by  the  accident.  A  thin  sleeting  of  rain 
began  to  fall,  the  wind  blew  sharply  in  my  face,  and  the  dark  clouds, 
collecting  in  masses  above,  seemed  to  threaten  a  storm.  Without 
stopping  for  even  a  passing  look  at  the  many  well-known  spots 
about,  I  pressed  rapidly  on.  My  old  experience  upon  the  moors 
had  taught  me  that  sling  trot  in  which,  jumping  from  hillock  to 
hillock,  over  the  boggy  surface,  you  succeed  in  accomplishing  your 
journey  not  only  with  considerable  speed,  but  perfectly  dryshod. 

By  the  lonely  path  which  I  travelled,  it  was  unlikely  I  should 
meet  any  one ;  it  was  rarely  traversed  except  by  the  foot  of  the 
sportsman,  or  some  stray  messenger  from  the  castle  to  the  town  of 
Banagher.  Its  solitude,  however,  was  in  nowise  distasteful  to  me ; 
my  heart  was  full  to  bursting.  Each  moment  as  I  walked,  some  new 
feature  of  my  home  presented  itself  before  me.  Now,  it  was  all 
happiness  and  cornfort  j  the  scene  of  its  ancient  hospitable  board, 
its  warm  hearth,  its  happy  faces,  and  its  ready  welcome,  were  all 
before  me,  and  I  increased  my  speed  to  the  utmost,  when  suddenly 
a  sense  of  sad  and  sorrowing  foreboding  would  draw  around  me,  and 
the  image  of  my  uncle's  sick  bed,  his  worn  features,  his  pallid  look, 
his  broken  voice,  would  strike  upon  my  heart,  and  all  the  changes 
that  poverty,  desertion,  and  decay  can  bring  to  pass,  would  fall  upon 
my  heart,  and,  weak  and  trembling,  I  would  stand  for  some  moments 
unable  to  proceed. 


THE  RETURN.  643 

Oh  !  how  many  a  reproachful  thought  came  home  to  me  at  what 
I  scrupled  not  to  call  to  myself  the  desertion  of  my  home.  Oh !  how 
nmny  a  prayer  I  uttered,  in  all  the  fervor  of  devotion,  that  my  selfish 
waywardness,  and  my  yearning  for  ambition,  might  not  bring  upon 
me  in  after-life  years  of  unavailing  regret !  As  I  thought  thus,  I 
reached  the  brow  of  a  little  mountain  ridge,  beneath  which,  at  the 
distance  of  scarcely  more  than  a  mile,  the  dark  woods  of  O'Malley 
Castle  stretched  before  me.  The  house  itself  was  not  visible,  for  it 
was  situated  in  a  valley  beside  the  river ;  but  there  lay  the  whole 
scene  of  my  boyhood — there  the  little  creek  where  my  boat  was  kept, 
and  where  I  landed  on  the  morning  after  my  duel  with  Bodkin ; 
there  stretched,  for  many  a  mile,  the  large,  callow  meadows,  where 
I  trained  my  horses,  and  schooled  them  for  the  coming  season  ;  and 
far  in  the  distance,  the  brown  and  rugged  peak  of  Old  Scariff  was 
lost  in  the  clouds.  The  rain  by  this  time  had  ceased,  the  wind  had 
fallen,  and  an  almost  unnatural  stillness  prevailed  around.  But  yet 
the  heavy  masses  of  vapor  frowned  ominously,  and  the  leaden  hue 
of  land  and  water  wore  a  gloomy  and  depressing  aspect.  My  impa- 
tience to  get  on  increased  every  moment.  Descending  the  mountain 
at  the  top  of  my  speed,  I  at  length  reached  the  little  oak  paling  that 
skirted  the  wood,  opened  the  little  wicket,  and  entered  the  path.  It 
was  the  selfsame  one  I  had  trod  in  reverie  and  meditation,  the  night 
before  I  left  my  home.  I  remember,  too,  sitting  down  beside  the 
little  well  which,  enclosed  in  a  frame  of  rock,  ran  trickling  across 
the  path,  to  be  lost  among  the  gnarled  roots  and  fallen  leaves  around. 
Yes,  this  was  the  very  spot. 

Overcome  for  the  instant  by  my  exertion  and  my  emotion,  I  sat 
down  upon  the  stone,  and,  taking  off  my  cap,  bathed  my  heated  and 
throbbing  temples  in  the  cold  spring.  Refreshed  at  once,  I  was 
about  to  rise  and  press  onward,  when  suddenly  my  attention  was 
caught  by  a  sound  which,  faint  from  the  distance,  scarce  struck  upon 
my  ear.  I  listened  again,  but  all  was  still  and  silent ;  the  dull  plash 
of  the  river,  as  it  broke  upon  the  reedy  shore,  was  the  only  sound  I 
heard.  Thinking  it  probably  some  mere  delusion  of  my  heated 
imagination,  I  rose  to  push  forward ;  but  at  the  moment  a  slight 
breeze  stirred  in  the  leaves  around  me,  the  light  branches  rustled 
and  bent  beneath  it,  and  a  low,  moaning  sound  swelled  upward,  in- 
creasing each  instant  as  it  came.  Like  the  distant  roar  of  some 
mighty  torrent,  it  grew  louder  as  the  wind  bore  it  towards  me,  and 
now  falling,  now  swelling,  it  burst  forth  into  one  loud  prolonged  cry 
of  agony  and  grief.  Oh  God !  it  was  the  death  wail !  I  fell  upon 
my  knees,  my  hands  clasped  in  agony  ;  the  sweat  of  misery  dropped 
off  my  brow,  and  with  a  heart  bleeding  and  breaking,  I  prayed — I 
know  not  what.     Again  the  terrible  cry  smote  upon  my  ear,  and  I 


644  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

could  mark  the  horrible  cadences  of  the  death-song,  as  the  voices  of 
the  mourners  joined  in  chorus. 

My  suspense  became  too  great  to  bear,  I  dashed  madly  forward, 
one  sound  still  ringing  in  my  ears,  one  horrid  image  before  my  eyes. 
I  reached  the  garden-wall ;  I  cleared  the  little  rivulet  beside  the 
flower-garden.  I  traversed  its  beds  (neglected  and  decayed),  I  gained 
the  avenue,  taking  no  heed  of  the  crowds  before  me — some  on  foot, 
some  on  horseback,  others  mounted  upon  the  low  country  car,  many 
seated  in  groups  upon  the  grass,  their  heads  bowed  upon  their 
bosoms,  silent  and  speechless.  As  I  neared  the  house,  the  whole 
approach  was  crowded  with  carriages  and  horsemen ;  at  the  foot  of 
the  large  flight  of  steps  stood  the  black  and  mournful  hearse,  its 
plumes  nodding  in  the  breeze.  With  the  speed  of  madness  and  the 
recklessness  of  despair,  I  tore  my  way  through  the  thickly-standing 
groups  upon  the  steps  ;  I  could  not  speak,  I  could  not  utter.  Once 
more  the  frightful  cry  swelled  upward,  and  its  wild  notes  seemed  to 
paralyze  me ;  for,  with  my  hands  upon  my  temples,  I  stood  motion- 
less and  still.  A  heavy  footfall,  as  of  persons  marching  in  proces- 
sion, came  nearer  and  nearer,  and,  as  the  sounds  without  sank  into 
sobs  of  bitterness  and  woe,  the  black  pall  of  a  coffin,  borne  on  men's 
shoulders,  appeared  at  the  door,  and  an  old  man,  whose  gray  hair 
floated  in,  the  breeze,  and  across  whose  stern  features  a  struggle  for 
self-mastery — a  kind  of  spasmodic  effort — was  playing,  held  out  his 
hand  to  enforce  silence.  His  eye,  lack-lustre  and  dimmed  with  age, 
roved  over  the  assembled  multitude,  but  there  was  no  recognition  in 
his  look  until  at  last  he  turned  it  on  me.  A  slight  hectic  flush  covered 
his  pale  cheek,  his  lip  trembled,  he  essayed  to  speak,  but  could  not. 
I  sprang  towards  him,  but,  choked  by  agony,  I  could  not  utter ;  my 
look,  however,  spoke  what  my  tongue  could  not.  He  threw  his  arms 
around  me,  and,  muttering  the  words  "  Poor  Godfrey !"  pointed  to 
the  coffin. 


CHAPTER    XLV. 

HOME. 


M 


"ANY  years  have  passed  away  since  the  time  I  am  now  about 
to  speak  of,  and  yet  I  cannot  revert,  even  for  a  moment,  to 
the  period  without  a  sad  and  depressing  feeling  at  my  heart. 
The  wreck  of  fortune,  the  thwarting  of  ambition,  the  failure  of 
enterprise,  great  though  they  be,  are  endurable  evils.    The  never- 


HOME.  645 

dying  hope  that  youth  is  blessed  with  will  find  its  resting-place  still 
within  the  breast,  and  the  baffled  and  beaten  will  struggle  on  uncon- 
quered ;  but  for  the  death  of  friends,  for  the  loss  of  those  in  whom 
our  dearest  affections  were  centred,  there  is  no  solace;  the  terrible 
"  never"  of  the  grave  knows  no  remorse,  and  even  memory,  that  in 
our  saddest  hours  can  bring  bright  images  and  smiling  faces  before 
us,  calls  up  here  only  the  departed  shade  of  happiness,  a  passing 
look  at  that  Eden  of  our  joys  from  which  we  are  separated  forever. 
And  the  desolation  of  the  heart  is  never  perfect  till  it  has  felt  the 
echoes  of  a  last  farewell  on  earth  reverberating  within  it. 

Oh,  with  what  tortures  of  self-reproach  we  think  of  all  former 
intercourse  with  him  that  is  gone !  How  would  we  wish  to  live  our 
lives  once  more,  correcting  each  passage  of  unkindness  or  neglect! 
How  deeply  do  we  blame  ourselves  for  occasions  of  benefit  lost,  and 
opportunities  unprofited  by  ;  and  how  unceasingly,  through  after- 
life, the  memory  of  the  departed  recurs  to  us !  In  all  the  ties  which 
affection  and  kindred  weave  around  us,  one  vacant  spot  is  there, 
unseen  and  unknown  by  others,  which  no  blandishments  of  love, 
no  caresses  of  friendship,  can  fill  up.  Although  the  rank  grass  and 
the  tall  weeds  of  the  churchyard  may  close  around  the  humble 
tomb,  the  cemetery  of  the  heart  is  holy  and  sacred,  pure  from  all 
the  troubled  thoughts  and  daily  cares  of  the  busy  world.  To  that 
hallowed  spot  do  we  retire  as  into  our  chamber,  and  when  unre- 
warded efforts  bring  discomfiture  and  misery  to  our  minds,  when  our 
friends  are  false,  and  cherished  hopes  are  blasted,  we  think  on  those 
who  never  ceased  to  love  till  they  had  ceased  to  live ;  and  in  the 
lonely  solitude  of  our  affliction  we  call  upon  those  who  hear  not,  and 
may  never  return. 

******** 

Mine  was  a  desolate  hearth.  I  sat  moodily  down  in  the  old  oak 
parlor,  my  heart  bowed  down  with  grief.  The  noiseless  steps,  the 
mourning  garments  of  the  old  servants,  the  unnatural  silence  of 
those  walls  within  which  from  my  infancy  the  sounds  of  merriment 
and  mirth  had  been  familiar,  the  large  old-fashioned  chair  where  he 
was  wont  to  sit,  now  placed  against  the  wall, — all  spoke  of  the  sad 
past.  Yet  when  some  footsteps  would  draw  near,  and  the  door 
would  open,  I  could  not  repress  a  thrill  of  hope  that  he  was  coming; 
more  than  once  I  rushed  to  the  window  and  looked  out ;  I  could 
have  sworn  I  heard  his  voice. 

The  old  cob  pony  he  used  to  ride  was  grazing  peacefully  before  the 
door;  poor  Carlo,  his  favorite  spaniel,  lay  stretched  upon  the  ter- 
race, turning  ever  and  anon  a  look  towards  the  window,  and  then, 
as  if  wearied  of  watching  for  him  who  came  not,  he  would  utter  a 
long,  low,  wailing  cry,  and  lie  down  again  to  sleep.    The  rich  lawn, 


646  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

decked  with  field  flowers  of  many  a  hue,  stretched  away  towards  the 
river,  upon  whose  calm  surface  the  white-sailed  lugger  scarce  seemed 
to  move ;  the  sounds  of  a  well-known  Irish  air  came,  softened  by 
distance,  as  some  poor  fisherman  sat  mending  his  net  upon  the  bank 
and  the  laugh  of  children  floated  on  the  breeze.  Yes,  they  were 
happy ! 

Two  months  had  elapsed  since  my  return  home ;  how  passed  by 
me  I  know  not ;  a  lethargic  stupor  had  settled  upon  me.  Whole 
days  long  I  sat  at  the  window,  looking  listlessly  at  the  tranquil  river 
and  watching  the  white  foam  as,  borne  down  from  the  rapids,  it 
floated  lazily  along.  The  Count  had  left  me  soon,  being  called  up 
to  Dublin  by  some  business,  and  I  was  utterly  alone.  The  different 
families  about  called  frequently  to  ask  after  me,  and  would,  doubt- 
less, have  done  all  in  their  power  to  alleviate  my  sorrow  and  lighten 
the  load  of  my  affliction ;  but  with  a  morbid  fear,  I  avoided  every 
one,  and  rarely  left  the  house  except  at  nightfall,  and  then  only  to 
stroll  by  some  lonely  and  deserted  path. 

Life  had  lost  its  charm  for  me  ;  my  gratified  ambition  had  ended 
in  the  blackest  disappointment,  and  all  for  which  I  had  labored  and 
longed  was  only  attained  that  I  might  feel  it  valueless. 

Of  my  circumstances  as  to  fortune  I  knew  nothing,  and  cared  not 
more ;  poverty  and  riches  could  matter  little  now ;  all  my  day- 
dreams were  dissipated  now,  and  I  only  waited  for  Considine's  re- 
turn to  leave  Ireland  forever.  I  had  made  up  my  mind,  if,  by  any 
unexpected  turn  of  fate,  the  war  should  cease  in  the  Peninsula,  to 
exchange  into  an  Indian  regiment.  The  daily  association  with 
objects  which  recalled  but  one  image  to  my  brain,  and  that  ever  ac- 
companied by  remorse  of  conscience,  gave  me  not  a  moment's  peace. 
My  every  thought  of  happiness  was  mixed  up  with  scenes  which 
now  presented  nothing  but  the  evidences  of  blighted  hope.  To  re- 
main, then,  where  I  was,  would  be  to  sink  into  the  heartless  misan- 
thropist, and  I  resolved  that  with  my  sword  I  would  carve  out  a 
soldier's  fortune  and  a  soldier's  grave. 

Considine  came  at  last.  I  was  sitting  alone,  at  my  usual  post  be- 
side the  window,  when  the  chaise  rattled  up  to  the  door.  For  an 
instant  I  started  to  my  legs ;  a  vague  something  like  hope  shot 

through  me  ;  the  whole  might  be  a  dream,  and  he The  next 

moment  I  became  cold  and  sick,  a  faintish  giddiness  obscured  my 
sight,  and  though  I  felt  his  grasp  as  he  took  my  hand,  I  saw  him 
not. 

An  indistinct  impressio*n  still  dwells  upon  my  mind  of  his  chiding 
me  for  my  weakness  in  thus  giving  way  ;  of  his  calling  upon  me  to 
assert  my  position,  and  discharge  the  duties  of  him  whose  successor 
I  now  was.     I  heard  him  in  silence,  and,  when  he  concluded,  faintly 


HOME.  647 

pledging  myself  to  obey  him,  I  hurried  to  my  room,  and  throwing 
myself  upon  my  bed,  burst  into  an  agony  of  tears.  Hitherto  my 
pent-up  sorrow  had  wasted  me  day  by  day  ;  but  the  rock  was  now 
smitten,  and  in  that  gush  of  misery  my  heart  found  relief. 

When  I  appeared  the  following  morning,  the  Count  was  struck 
with  my  altered  looks.  A  settled  sorrow  could  not  conceal  the 
changes  which  time  and  manhood  had  made  upon  me;  and  as  from 
a  kind  of  fear  of  showing  how  deeply  I  grieved,  I  endeavored  to  con- 
ceal it,  by  degrees  I  was  enabled  to  converse  calmly  and  dispassion- 
ately upon  my  fortunes. 

"  Poor  Godfrey/'  said  he,  "  appointed  me  his  sole  executor  a  few 
days  before  it  happened  ;  he  knew  the  time  was  drawing  near,  and, 
strange  enough,  Charley,  though  he  heard  of  your  return  to  England, 
he  would  not  let  us  write.  The  papers  spoke  of  you  as  being  at 
Carlton  House  almost  daily ;  your  name  appeared  at  every  great 
festival ;  and,  while  his  heart  warmed  at  your  brilliant  success,  he 
absolutely  dreaded  your  coming  home.  '  Poor  fellow !'.  he  would 
say, '  what  a  change  for  him,  to  leave  the  splendor  and  magnificence 
of  his  Prince's  board  for  our  meagre  fare  and  altered  fortunes !  And 
then/  he  added,  '  as  for  me — God  forgive  me  !  I  can  go  now — but 
how  should  I  bear  to  part  with  him  if  he  comes  back  to  me  ?'  And 
now,"  said  the  Count,  when  he  had  concluded  a  detailed  history  of 
my  dear  uncle's  last  illness — "and  now,  Charley,  what  are  your 
plans  ?" 

Briefly,  and  in  a  few  words,  I  stated  to  him  my  intentions.  With- 
out placing  much  stress  upon  the  strongest  of  my  reasons — my  dis- 
taste to  what  had  once  been  home — I  avowed  my  wish  to  join  my 
regiment  at  once. 

He  heard  me  with  evident  impatience,  and,  as  I  finished,  seized 
my  arm  in  his  strong  grasp.  "  No,  no,  boy, — none  of  this ;  your 
tone  of  assumed  composure  cannot  impose  on  Bill  Considine.  You 
must  not  return  to  the  Peninsula — at  least,  not  yet  awhile ;  the  dis- 
gust of  life  may  be  strong  at  twenty,  but  it's  not  lasting;  besides, 
Charley," — here  his  voice  faltered  slightly — "his  wishes  you'll  not 
treat  lightly.     Read  this." 

As  he  spoke,  he  took  a  blotted  and  ill-written  letter  from  his 
breast-pocket,  and  handed  it  to  me.  It  was  in  my  poor  uncle's  hand, 
and  dated  the  very  morning  of  his  death.     It  ran  thus : 

"  Dear  Bill: — Charley  must  never  part  with  the  old  house,  come 
what  will ;  I  leave  too  many  ties  behind  for  a  stranger's  heritage ;  he 
must  live  among  my  old  friends,  and  watch,  protect,  and  comfort 
them.  He  has  done  enough  for  fame  ;  let  him  now  do  something 
for  affection.     We  have  none  of  us  been  over  good  to  these  poor 


648  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

people  ;  one  of  the  name  must  try  and  save  our  credit.     God  blesg 
you  both !     It  is  perhaps  the  last  time  I  shall  utter  it. 

"  G.  O'M." 

I  read  these  few  and,  to  me,  affecting  lines  over  and  over,  forget- 
ful of  all  save  of  him  who  penned  them ;  when  Considine,  who  sup- 
posed that  my  silence  was  attributable  to  doubt  and  hesitation, 
called  out : 

"  Well,  what  now  ?" 

"  I  remain,"  said  I,  briefly. 

He  seized  me  in  his  arms  with  transport,  as  he  said : 

"  I  knew  it,  boy — I  knew  it.  They  told  me  you  were  spoiled  by 
flattery,  and  your  head  turned  by  fortune ;  they  said  that  home  and 
country  would  weigh  lightly  in  the  balance  against  fame  and  glory; 
but  I  said  no,  I  knew  you  better.  I  told  them  indignantly  that  I 
had  nursed  you  on  my  knee ;  that  I  watched  you  from  infancy  to 
boyhood,  from  boy  to  man ;  that  he  of  whose  stock  you  came  had 
one  feeling  paramount  to  all,  his  love  of  his  own  fatherland,  and 
that  you  would  not  disgrace  him.  Besides,  Charley,  there's  not  an 
humble  hearth  for  many  a  long  mile  around  us  where,  amid  the 
winter's  blast — tempered,  not  excluded,  by  frail  walls  and  poverty — 
there's  not  one  such  but  where  poor  Godfrey's  name  rises  each  night 
in  prayer,  and  blessings  are  invoked  on  him  by  those  who  never  felt 
them  themselves.', 

"  I'll  not  desert  them." 

"  I  know  you'll  not,  boy— I  know  you'll  not.  Now  for  the  means." 

Here  he  entered  into  a  long  and  complicated  account  of  my  dear 
uncle's  many  difficulties,  by  which  it  appeared  that,  in  order  to  leave 
the  estate  free  of  debt  to  me,  he  had  for  years  past  undergone  severe 
privations.  These,  however— such  is  the  misfortune  of  unguided 
effort— had  but  ill  succeeded ;  and  there  was  scarcely  a  farm  on  the 
property  without  its  mortgage,  Upon  the  house  and  demesne  a 
bond  for  three  thousand  pounds  still  remained ;  and  to  pay  off  this, 
Considine  advised  my  selling  a  portion  of  the  property. 

"  It's  old  Blake  lent  the  money ;  and  only  a  week  before  your 
uncle  died  he  served  a  notice  for  repayment.  I  never  told  Godfrey 
—it  was  no  use  ;  it  could  only  embitter  his  last  few  hours  ;  and,  be- 
sides, we  had  six  months  to  think  of  it.  The  half  of  that  time  has 
now  elapsed,  however ;  we  must  see  to  this." 

"And  did  Blake  really  make  this  demand,  knowing  my  poor 
uncle's  difficulties  ?" 

"Why,  I  half  think  he  did  not,  for  Godfrey  was  too  fine  a  fellow 
ever  to  acknowledge  anything  of  the  sort.  He  had  twelve  sheep 
killed  for  the  poor  in  Scariff,  at  a  time  when  not  a  servant  of  the 


HOME.  649 

house  tasted  meat  for  months ;  ay,  and  our  own  table,  too,  none  of 
the  most  abundant,  I  assure  you." 

What  a  picture  was  this !  and  how  forcibly  did  it  remind  me  of 
what  I  had  witnessed  in  times  past.  Thus  meditating,  we  returned 
to  the  house ;  and  Considine,  whose  activity  never  slumbered,  sat 
down  to  con  over  the  rent-roll  with  old  Maguire  the  steward. 

When  I  joined  the  Count  in  the  evening,  I  found  him  surrounded 
by  maps,  rent-rolls,  surveys,  and  leases.  He  had  been  poring  over 
those  various  documents,  to  ascertain  from  which  portion  of  the 
property  we  could  best  recruit  our  falling  finances.  To  judge 
from  the  embarrassed  look  and  manner  with  which  he  met  me,  the 
matter  was  one  of  no  small  difficulty.  The  incumbrances  upon  the 
estate  had  been  incurred  with  an  unsparing  hand;  and  except 
where  some  irreclaimable  tract  of  bog  or  mountain  rendered  a  loan 
impracticable,  each  portion  of  the  property  had  its  share  of  debt. 

"You  can't  sell  Killantry,  for  Basset  has  above  six  thousand 
pounds  on  it  already ;  to  be  sure,  there's  the  Priest's  Meadows — fine 
land  and  in  good  heart;  but  Malony  was  an  old  tenant  of  the 
family,  and  I  cannot  recommend  your  turning  him  over  to  a  stranger. 
The  Widow  M'Bride's  farm  is  perhaps  the  best,  after  all,  and  it 
would  certainly  bring  the  sum  we  want ;  still,  poor  Mary  was  your 
nurse,  Charley,  and  it  would  break  her  heart  to  do  it." 

Thus,  wherever  we  turned,  some  obstacle  presented  itself,  if  not 
from  moneyed  causes,  at  least  from  those  ties  and  associations 
which,  in  an  attached  and  faithful  tenantry,  are  sure  to  grow  up 
between  them  and  the  owner  of  the  soil. 

Feeling  how  all-important  these  things  were — endeavoring  as  I 
was  to  fulfil  the  will  and  work  out  the  intentions  of  my  uncle,  I  saw 
at  once  that  to  sell  any  portion  of  the  property  must  separate  me, 
to  a  certain  extent,  from  those  who  had  long  looked  up  to  our  house, 
and  who,  in  the  feudalism  of  the  west,  could  ill  withdraw  their 
allegiance  from  their  own  chief  to  swear  fealty  to  a  stranger.  The 
richer  tenants  were  those  whose  industry  and  habits  rendered  them 
objects  of  worth  and  attachment ;  to  the  poorer  ones,  to  whose  im- 
providence and  whose  follies  (if  you  will)  their  poverty  is  owing,  I 
was  bound  by  those  ties  which  the  ancient  habit  of  my  house  had 
contracted  for  centuries ;  the  bond  of  benefit  conferred  can  be 
stronger  than  the  debt  of  gratitude  itself.  What  was  I  then  to  do? 
My  income  would  certainly  permit  of  my  paying  the  interest  upon 
the  several  mortgages,  and  still  retaining  wherewithal  to  live ;  the 
payment  of  Blake's  bond  was  my  only  difficulty,  and,  small  as  it 
was,  it  was  still  a  difficulty. 

"  I  have  it,  Charley  !"  said  Considine  ;  "  I've  found  out  the  way 
of  doing  it.     Blake  will  have  no  objection,  I'm  sure,  to  take  the 


650  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

widow's  farm  in  payment  of  his  debt,  giving  you  a  power  of  redemp- 
tion within  five  years.  In  that  time,  what  with  economy — some 
management— perhaps,"  added  he,  smiling  slightly— "  perhaps  a 
wife  with  money,  may  relieve  all  your  embarrassments  at  once.  Well, 
well,  I  know  you  are  not  thinking  of  that  just  now ;  but  come,  what 
say  you  to  my  plan  ?" 

"  I  know  not  well  what  to  say.  It  seems  to  be  the  best ;  but  still 
I  have  my  misgivings." 

"  Of  course  you  have,  my  boy  ;  nor  could  I  love  you  if  you'd  part 
with  an  old  and  faithful  follower  without  them.  But,  after  all,  she 
is  only  a  hostage  to  the  enemy  :  we'll  win  her  back,  Charley." 

"  If  you  think  so " 

"I  do.     I  know  it." 

"  Well,  then,  be  it  so  ;  only  one  thing  I  bargain — she  must  her- 
self consent  to  this  change  of  masters.  It  will  seem  to  her  a  harsh 
measure  that  the  child  she  had  nursed  and  fondled  in  her  arms 
should  live  to  disunite  her  from  those  her  oldest  attachments  upon 
earth.  We  must  take  care,  sir,  that  Blake  cannot  dispossess  her ; 
this  would  be  too  hard." 

"  No,  no ;  that  we'll  guard  against.  And  now,  Charley,  with 
prudence  and  caution,  we'll  clear  off  every  encumbrance,  and 
O'Malley  Castle  shall  yet  be  what  it  was  in  days  of  yore.  Ay,  boy ! 
with  the  descendant  of  the  old  house  for  its  master,  and  not  that 
general — how  do  you  call  him? — who  came  down  here  to  contest  the 
county,  who,  with  his  offer  of  thirty  thousand  pounds,  thought  to 
uproot  the  oldest  family  of  the  west.  Did  I  ever  show  you  the  letter 
we  wrote  him  ?" 

"  No,  sir,"  replied  I,  trembling  with  agitation  as  I  spoke ;  "  you 
merely  alluded  to  it  in  one  of  yours." 

"Look  here,  lad  !"said  he,  drawing  it  from  the  recesses  of  a  black 
leather  pocket-book.     "  I  took  a  copy  of  it.     Eead  that." 

The  document  was  dated  "  O'Malley  Castle,  Dec.  9."  It  ran  thus : 

"  Sir  : — I  have  this  moment  learned  from  my  agent  that  you,  or 
some  one  empowered  by  you  for  the  purpose,  made  an  offer  of  seve- 
ral thousand  pounds  to  buy  up  the  different  mortgages  upon  my 
property,  with  a  subsequent  intention  of  becoming  its  possessor.^ 
Now,  sir,  I  beg  to  tell  you  that  if  your  ungentlemanlike  and  under- 
hand plot  had  succeeded,  you  dared  not  darken  with  your  shadow 
the  doorsill  of  the  house  you  purchased.  Neither  your  gold  nor 
your  flattery — and  I  hear  you  are  rich  in  both — could  wipe  out  from 
the  minds  and  hearts  of  my  poor  tenantry  the  kindness  of  centuries. 
Be  advised,  then,  sir ;  withdraw  your  offer.  Let  a  Galway  gentle- 
man settle  his  own  difficulties  in  his  own  way ;  his  troubles  and 


HOME.  651 

cares  are  quite  sufficient,  without  your  adding  to  them.  There  can 
be  but  one  mode  in  which  your  interference  with  him  could  be 
deemed  acceptable ;  need  I  tell  you,  sir,  who  are  a  soldier,  how  that 
is?  As  I  know  your  official  duties  are  important,  and  as  my 
nephew — who  feels  with  me  perfectly  in  this  business — is  abroad, 
I  can  only  say  that  failing  health  and  a  broken  frame  shall  not  pre- 
vent my  undertaking  a  journey  to  England,  should  my  doing  so 
meet  your  wishes  on  that  occasion. 

"  I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

Godfrey  O'Malley." 

"  This  letter,"  continued  Considine,  "  I  enclosed  in  an  envelope, 
with  the  following  few  lines  of  my  own  : — 

" '  Count  Considine  presents  his  compliments  to  Lieutenant- 
General  Dashwood,  and  feeling  that,  as  the  friend  of  Mr.  Godfrey 
O'Malley,  the  mild  course  pursued  by  that  gentleman  may  possibly 
be  attributed  to  his  suggestion,  he  begs  to  assure  General  Dashwood 
that  the  reverse  was  the  case,  and  that  he  strenuously  counselled 
the  propriety  of  laying  a  horsewhip  upon  the  General's  shoulders, 
as  a  preliminary  step  in  the  transaction. 

"  '  Count  Considine's  address  is  No.  16  Kildare  street.' " 

"  Great  God !"  said  I,  "  is  this  possible  ?" 

"  Well  may  you  say  so,  my  boy ;  for — would  you  believe  it  ? — 
after  all  that,  he  writes  a  long,  blundering  apology,  protesting  I 
know  not  what  about  motives  of  former  friendship,  and  terminating 
with  a  civil  hint  that  we  have  done  with  him  forever.  Of  my  para- 
graph he  takes  no  notice ;  and  thus  ends  the  whole  affair." 

*  And  with  it  my  last  hope  also !"  muttered  I  to  myself. 

That  Sir  George  Dashwood's  intentions  had  been  misconstrued 
and  mistaken  I  knew  perfectly  well ;  that  nothing  but  the  accumu- 
lated evils  of  poverty  and  sickness  could  have  induced  my  poor 
uncle  to  write  such  a  letter  I  was  well  aware  ;  but  now,  the  mischief 
was  accomplished,  the  evil  was  done,  and  nothing  remained  but  to 
bear  with  patience  and  submission,  and  to  endeavor  to  forget  what 
thus  became  irremediable. 

"  Did  Sir  George  Dashwood  make  no  allusion  to  me,  sir,  in  his 
reply?"  inquired  I,  catching  at  anything  like  a  hope. 

"  Your  name  never  occurs  in  his  letter.  But  you  look  pale,  boy  ; 
all  these  discussions  come  too  early  upon  you ;  besides,  you  stay  too 
much  at  home,  and  take  no  exercise." 

So  saying,  Considine  bustled  off  towards  the  stables,  to  look  after 
some  young  horses  that  had  just  been  taken  up ;  and  I  walked  out 
alone,  to  ponder  over  what  I  had  heard,  and  meditate  on  my  plans 
for  the  future. 


652  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 


CHAPTER    XLVI. 

AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE. 

THE  irritation  of  my  spirit  gradually  subsided  as  I  wandered 
on.  It  was,  to  be  sure,  distressing  to  think  over  the  light  in 
which  my  uncle's  letter  had  placed  me  before  Sir  George 
Dash  wood,  had  even  my  reputation  only  with  him  been  at  stake ; 
but  with  my  attachment  to  his  daughter,  it  was  almost  maddening. 
And  yet  there  was  nothing  to  be  done ;  to  disavow  my  participation 
would  be  to  throw  discredit  upon  my  uncle.  Thus  were  my  hopes 
blighted ;  and  thus,  at  that  season  when  life  was  opening  upon  me, 
did  I  feel  careless  and  indifferent  to  everything.  Had  my  military 
career  still  remained  to  me,  that,  at  least,  would  have  suggested 
scenes  sufficient  to  distract  me  from  the  past;  but  now  my  days 
must  be  spent  where  every  spot  teemed  with  memories  of  bygone 
happiness  and  joys  never  to  come  back  again. 

My  mind  was,  however,  made  up,  and  I  turned  homeward.  With- 
out speaking  a  word  to  Considine,  I  sat  down  at  my  writing-table. 
In  a  few  brief  lines  I  informed  my  army  agent  of  my  intention  of 
leaving  the  service,  and  desired  that  he  would  sell  out  for  me  at 
once.  Fearing  lest  my  resolution  might  not  be  proof  against  the 
advice  and  solicitation  of  my  friends,  I  cautioned  him  against  giving 
my  address,  or  any  clue  by  which  letters  might  reach  me. 

This  done,  I  addressed  a  short  note  to  Mr.  Blake,  requesting  to 
know  the  name  of  his  solicitor  in  whose  hands  the  bond  was  placed, 
and  announcing  my  intention  of  immediate  repayment. 

Trifling  as  these  details  were  in  themselves,  I  cannot  help  record- 
ing how  completely  they  changed  the  whole  current  of  my  thoughts. 
A  new  train  of  interests  began  to  spring  up  within  me ;  and  where 
so  lately  the  clang  of  the  battle,  the  ardor  of  the  march,  the  careless 
ease  of  the  bivouac,  had  engrossed  every  feeling,  now  more  humble 
and  homely  thoughts  succeeded ;  and  as  my  personal  ambition  had 
lost  its  stimulant,  I  turned  with  pleasure  to  those  of  whose  fate  and 
fortunes  I  was  in  some  sort  the  guardian.  There  may  be  many  a 
land  where  the  verdure  blooms  more  in  fragrance  and  in  richness, — 
where  the  clime  breathes  softer,  and  a  brighter  sky  lights  up  the 
landscape ;  but  there  is  none — I  have  travelled  through  many  a  one 
— where  more  touching  and  heart-bound  associations  are  blended 
with  the  features  of  the  soil  than  in  Ireland,  and  cold  must  be  the 
spirit  and  barren  the  affections  of  him  who  can  dwell  amid  its  moun- 
tains and  its  valleys,  its  tranquil  lakes,  its  wooded  fens,  without 
feeling  their  humanizing  influence  upon  him.  Thus  gradually  new 
impressions  and  new  duties  succeeded ;  and  ere  four  months  elapsed, 


AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE.  653 

the  quiet  monotony  of  my  daily  life  healed  up'  the  wounds  of  my 
suffering.  In  the  calm  current  of  my  present  existence,  a  sense 
of  content,  if  not  of  happiness,  crept  gently  over  me,  and  I  ceased 
to  long  for  the  clash  of  arms  and  the  loud  blast  of  the  trumpet. 

Unlike  all  my  former  habits,  I  quickly  abandoned  the  sports  of 
the  field.  He  who  had  participated  in  them  with  me  was  no  longer 
there ;  and  the  very  sight  of  the  tackle  itself  suggested  sad  and  de- 
pressing thoughts. 

My  horses  I  took  but  little  pleasure  in.  To  gratify  the  good  and 
kind  people  about,  I  would  walk  through  the  stables,  and  make 
some  passing  remark,  as  if  to  show  some  interest ;  but  I  felt  it  not. 
No :  it  was  only  by  the  total  change  of  all  the  ordinary  channels  of 
my  ideas  that  I  could  bear  up ;  and  now  my  days  were  passed  in  the 
fields,  either  listlessly  strolling  along,  or  in  watching  the  laborers 
as  they  worked.  Of  my  neighbors  I  saw  nothing ;  returning  their 
calls,  when  they  called  upon  me,  was  the  extent  of  our  intercourse ; 
and  I  had  no  desire  for  any  further.  As  Considine  had  left  me  to 
visit  some  friends  in  the  south,  I  was  quite  alone ;  and,  for  the  first 
time  in  my  life,  felt  how  soothing  can  be  such- solitude.  In  each 
happy  face,  in  every  grateful  look  around  me,  I  felt  that  I  was  ful- 
filling my  uncle's  last  behest ;  and  the  sense  of  duty,  so  strong  when 
it  falls  upon  the  heart  accompanied  by  the  sense  of  power,  made  my 
days  pass  rapidly  away. 

It  was  towards  the  close  of  autumn,  when  I  one  morning  received 
a  letter  from  London,  informing  me  that  my  troop  had  been  sold 
and  the  purchase-money — above  four  thousand  pounds — lodged  to 
my  credit  at  my  banker's. 

As  Mr.  Blake  had  merely  answered  my  former  note  by  a  civil 
message  that  the  matter  in  question  was  by  no  means  pressing,  I 
lost  not  a  moment,  when  this  news  reached  me,  to  despatch  Mike  to 
Gurt-na-Morra  with  a  few  lines,  expressing  my  anxious  desire  to 
finish  the  transaction,  and  begging  of  Mr.  Blake  to  appoint  a  day 
for  the  purpose. 

To  this  application  Mr.  Blake's  reply  was  that  he  would  do  him- 
self the  honor  of  waiting  upon  me  the  following  day,  when  the 
arrangements  I  desired  could  be  agreed  upon.  Now  this  was  ex- 
actly what  I  wished,  if  possible,  to  avoid.  Of  all  my  neighbors,  he 
was  the  one  I  predetermined  to  have  no  intercourse  with.  I  had 
not  forgotten  my  last  evening  at  his  house,  nor  had  I  forgiven  his 
conduct  to  my  uncle.  However,  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  sub- 
mission; the  interview  need  not  be  long,  and  it  should  be  a  last 
one.     Thus  resolving,  I  waited  in  patience  for  the  morrow. 

I  was  seated  at  my  breakfast  the  next  morning,  conning  between 
whiles  the  columns  of  the  last  paper,  and  feeding  my  spaniel,  who 


654  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

sat  upon  a  large  chair  beside  me,  when  the  door  opened,  and  the 
servant  announced  "  Mr.  Blake ;"  and  the  instant  after  that  gentle- 
man bustled  in,  holding  out  both  his  hands  with  all  evidences  of 
most  friendly  warmth,  and  calling  out, 

"  Charley  O'Malley,  my  lad  I  I'm  delighted  to  see  you  at  last !" 

Now,  although  the  distance  from  the  door  to  the  table  at  which 
I  sat  was  not  many  paces,  yet  was  it  quite  sufficient  to  chill  down 
all  my  respectable  relative's  ardor  before  he  approached ;  his  rapid 
pace  became  gradually  a  shuffle,  a  slide,  and  finally  a  dead  stop  ; 
his  extended  arms  were  reduced  to  one  hand,  barely  advanced  be- 
yond his  waistcoat;  his  voice,  losing  the  easy  confidence  of  its 
former  tone,  got  husky  and  dry,  and  broke  into  a  cough ;  and  all 
these  changes  were  indebted  to  the  mere  fact  of  my  reception  of 
him  consisting  in  a  cold  and  distant  bow,  as  I  told  the  servant  to 
place  a  chair  and  leave  the  room. 

Without  any  preliminary  whatever,  I  opened  the  subject  of  our 
negotiation,  expressed  my  regret  that  it  should  have  waited  so  long, 
and  my  desire  to  complete  it. 

Whether  it  was  that  the  firm  and  resolute  tone  I  assumed  had  its 
effect  at  once,  or  that,  disappointed  at  the  mode  in  which  I  received 
his  advances,  he  wished  to  conclude  our  interview  as  soon  as  need 
be,  I  know  not ;  but  he  speedily  withdrew  from  a  capacious  pocket 
a  document  in  parchment,  which  having  spread  at  large  upon  the 
table,  and  having  leisurely  put  on  his  spectacles,  he  began  to  hum 
over  its  contents  to  himself  in  an  undertone. 

"Yes,  sir,  here  it  is,"  said  he.  "'  Deed  of  conveyance  between 
Godfrey  O'Malley,  of  O'Malley  Castle,  Esq.,  on  the  one  part' — per- 
haps you'd  like  your  solicitor  to  examine  it, — '  and  Blake,  of  Gurt' — 
because  there  is  no  hurry,  Captain  O'Malley, — '  on  the  other.'  In 
fact,  after  all,  it  is  a  mere  matter  of  form  between  relatives,"  said 
he,  as  I  declined  the  intervention  of  a  lawyer.  "  I'm  not  in  want 
of  the  money — S  all  the  lands  and  tenements  adjoining,  in  trust,  for 
the  payment  of  the  said  three  thousand' — thank  God,  Captain,  the 
sum  is  a  trifle  that  does  not  inconvenience  me.  The  boys  are  pro- 
vided for;  and  the  girls — the  pickpockets,  as  I  call  them, — ha,  ha, 
ha ! — not  ill  off  neither ; — '  with  rights  of  turbary  on  the  said  pre- 
mises'— who  are  most  anxious  to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you. 
Indeed,  I  could  scarcely  keep  Jane  from  coming  over  to-day.  •  Sure 
he's  my  cousin/  says  she ;  '  and  what  harm  would  it  be  if  I  went  to 
see  him?'  Wild,  good-natured  girls,  Captain  !  And  your  old  friend 
Matthew— you  haven't  forgot  Matthew? — has  been  keeping  three 
coveys  of  partridge  for  you  this  fortnight.  '  Charley,'  says  he— they 
call  you  Charley  still,  Captain—'  shall  have  them,  and  no  one  else.' 
And  poor  Mary — she  was  a  child  when  you  were  here — Mary  i3 


AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE.  655 

working  a  sash  for  you.  But  I'm  forgetting — I  know  you  have  so 
much  business  on  your  hands " 

"Pray,  Mr.  Blake,  be  seated.  I  know  nothing  of  any  more  im- 
portance than  the  matter  before  us.  If  you  will  permit  me  to  give 
you  a  check  for  this  money.  The  papers,  I'm  sure,  are  perfectly 
correct." 

"  If  I  only  thought  it  did  not  inconvenience  you " 

"  Nothing  of  the  kind,  I  assure  you.  Shall  I  say  at  sight,  or  in 
ten  days  hence  ?" 

"  Whenever  you  please,  Captain.  But  it's  sorry  I  am  to  come 
troubling  you  about  such  things,  when  I  know  you're  thinking  of 
other  matters.  And,  as  I  said  before,  the  money  does  not  signify 
to  me ;  the  times,  thank  God,  are  good,  and  I've  never  been  very 
improvident." 

"  I  think  you'll  find  that  correct." 

"  Oh,  to  be  sure  it  is  !  Well,  well ;  I'm  going  away  without  say- 
ing half  what  I  intended." 

"  Pray  do  not  hurry  yourself.  I  have  not  asked  have  you  break- 
fasted, for  I  remember  Galway  habits  too  well  for  that.  But  if  I 
might  offer  you  a  glass  of  sherry  and  water  after  your  ride  ?" 

"  Will  you  think  me  a  beast  if  I  say  yes,  Captain  ?  Time  was 
when  I  didn't  care  for  a  canter  of  ten  or  fifteen  miles  in  the  morn- 
ing no  more  than  yourself;  and  that's  no  small  boast.  God  forgive 
me,  but  I  never  see  that  clover-field  where  you  pounded  the  Eng- 
lishman, without  swearing  there  never  was  a  leap  made  before  or 
since.  Is  this  Mickey,  Captain?  Faith,  and  it's  a  fine,  brown, 
hearty-looking  chap  you're  grown,  Mickey.  That's  mighty  pleasant 
sherry  !  but  where  would  there  be  good  wine  if  it  wasn't  here  ?  Oh ! 
I  remember  now  what  it  was  I  wanted.  Peter — my  son  Peter,  a  slip 
of  a  boy — he's  only  sixteen — well,  d'ye  see,  he's  downright  deranged 
about  the  army  :  he  used  to  see  your  name  in  the  papers  every  day, 
and  that  terrible  business  at — what's  the  name  of  the  place  ? — where 
you  rode  on  the  chap's  back  up  the  breach." 

"  Ciudad  Rodrigo,  perhaps,"  said  I,  scarcely  able  to  suppress  a 
laugh. 

"  Well,  sir,  since  that,  he'll  hear  of  nothing  but  going  into  the 
army ;  ay,  and  into  the  dragoons  too.  Now,  Captain,  isn't  it  mighty 
expensive  in  the  dragoons  ?" 

"  Why,  no,  not  particularly  so — at  least  in  the  regiment  I  served 
with." 

"I  promised  him  I'd  ask  you;  the  boy's  mad,  that's  the  fact.  I 
wish,  Captain,  you'd  just  reason  with  him  a  little;  he'll  mind  what 
you  say — there's  no  fear  of  that ;  and  you  see,  though  I'd  like  to  do 
what's  fair,  I'm  not  going  to  cut  off  the  girls  for  the  sake  of  the  boys; 


656  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

with  the  blessing  of  Providence  they'll  never  be  able  to  reproach  me 
for  that.  What  I  say  is  this :  treat  me  well,  and  I'll  treat  you  the 
same.  Marry  the  man  my  choice  would  pick  out  for  you,  and  it's 
not  a  matter  of  a  thousand  or  two  I'll  care  for.  There's  Bodkin — 
you  remember  him  ?"  said  he  with  a  grin  ;  "  he  proposed  for  Mary, 
but  since  the  quarrel  with  you,  she  could  never  bear  the  sight  of  him, 
and  Alley  wouldn't  come  down  to  dinner  if  he  was  in  the  house. 
Mary's  greatly  altered.  I  wish  you  heard  her  sing  '  I'd  mourn  the 
hopes  that  leave  me ;'  queer  girl  she  is ;  she  was  little  more  than  a 
child  when  you  were  here,  and  she  remembers  you  just  as  if  it  was 
yesterday." 

While  Mr.  Blake  ran  on  at  this  rate,  now  dilating  upon  my  own 
manifold  virtues  and  accomplishments,  now  expatiating  upon  the 
more  congenial  theme — the  fascinations  of  his  fair  daughters,  and 
the  various  merits  of  his  sons — I  could  not  help  feeling  how  changed 
our  relative  position  was  since  our  last  meeting ;  the  tone  of  cool 
and  vulgar  patronage  he  then  assumed  towards  the  unformed  coun- 
try lad  was  now  converted  into  an  air  of  fawning  and  deferential 
submission,  still  more  distasteful. 

Young  as  I  was,  however,  I  had  already  seen  a  good  deal  of  the 
world ;  my  soldiering  had  at  least  taught  me  something  of  men,  and 
I  had  far  less  difficulty  in  deciphering  the  intentions  and  objects  of 
my  worthy  relative  than  I  should  have  had  in  the  enigmatical  mazes 
of  the  parchment  bond  of  which  he  was  the  bearer.  After  all,  to 
how  very  narrow  an  extent  in  life  are  we  fashioned  by  our  own  esti- 
mate of  ourselves !  My  changed  condition  affected  me  but  little 
until  I  saw  how  it  affected  others ;  that  the  position  I  occupied 
should  seem  better,  now  that  life  had  lost  the  great  stimulus  of  am- 
bition, was  somewhat  strange;  and  that  flattery  should  pay  its 
homage  to  the  mourning  coat  which  it  would  have  refused  to  my 
soldier's  garb,  somewhat  surprised  me ;  still  my  bettered  fortunes 
shone  only  brightly  by  reflected  light ;  for  in  my  own  heart  I  was 
sad,  spiritless,  and  oppressed. 

Feeling  somewhat  ashamed  at  the  coldness  with  which  I  treated  a 
man  so  much  my  elder,  I  gradually  assumed  towards  Mr.  Blake  a 
manner  less  reserved.  He  quickly  availed  himself  of  the  change, 
and  launched  out  into  an  eloquent  expose  of  my  advantages  and 
capabilities,  the  only  immediate  effect  of  which  was  to  convince 
me  that  my  property  and  my  prospects  must  have  been  very  accu- 
rately conned  over  and  considered  by  that  worthy  gentleman 
before  he  could  speak  of  the  one  or  the  other  with  such  perfect 
knowledge. 

"  When  you  get  rid  of  these  little  encumbrances,  your  rent-roll 
will  be  close  on  four  thousand  a  year.     There's  Basset,  sure,  by  only 


AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE.  657 

reducing  his  interest  from  ten  to  five  per  cent.,  will  give  you  a  clear 
eight  hundred  per  annum;  let  him  refuse,  and  I'll  advance  the 
money.  And,  besides,  look  at  Freney's  farm;  there's  two  hundred 
acres  let  for  one-third  of  the  value,  and  you  must  look  to  these 
things ;  for,  you  see,  Captain,  we'll  want  you  to  go  into  Parliament  ; 
you  can't  help  coming  forward  at  the  next  election,  and  by  the  great 
gun  of  Athlone,  we'll  return  you." 

Here  Mr.  Blake  swallowed  a  full  bumper  of  sherry,  and,  getting 
up  a  little  false  enthusiasm  for  the  moment,  grasped  me  by  both 
hands  and  shook  me  violently;  this  done,  like  a  skilful  general, 
who,  having  fired  the  last  shot  of  his  artillery,  takes  care  to  secure 
his  retreat,  he  retired  towards  the  door,  where  his  hat  and  coat  were 
lying. 

"  I've  a  hundred  apologies  to  make  for  encroaching  upon  your 
time ;  but,  upon  my  soul,  Captain,  you  are  so  agreeable,  and  the 

hours  have  passed  away  so  pleasantly May  I  never,  if  it  is  not 

one  o'clock ! — but  you  must  forgive  me." 

My  sense  of  justice,  which  showed  me  that  the  agreeability  had 
been  all  on  Mr.  Blake's  side,  prevented  me  from  acknowledging  this 
compliment  as  it  deserved;  so  I  merely  bowed  stiffly  without  speak- 
ing. By  this  time  he  had  succeeded  in  putting  on  his  greatcoat, 
but  still,  by  some  mischance  or  other,  the  moment  of  his  leave-taking 
was  deferred  ;  one  time  he  buttoned  it  awry,  and  had  to  undo  it  all 
again ;  then,  when  it  was  properly  adjusted,  he  discovered  that  his 
pocket-handkerchief  was  not  available,  being  left  in  the  inner  coat 
pocket ;  to  this  succeeded  a  doubt  as  to  the  safety  of  the  check, 
which  instituted  another  search,  and  it  was  full  ten  minutes  before 
he  was  completely  caparisoned  and  ready  for  the  road. 

"  Good-bye,  Captain  ;  good-bye !"  said  he,  warmly,  yet  warily,  not 
knowing  at  what  precise  temperature  the  metal  of  my  heart  was 
fusible.  At  a  mild  heat  I  had  been  evidently  unsinged,  and  the 
white  glow  of  his  flattery  seemed  only  to  harden  me.  The  interview 
was  now  over,  and,  as  I  thought  sufficient  had  been  done  to  convince 
my  friend  that  the  terms  of  distant  acquaintance  were  to  be  the  limits 
of  our  future  intercourse,  I  assumed  a  little  show  of  friendliness,  and 
shook  his  hand  warmly. 

"  Good-bye,  Mr.  Blake ;  pray  present  my  respectful  compliments 
to  your  friends.  Allow  me  to  ring  for  your  horse ;  you  are  not  going 
to  have  a  shower,  I  hope." 

"  No,  no,  Captain,  only  a  passing  cloud,"  said  he,  warming  up 
perceptibly  under  the  influence  of  my  advances,  "  nothing  more. 
Why,  what  is  it  I'm  forgetting  now !  Oh,  I  have  it !  Maybe  I'm 
too  bold ;  but  sure  an  old  friend  and  relation  may  take  a  liberty 
sometimes.  It  was  just  a  little  request  of  Mrs.  Blake,  as  I  was 
42 


658  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

leaving  the  house."  He  stopped  here  as  if  to  take  soundings,  and 
perceiving  no  change  in  my  countenance,  continued,  "  It  was  just  to 
beg  that,  in  a  kind  and  friendly  way,  you'd  come  over  and  eat  your 
dinner  with  us  on  Sunday — nobody  but  the  family,  not  a  soul — 
Mrs.  Blake  and  the  girls — a  boiled  leg  of  mutton — Matthew — a  fresh 
trout  if  we  can  catch  one — plain  and  homely — but  a  hearty  welcome, 
and  a  bottle  of  old  claret,  maybe,  too — ah  !  ah!  ah !" 

Before  the  cadence  of  Mr.  Blake's  laugh  had  died  away,  I  po- 
litely but  resolutely  declined  the  proffered  invitation,  and,  by  way 
of  setting  the  question  at  rest  forever,  gave  him  to  understand  that, 
from  impaired  health  and  other  causes,  I  had  resolved  upon  strictly 
confining  myself  to  the  limits  of  my  own  house  and  grounds,  at 
least  for  the  present. 

Mr.  Blake  then  saluted  me  for  the  last  time,  and  left  the  room. 
As  he  mounted  his  hackney,  I  could  not  help  overhearing  an  abor- 
tive effort  he  made  to  draw  Mike  into  something  like  conversation  ; 
but  it  proved  an  utter  failure,  and  it  was  evident  he  deemed  the  man 
as  incorrigible  as  the  master. 

"A  very  fine  young  man  the  Captain  is — remarkable ! — and  it's 
proud  I  am  to  have  him  for  a  nephew !" 

So  saying,  he  cantered  down  the  avenue,  while  Mickey,  as  he 
looked  after  him,  muttered  between  his  teeth,  "And  faix,  it's  prouder 
you'd  be  av  he  was  your  son-in-law !" 

Mike's  soliloquy  seemed  to  show  me,  in  a  new  light,  the  meaning 
of  my  relative's  manner.  It  was  for  the  first  time  in  my  life  that 
such  a  thought  had  occurred  to  me,  and  it  was  not  without  a  sense 
of  shame  that  I  now  admitted  it. 

If  there  be  something  which  elevates  and  exalts  us  in  our  esteem, 
tinging  our  hearts  with  heroism  and  our  souls  with  pride,  in  the 
love  and  attachment  of  some  fair  and  beautiful  girl,  there  is  some- 
thing equally  humiliating  in  being  the  object  of  cold  and  speculat- 
ive calculation  to  a  match-making  family.  Your  character  studied, 
your  pursuits  watched,  your  tastes  conned  over,  your  very  tempera- 
ment inquired  into, — surrounded  by  snares,  environed  by  practised 
attentions — one  eye  fixed  upon-  the  registered  testament  of  your 
relative,  the  other  riveted  upon  your  own  caprices ;  and  then  those 
thousand  little  cares  and  kindnesses  which  come  so  pleasurably 
upon  the  heart  when  the  offspring  of  true  affection,  perverted  as 
they  are  by  base  views  and  sordid  interest,  are  so  many  shocks  to 
the  feelings  and  understanding.  Like  the  Eastern  sirocco,  which 
seems  to  breathe  of  freshness  and  of  health,  and  yet  bears  but  pesti- 
lence and  death  upon  its  breezes,  so  these  calculated  and  well-con- 
sidered traits  of  affection  only  render  callous  and  harden  the  heart 
which  has  responded  warmly,  openly,  and  abundantly  to  the  true 


A  SURPRISE.  659 

outpourings  of  affection.  At  how  many  a  previously  happy  hearth 
has  the  seed  of  this  fatal  passion  planted  its  discord  !  How  many  a 
fair  and  lovely  girl,  with  beauty  and  attractions  sufficient  to  win  all 
that  her  heart  could  wish  of  fondness  and  devotion,  has  by  this  per- 
nicious passion  become  a  cold,  heartless,  worldly  coquette,  weighing 
men's  characters  by  the  adventitious  circumstances  of  their  birth 
and  fortune,  and  scrutinizing  the  eligibility  of  a  match  with  the 
practised  acumen  with  which  a  notary  investigates  the  solvency  of 
a  creditor.  How  do  the  traits  of  beauty,  gesture,  voice,  and  manner 
become  converted  into  the  commonplace  and  distasteful  trickery  of 
the  world !  The  very  hospitality  of  the  house  becomes  suspect — 
their  friendship  is  but  fictitious.  Those  rare  and  goodly  gifts  of 
fondness  and  sisterly  affection  which  grow  up  in  happier  circum- 
stances, are  here  but  rivalry,  envy,  and  ill-conceived  hatred.  The 
very  accomplishments  which  cultivate  and  adorn  life,  that  light  but 
graceful  frieze  which  gilds  the  temple  of  homely  happiness,  are  here 
but  the  meditated  and  well-considered  occasions  of  display.  All  the 
bright  features  of  womanhood,  all  the  freshness  of  youth,  and  all  its 
fascinations,  are  but  like  those  richly-colored  and  beautiful  fruits, 
seductive  to  the  eye  and  fair  to  look  upon,  but  which  within  contain 
nothing  but  a  core  of  rottenness  and  decay. 

No,  no  ;  unblessed  by  all  which  makes  a  hearth  a  home,  I  may 
travel  on  my  weary  way  through  life ;  but  such  a  one  as  this  I  will 
not  make  the  partner  of  my  sorrow  and  my  joys,  come  what  will 
of  it ! 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

A  SURPRISE. 

FROM  the  hour  of  Mr.  Blake's  departure,  my  life  was  no  longer 
molested.  My  declaration,  which  had  evidently,  under  his 
auspices,  been  made  the  subject  of  conversation  through  the 
country,  was  at  least  so  far  successful,  as  it  permitted  me  to  spend 
my  time  in  the  way  I  liked  best,  and  without  the  necessity  of  main- 
taining a  show  of  intercourse,  when  in  reality  I  kept  up  none,  with 
the  neighborhood.  While  thus,  therefore,  my  life  passed  on  equably 
and  tranquilly,  many  months  glided  over,  and  I  found  myself 
already  a  year  at  home,  without  it  appearing  more  than  a  few 
weeks.  Nothing  seems  so  short  in  retrospect  as  monotony.  The 
number,  the  variety,  the  interest  of  the  events  which  occupy  us, 
making  our  hours  pass  glibly  and  flowingly,  will  still  suggest  to  the 


660  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

mind  the  impressions  of  a  longer  period  than  when  the  daily  rou- 
tine of  our  occupations  assumes  a  character  of  continued  uni- 
formity. It  seems  to  be  the  amende  made  by  hours  of  weariness  and 
tedium,  that,  in  looking  back  upon  them,  they  appear  to  have  passed 
rapidly  over.  Not  that  my  life,  at  the  period  I  speak  of,  was  devoid 
of  interest ;  on  the  contrary,  devoting  myself  with  zeal  and  earnest- 
ness to  the  new  duties  of  my  station,  I  made  myself  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  the  condition  of  my  property,  the  interests  of  my 
tenantry,  their  prospects,  their  hopes,  their  objects.  Investigating 
them  as  only  he  can  who  is  the  owner  of  the  soil,  I  endeavored  to 
remedy  the  ancient  vices  of  the  land — the  habits  of  careless,  reck- 
less waste,  of  indifference  for  the  morrow ;  and,  by  instilling  a  fea- 
ture of  prudent  foresight  into  that  boundless  confidence  in  the 
future  upon  which  every  Irishman,  of  every  rank,  lives  and  trusts, 
I  succeeded  at  last  in  so  far  ameliorating  their  situation,  that  a  walk 
through  my  property,  instead  of  presenting — as  it  at  first  did — a 
crowd  of  eager  and  anxious  suppliants,  entreating  for  abatements  in 
rent,  succor  for  their  sick,  and  sometimes  even  food  itself,  showed 
me  now  a  happy  and  industrious  people,  confident  in  themselves, 
and  firmly  relying  on  their  own  resources. 

Another  spring  was  now  opening,  and  a  feeling  of  calm  and  tran- 
quil happiness,  the  result  of  my  successful  management  of  my 
estate,  made  my  days  pass  pleasantly  along.  I  was  sitting  at  a  late 
breakfast  in  my  little  library  ;  the  open  window  afforded  a  far  and 
wide  prospect  of  the  country,  blooming  in  all  the  promise  of  the 
season,  while  the  drops  of  the  passing  shower  still  lingered  upon  the 
grass,  and  were  sparkling  like  jewels  under  the  bright  sunshine. 
Masses  of  white  and  billowy  cloud  moved  swiftly  through  the  air, 
coloring  the  broad  river  with  many  a  shadow  as  they  passed.  The 
birds  sang  merrily,  the  trees  shook  their  leaves  in  concert,  and  there 
was  that  sense  of  movement  in  everything  in  earth  and  sky  which 
gives  to  spring  its  character  of  lightness  and  exhilaration.  The 
youth  of  the  year,  like  the  youth  of  our  own  existence,  is  beautiful 
in  the  restless  activity  which  marks  it.  The  tender  flower,  that 
seems  to  open  as  we  look  upon  it ;  the  grass,  that  springs  before  our 
eyes,— all  speak  of  promise.  The  changing  phases  of  the  sky,  like 
the  smiles  and  tears  of  infancy,  excite  without  weariness,  and  while 
they  engage  our  sympathies,  they  fatigue  not  our  compassion. 

Partly  lost  in  thought  as  I  looked  upon  the  fair  and  varied  scene 
before  me,  now  turning  to  the  pages  of  the  book  upon  the  breakfast- 
table,  the  hours  of  the  morning  passed  quickly  over,  and  it  was 
already  beyond  noon.  I  was  startled  from  my  reverie  by  sounds 
which  I  could  scarcely  trust  my  ears  to  believe  real.  I  listened 
again,  and  I  thought  I  could  detect  them  distinctly.     It  seemed  as 


A  SURPRISE.  661 

though  some  one  were  rapidly  running  over  the  keys  of  a  piano- 
forte, essaying  with  the  voice  to  follow  the  notes,  and  sometimes 
striking  two  or  three  bold  and  successive  chords — then  a  merry 
laugh  would  follow,  and  drown  all  other  sounds.  "  What  can  it  be?" 
thought  I.  "  There  is,  to  be  sure,  a  pianoforte  in  the  large  draw- 
ing-room ;  but  then,  who  would  venture  upon  such  a  liberty  as  this? 
Besides,  who  is  capable  of  it  ?  There !  it  can  be  no  inexperienced 
performer  gave  that  shake ;  my  worthy  housekeeper  never  accom- 
plished that."  So  saying,  I  jumped  from  the  breakfast-table,  and 
set  off  in  the  direction  of  the  sound.  A  small  drawing-room  and 
billiard-room  lay  between  me  and  the  large  drawing-room,  and  as  I 
traversed  them,  the  music  grew  gradually  louder.  Conjecturing 
that,  whoever  it  might  be,  the  performance  would  cease  on  my 
entrance,  I  listened  for  a  few  moments  before  opening  the  door. 
Nothing  could  be  more  singular,  nothing  more  strange,  than  the 
effect  of  those  unaccustomed  sounds  in  that  silent  and  deserted 
place.  The  character  of  the  music,  too,  contributed  not  a  little  to 
this.  Eapidly  passing  from  grave  to  gay — from  the  melting  soft- 
ness of  some  plaintive  air  to  the  reckless  hurry  and  confusion  of  an 
Irish  jig — the  player  seemed,  as  it  were,  to  run  wild  through  all  the 
floating  fancies  of  his  memory.  Now  breaking  suddenly  off  in  the 
saddest  cadence  of  a  song,  the  notes  would  change  into  some  quaint, 
old-fashioned  crone,  in  which  the  singer  seemed  so  much  at  home, 
and  gave  the  queer  drollery  of  the  words  that  expression  of  arch- 
ness so  eminently  the  character  of  certain  Irish  airs.  "  But  what 
the  deuce  is  this  ?"  said  I,  as,  rattling  over  the  keys  with  a  flowing 
but  brilliant  finger,  she — for  it  was  unquestionably  a  woman — with 
a  clear  and  sweet  voice,  broken  by  laughter,  began  to  sing  the 
words  of  Mr.  Bodkin's  song,  "  The  Man  for  Galway."  When  she 
had  finished  the  last  verse,  her  hand  strayed,  as  it  were,  carelessly 
across  the  instrument,  while  she  herself  gave  way  to  a  free  burst 
of  merriment ;  and  then,  suddenly  resuming  the  air,  she  chanted 
forth  the  following  words,  with  a  spirit  and  effect  I  can  convey  no 
idea  of: — 

"To  live  at  home, 

And  never  roam ', 
To  pass  his  days  in  sighing, 

To  wear  sad  looks, 

Read  stupid  books, 
And  look  half  dead  or  dying : 

Not  show  his  face, 

Nor  join  the  chase, 
But  dwell  a  hermit  alway : 

Oh !  Charley  dear ! 

To  me  'tis  clear, 
You're  not  the  man  for  Galway !" 


662  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  You're  not  the  man  for  Galway  I"  repeated  she  once  more,  while 
she  closed  the  piano  with  a  loud  bang. 

"  And  why  not,  my  dear, — why  not  the  man  for  Galway  ?"  said  I, 
as,  bursting  open  the  door,  I  sprang  into  the  room. 

"Oh !  it's  you,  is  it?  at  last!     So  I've  unearthed  you,  have  I?" 

With  these  words  she  burst  into  an  immoderate  fit  of  laughter; 
leaving  me,  who  intended  to  be  the  party  giving  the  surprise,  amazed, 
confused,  and  speechless,  in  the  middle  of  the  floor. 

That  my  reader  may  sympathize  a  little  in  my  distresses,  let  me 
present  him  with  the  tableau  before  me.  Seated  upon  the  piano  stool 
was  a  young  lady  of  at  most  eighteen  years.  Her  face,  had  it  not  been 
for  its  expression  of  exuberant  drollery  and  malicious  fun,  would 
have  been  downright  beautiful ;  her  eyes,  of  the  deepest  blue,  and 
shaded  by  long  lashes,  instead  of  indulging  the  character  of  pensive 
and  thoughtful  beauty  for  which  Nature  destined  them,  sparkled 
with  the  most  animated  brightness ;  her  nose,  which,  rather  short, 
wras  still  beautifully  proportioned,  gave,  with  a  well-curled  upper 
lip,  a  look  of  sauciness  to  the  features  quite  bewitching ;  her  hair — 
that  brilliant  auburn  we  see  in  a  Carlo  Bold — fell  in  wild  and  mas- 
sive curls  upon  her  shoulders.  Her  costume  was  a  dark-green  riding- 
habit,  not  of  the  newest  in  its  fashion,  and  displaying  more  than 
one  rent  in  its  careless  folds ;  her  hat,  whip,  and  gloves  lay  on  the 
floor  beside  her,  and  her  whole  attitude  and  bearing  indicated  the 
most  perfect  ease  and  carelessness. 

"  So  you  are  caught — taken  alive  !"  said  she,  as  she  pressed  her 
hands  upon  her  sides  in  a  fresh  burst  of  laughter. 

"  By  Jove !  this  is  a  surprise  indeed  !"  said  I.  "  And,  pray,  into 
whose  fair  hands  have  I  fallen  a  captive  ?"  recovering  myself  a  little, 
and  assuming  a  half  air  of  gallantry. 

"  So  you  don't  know  me,  don't  you  ?" 

"  Upon  my  life  I  do  not." 

"  How  good  !    Why,  I'm  Baby  Blake." 

"  Baby  Blake  ?"  said  I,  thinking  that  a  rather  strange  appellation 
for  one  whose  well-developed  proportions  betokened  nothing  of  in- 
fancy.    "Baby  Blake?" 

"  To  be  sure ;  your  cousin  Baby." 

"  Indeed !"  said  I,  springing  forward.  "  Let  me  embrace  my  rela- 
tive." 

Accepting  my  proffered  salutation  with  the  most  exemplary  cool- 
ness, she  said : 

"Get  a  chair,  now,  and  let's  have  a  talk  together." 

"  Why  the  devil  do  they  call  you  Baby  ?"  said  I,  still  puzzled  by 
the  palpable  misnomer. 

"  Because  I  am  the  youngest,  and  I  was  always  the  baby,"  replied 


A  SURPRISE.  663 

she,  adjusting  her  ringlets  with  a  most  rural  coquetry.  "  Now,  tell 
me  something.  Why  do  you  live  shut  up  here  like  a  madman,  and 
not  come  near  us  at  Gurt-na-Morra  V ' 

"  Oh  !  that's  a  long  story,  Baby.  But,  since  we  are  asking  ques- 
tions, how  did  you  get  in  here  ?" 

"  Just  through  the  window,  my  dear ;  and  I've  torn  my  habit,  as 
you  see." 

So  saying,  she  exhibited  a  rent  of  about  two  feet  long,  thrusting 
through  it  a  very  pretty  foot  and  ankle  at  the  same  time. 

"As  my  inhospitable  customs  have  cost  you  a  habit,  you  must 
let  me  make  you  a  present  of  one." 

"  No,  will  you  though  ?  That's  a  good  fellow  !  Lord !  I  told 
them  I  knew  you  weren't  a  miser ;  that  you  were  only  odd,  that's 
all." 

"  And  how  did  you  come  over,  Baby  ?" 

"  Just  cantered  over  with  little  Paddy  Byrne.  I  made  him  take 
all  the  walls  and  ditches  we  met,  and  they're  scraping  the  mud  off 
him  ever  since.  I'm  glad  I  made  you  laugh,  Charley;  they  say 
you  are  so  sad.     Dear  me,  how  thirsty  I  am  !     Have  you  any  beer  ?" 

"To  be  sure,  Baby.     But  wouldn't  you  like  some  luncheon ?" 

"Of  all  things.  Well,  this  is  fun!"  said  she,  as,  taking  my  arm, 
I  led  her  from  the  drawing-room.  "  They  don't  know  where  I'm 
gone — not  one  of  them  ;  and  I've  a  great  mind  not  to  tell  them,  if 
you  wouldn't  blab." 

"Would  it  be  quite  proper?" 

"  Proper !"  cried  she,  imitating  my  voice ;  "  I  like  that !  as  if  I 
was  going  to  run  away  with  you.  Dear  me  !  what  a  pretty  house ! 
and  what  nice  pictures !  Who  is  the  old  fellow  up  there  in  the 
armor?" 

"  That's  Sir  Hildebrand  O'Malley,"  said  I,  with  some  pride,  in  re- 
cognizing an  ancestor  of  the  thirteenth  century. 

"  And  the  other  old  fright  with  the  wig,  and  his  hands  stuck  in 
his  pockets  ?" 

"  My  grandfather,  Baby." 

"  Lord !  how  ugly  he  is  !  Why,  Charley,  he  hasn't  a  look  of  you ; 
one  would  think,  too,  he  was  angry  at  us.  Ay,  old  gentleman  ! 
you  don't  like  to  see  me  leaning  on  cousin  Charley's  arm.  That 
must  be  the  luncheon ;  I'm  sure  I  hear  knives  and  forks  rattling 
there." 

The  old  butler's  astonishment  was  not  inferior  to  my  own  a  few 
minutes  before,  when  I  entered  the  dining-room  with  my  fair  cousin 
upon  my  arm.  As  I  drew  a  chair  towards  the  table,  a  thought 
struck  me  that  possibly  it  might  only  be  a  due  attention  to  my  fair 
guest  if  I  invited  the  housekeeper,  Mrs.  Magra,  to  favor  us  with  her 


664  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

presence ;  and  accordingly,  in  an  undertone,  so  as  not  to  be  overheard 
by  old  Simon,  I  said — 

"  Perhaps,  Baby,  you'd  like  to  have  Mrs.  Magra  to  keep  us  com- 
pany ?" 

"  Who's  she  ?"  was  the  brief  answer. 

"  The  housekeeper  ;  a  very  respectable  old  matron." 

"  Is  she  funny  ?" 

"  Funny !  not  a  bit." 

"  Oh,  then,  never  mind  her.    What  made  you  think  of  her  ?" 

"  Why,  I  thought — perhaps  you'd  think — that  is,  people  might 
say — in  fact,  I  was  doing  a  little  bit  proper  on  your  account." 

"  Oh !  that  was  it,  was  it  ?  Thank  you  for  nothing,  my  dear ; 
Baby  Blake  can  take  care  of  herself.  And  now  just  help  me  to  that 
wing  there.  Do  you  know,  cousin  Charley,  I  think  you're  an  old 
quiz,  and  not  half  as  good  a  fellow  as  you  used  to  be." 

"  Come,  come,  Baby,  don't  be  in  such  a  hurry  to  pronounce  upon 
me.     Let  us  take  a  glass  of  wine.     Fill  Miss  Blake's  glass,  Simon." 

"Well,  you  may  be  better  when  one  comes  to  know  you.  I  detest 
sherry ;  no,  never  mind,  I'll  take  it,  as  it's  here.  Charley,  I'll  not 
compliment  you  upon  your  ham  ;  they  don't  know  how  to  save  them 
here.  I'll  give  you  such  a  receipt  when  you  come  over  to  see  us.  But 
will  you  come  ?  that's  the  question." 

"  How  can  you  ask  me  !     Don't  you  think  I'll  return  your  visit  ?" 

"  Oh !  hang  your  ceremony.  Come  and  see  us,  like  a  good- 
natured  fellow,  that  knew  us  since  we  played  together,  and  quar- 
relled over  our  toys  on  the  grass.  Is  that  your  sword  up  there  ?  Did 
you  hear  that  noise  ?  that  was  thunder :  there  it  comes.  Look  at 
that!" 

As  she  spoke,  a  darkness  like  night  overspread  the  landscape  ;  the 
waves  of  the  river  became  greatly  agitated,  and  the  rain,  descending 
in  torrents,  beat  with  tremendous  force  against  the  windows ;  clap 
after  clap  of  thunder  followed  ;  the  lightning  flashed  fearfully 
through  the  gloom,  and  the  wind,  growing  every  moment  stronger, 
drove  the  rain  with  redoubled  violence  against  the  glass.  For  a 
while  we  amused  ourselves  with  watching  the  effects  of  the  storm 
without;  the  poor  laborers,  flying  from  their  work;  the  dripping 
figures  seeking  shelter  beneath  the  trees ;  the  barques ;  the  very 
loaded  carts  themselves,  all  interested  Miss  Baby,  whose  eye  roved 
from  the  shore  to  the  Shannon,  recognizing,  with  a  practised  eye, 
every  house  upon  its  banks,  and  every  barque  that  rocked  and 
pitched  beneath  the  gale. 

"Well,  this  is  pleasant  to  look  out  at,"  said  she,  at  length,  and 
after  the  storm  had  lasted  for  above  an  hour,  without  evincing  any 
show  of  abatement;  "but  what's  to  become  of  me!" 


A  SURPRISE.  665 

Now,  that  was  the  very  question  I  had  been  asking  myself  for 
the  last  twenty  minutes,  without  ever  being  able  to  find  the  answer. 

"  Eh,  Charley,  what's  to  become  of  me  ?" 

"  Oh,  never  fear :  one  thing's  quite  certain,  you  cannot  leave  this 
in  such  weather ;  the  river  is  certainly  impassable  by  this  time  at 
the  ford,  and  to  go  by  the  road  is  out  of  the  question ;  it  is  fully 
twelve  miles.  I  have  it,  Baby ;  you,  as  I've  said  before,  can't  leave 
this,  but  I  can.  Now,  I'll  go  over  to  Gurt-na-Morra,  and  return  in 
the  morning  to  bring  you  back ;  it  will  be  fine  by  that  time." 

"  Well,  I  like  your  notion ;  you'll  leave  me  all  alone  here  to  drink 
tea,  I  suppose,  with  your  friend  Mrs.  Magra ;  a  pleasant  evening  I'd 
have  of  it :  not  a  bit — < — " 

"Well,  Baby,  don't  be  cross;  I  only  meant  this  arrangement 
really  for  your  sake.  I  needn't  tell  you  how  very  much  I'd  prefer 
doing  the  honors  of  my  poor  house  in  person." 

"Oh,  I  see  what  you  mean — more  propers.  Well,  well,  I've  a 
great  deal  to  learn  ;  but,  look,  I  think  it's  growing  lighter." 

"  No,  far  from  it ;  it's  only  that  gray  mass  along  the  horizon  that 
always  bodes  continual  rain." 

As  the  prospect  without  had  little  cheering  to  look  upon,  we  sat 
down  beside  the  fire,  and  chatted  away,  forgetting  very  soon,  in  a 
hundred  mutual  recollections  and  inquiries,  the  rain  and  the  wind, 
the  thunder  and  the  hurricane.  Now  and  then,  as  some  louder 
crash  would  resound  above  our  heads,  for  a  moment  we  would  turn 
to  the  window,  and  comment  upon  the  dreadful  weather ;  but  the 
next,  we  had  forgotten  all  about  it,  and  were  deep  in  our  confabu- 
lations. 

As  for  my  fair  cousin,  who  at  first  was  full  of  contrivances  to 
pass  the  time — such  as  the  piano,  a  game  at  backgammon,  chicken 
hazard,  battledore — she  at  last  became  mightily  interested  in  some 
of  my  soldiering  adventures,  and  it  was  six  o'clock  ere  we  again 
thought  that  some  final  measure  must  be  adopted  for  restoring 
Baby  to  her  friends,  or,  at  least,  guarding  against  the  consequences 
her  simple  and  guileless  nature  might  have  involved  her  in. 

Mike  was  called  into  the  conference,  and  at  his  suggestion  it  was 
decided  that  we  should  have  out  the  phaeton,  and  that  I  should 
myself  drive  Miss  Blake  home — a  plan  which  offered  no  other  diffi- 
culties than  this  one,  namely,  that  of  about  thirty  horses  in  my 
stables,  I  had  not  a  single  pair  which  had  ever  been  harnessed. 

This,  so  far  from  proving  the  obstacle  I  deemed  it,  seemed,  on  the 
contrary,  to  overwhelm  Baby  with  delight. 

"  Let's  have  them.  Come,  Charley ;  this  will  be  rare  fun ;  we 
couldn't  have  a  team  of  four,  could  we  ?" 

"Six,  if  you  like  it,  my  dear  coz ;  only,  who's  to  hold  them? — 


6G6  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

they're  young  thorough-breds ;  most  of  them  never  backed ;  some 
not  bitted.  In  fact,  I  know  nothing  of  my  stable.  I  say,  Mike,  is 
there  anything  fit  to  take  out  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir ;  there's  Miss  Wildespin :  she's  in  training,  to  be  sure ; 
but  we  can't  help  that;  and  the  brown  colt  they  call  'Billy  the 
Bolter:'  they're  the  likeliest  we  have;  without  your  honor  would 
take  the  two  chestnuts  we  took  up  last  week ;  they're  rale  devils  to 
go;  and  if  the  tackle  will  hold  them,  they'll  bring  you  to  Mr. 
Blake's  door  in  forty  minutes." 

"  I  vote  for  the  chestnuts,"  said  Baby,  slapping  her  boot  with  her 
horse-whip. 

"I  move  an  amendment  in  favor  of  Miss  Wildespin,"  said  I, 
doubtfully. 

"  He'll  never  do  for  Galway,"  sang  Baby,  laying  her  whip  on  my 
shoulder  with  no  tender  hand ;  "  yet  you  used  to  cross  the  country 
in  good  style  when  you  were  here  before." 

"And  might  do  so  again,  Baby." 

"Ah,  no ;  that  vile  dragoon  seat,  with  your  long  stirrup,  and  your 
heel  dropped,  and  your  elbow  this  way,  and  your  head  that !  How 
could  you  ever  screw  your  horse  up  to  his  fence,  lifting  him  along 
as  you  came  up  through  the  heavy  ground,  and  with  a  stroke  of 
your  hand  sending  him  pop  over,  with  his  hind  legs  well  under 
him  ?"  Here  she  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter  at  my  look  of  amaze- 
ment, as  with  voice,  gesture,  and  look,  she  actually  dramatized  the 
scene  she  described. 

By  the  time  that  I  had  costumed  my  fair  friend  in  my  dragoon 
cloak  and  a  foraging  cap,  with  a  gold  band  around  it,  which  was 
the  extent  of  muffling  my  establishment  could  muster,  a  distant 
noise  without  apprised  us  that  the  phaeton  was  approaching.  Cer- 
tainly the  mode  in  which  that  equipage  came  up  to  the  door  might 
have  -inspired  sentiments  of  fear  in  any  heart  less  steeled  against 
danger  than  my  fair  cousin's.  The  two  blood  chestnuts  (for  it  was 
those  that  Mike  harnessed,  having  a  groom's  dislike  to  take  a  racer 
out  of  training)  were  surrounded  by  about  twenty  people :  some  at 
their  heads,  some  patting  them  on  their  flanks,  some  spoking  the 
wheels,  and  a  few,  the  more  cautious  of  the  party,  standing  at  a 
respectable  distance,  and  offering  advice.  The  mode  of  progression 
was  simply  a  spring,  a  plunge,  a  rear,  a  lunge,  and  a  kick;  and, 
considering  it  was  the  first  time  they  ever  performed  together, 
nothing  could  be  more  uniform  than  their  display ;  sometimes  the 
pole  would  be  seen  to  point  straight  upward,  like  a  lightning  con- 
ductor, while  the  infuriated  animals  appeared  sparring  with  their 
fore  legs  at  an  imaginary  enemy.  Sometimes,  like  the  picture  in  a 
school-book  on  mythology,  they  would  seem  in  the  act  of  diving, 


A  SURPRISE.  667 

while  with  their  hind  legs  they  dashed  the  splash-board  into  frag- 
ments behind  them  ;  their  eyes  flashing  fire,  their  nostrils  distended, 
their  flanks  heaving,  and  every  limb  trembling  with  passion  and 
excitement. 

"  That's  what  I  call  a  rare  turn-out,"  said  Baby,  who  enjoyed  the 
proceedings  amazingly. 

"  Yes ;  but  remember,"  said  I,  "  we're  not  to  have  all  these  run- 
ning footmen  the  whole  way." 

"  I  like  that  near  sider  with  the  white  fetlock." 

"  You're  right,  Miss,"  said  Mike,  who  entered  at  the  moment,  and 
felt  quite  gratified  at  the  criticism.  "  You're  right,  Miss ;  it's  him- 
self can  do  it." 

"  Come,  Baby,  are  you  ready  ?" 

"  All  right,  sir,"  said  she,  touching  her  cap  knowingly  with  her 
forefinger. 

"Will  the  tackle  hold,  Mike?"  said  I. 

"  We'll  take  this  with  us,  at  any  rate,"  pointing,  as  he  spoke,  to 
a  considerable  coil  of  rope,  a  hammer,  and  a  basket  of  nails,  he 
carried  on  his  arm.  "  It's  the  break  harness  we  have,  and  it  ought 
to  be  strong  enough ;  but  sure,  if  the  thunder  comes  on  again,  they'd 
smash  a  chain  cable." 

"Now,  Charley,"  cried  Baby,  "keep  their  heads  straight;  for 
when  they  go  that  way,  they  mean  going." 

"Well,  Baby,  let's  start;  but  pray  remember  one  thing.  If  I'm 
not  as  agreeable  on  the  journey  as  I  ought  to  be;  if  I  don't  say  as 
many  pretty  things  to  my  pretty  coz,  it's  because  these  confounded 
beasts  will  give  me  as  much  as  I  can  do." 

"  Oh  yes,  look  after  the  cattle,  and  take  another  time  for  squeezing 
my  hand.  I  say,  Charley,  you'd  like  to  smoke,  now,  wouldn't  you  ? 
if  so,  don't  mind  me." 

"  A  thousand  thanks  for  thinking  of  it ;  but  I'll  not  commit  such 
a  trespass  on  good-breeding." 

When  we  reached  the  door,  the  prospect  looked  dark  and  dismal 
enough ;  the  rain  had  almost  ceased,  but  masses  of  black  clouds 
were  hurrying  across  the  sky,  and  the  low  rumbling  noise  of  a 
gathering  storm  crept  along  the  ground.  Our  panting  equipage, 
with  its  two  mounted  grooms  behind, — for,  to  provide  against  all 
accidents,  Mike  ordered  two  such  to  follow  us, — stood  in  waiting; 
Miss  Blake's  horse,  held  by  the  smallest  imaginable  bit  of  boyhood, 
bringing  up  the  rear. 

"  Look  at  Paddy  Byrne's  face,"  said  Baby,  directing  my  attention 
to  the  little  individual  in  question. 

Now,  small  as  the  aforesaid  face  was,  it  contrived,  within  its 
limits,  to  exhibit  an  expression  of  unqualified  fear.     I  had  no  time, 


668  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

however,  to  give  a  second  look,  when  I  jumped  into  the  phaeton 
and  seized  the  reins.  Mike  sprang  up  behind  at  a  look  from  me, 
and,  without  -speaking  a  word,  the  stablemen  and  helpers  flew  right 
and  left.  The  chestnuts,  seeing  all  free  before  them,  made  one  tre- 
mendous plunge,  carrying  the  fore-carriage  clear  off  the  ground, 
and  straining  every  nut,  bolt,  screw,  and  strap  about  us  with  the 
effort. 

"  They're  off,  now,"  cried  Mickey. 

"  Yes,  they  are  off,  now,"  said  Baby.     "  Keep  them  going." 

Nothing  could  be  easier  to  follow  than  this  advice ;  and,  in  fact, 
so  little  merit  had  I  in  obeying  it,  that  I  never  spoke  a  word.  Down 
the  avenue  we  went  at  the  speed  of  lightning,  the  stones,  and  the 
water  from  the  late  rain,  flying  and  splashing  about  us.  In  one 
series  of  plunges,  agreeably  diversified  by  a  strong  bang  upon  the 
splash-board,  we  reached  the  gate.  Before  I  had  time  to  utter  a 
prayer  for  our  safety,  we  were  through,  and  fairly  upon  the  high 
road. 

"  Musha,  but  the  master's  mad  I"  cried  the  old  dame  of  the  gate- 
lodge  ;  "  he  wasn't  out  of  this  gate  for  a  year  and  a  half,  and  look 
now " 

The  rest  was  lost  in  the  clear  ringing  laugh  of  Baby,  who  clapped 
her  hands  in  ecstasy  and  delight.  # 

"  What  a  spanking  pair  they  are !  I  suppose  you  wouldn't  let 
me  get  my  hand  on  them  ?"  said  she,  making  a  gesture  as  if  to  take 
the  reins. 

"  Heaven  forbid !  my  dear,"  said  I ;  "  they've  nearly  pulled  my 
wrists  off  already." 

Our  road,  like  many  in  the  west  of  Ireland,  lay  through  a  level 
tract  of  bog ;  deep  ditches,  half  filled  with  water,  on  either  side  of 
us,  but,  fortunately,  neither  hill  nor  valley  for  several  miles. 

"  There's  the  mail,"  said  Baby,  pointing  to  a  dark  speck  at  a  long 
distance  off. 

Ere  many  minutes  elapsed,  our  stretching  gallop,  for  such  had  our 
pace  sobered  into,  brought  us  up  with  it,  and  as  we  flew  by,  at  top 
speed,  Baby  jumped  to  her  feet,  and  turning  a  waggish  look  at  our 
beaten  rivals,  burst  out  into  a  fit  of  triumphant  laughter. 

Mike  was  correct  as  to  time ;  in  some  few  seconds  less  than  forty 
minutes  we  turned  into  the  avenue  of  Gurt-na-Morra.  Tearing 
along  like  the  very  moment  of  their  starting,  the  hot  and  fiery  ani- 
mals galloped  up  the  approach,  and  at  length  came  to  a  stop  in  a 
deep  ploughed  field,  into  which,  fortunately  for  us,  Mr.  Blake,  ani- 
mated less  by  the  picturesque  than  the  profitable,  had  converted  his 
green  lawn.  This  check,  however,  was  less  owing  to  my  agency 
than  to  that  of  my  servants;  for,  dismounting  in  haste,  they  flew  to 


NEW  VIEWS.  669 

the  horses'  heads,  and  with  ready  tact,  and  before  I  had  helped  my 
cousin  to  the  ground,  succeeded  in  unharnessing  them  from  the  car- 
riage, and  led  them,  blown  and  panting,  covered  with  foam  and 
splashed  with  mud,  into  the  space  before  the  door. 

By  this  time  we  were  joined  by  the  whole  Blake  family,  who 
poured  forth  in  astonishment  at  our  strange  and  sudden  appearance. 
Explanation  on  my  part  was  unnecessary,  for  Baby,  with  a  volubil- 
ity quite  her  own,  gave  the  whole  recital  in  less  than  three  minutes. 
From  the  moment  of  her  advent  to  her  departure,  they  had  it  all  ; 
and  while  she  mingled  her  ridicule  at  my  surprise,  her  praise  of  my 
luncheon,  her  jests  at  my  prudence,  the  whole  family  joined  heartily 
in  her  mirth,  while  they  welcomed,  with  most  unequivocal  warmth, 
my  first  visit  to  Gurt-na-Morra. 

I  confess  it  was  with  no  slight  gratification  I  remarked  that  Baby's 
visit  was  as  much  a  matter  of  surprise  to  them  as  to  me.  Believing 
her  to  have  gone  to  visit  at  Portumna  Castle,  they  felt  no  uneasiness 
at  her  absence ;  so  that,  in  her  descent  upon  me,  she  was  really  only 
guided  by  her  own  wilful  fancy,  and  that  total  absence  of  all  con- 
sciousness of  wrong  which  makes  a  truly  innocent  girl  the  hardiest 
of  all  God's  creatures.  I  was  reassured  by  this  feeling,  and  satisfied 
that,  whatever  the  intentions  of  the  elder  members  of  the  Blake 
family,  Baby  was,  at  least,  no  participator  in  their  plots,  or  sharer 
in  their  intrigues. 


CHAPTER    XLVIII. 

NEW  VIEWS. 

WHEN  I  found  myself  the  next  morning  at  home,  I  could 
not  help  ruminating  over  the  strange  adventures  of  the  pre- 
ceding day,  and  felt  a  kind  of  self-reproach  at  the  frigid 
manner  in  which  I  had  hitherto  treated  all  the  Blake  advances,  con- 
trasting so  ill  for  me  with  the  unaffected  warmth  and  kind  good- 
nature of  their  reception.  Never  alluding,  even  by  accident,  to  my 
late  estrangement ;  never,  by  a  chance  speech,  indicating  that  they 
felt  any  soreness  for  the  past,  they  talked  away  about  the  gossip  of 
the  country, — its  feuds,  its  dinners,  its  assizes,  its  balls,  its  garri- 
sons,— all  the  varied  subjects  of  country  life  were  gayly  and  laugh- 
ingly discussed ;  and  when,  as  I  entered  my  own  silent  and  deserted 
home,  and  contrasted  its  looks  of  melancholy  and  gloom  with  the 
gay  and  merry  scene  I  so  lately  departed  from  ;  when  my  echoing 


670  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

steps  reverberated  along  the  flagged  hall,  I  thought  of  the  happy- 
family  picture  I  left  behind  me,  and  could  not  help  avowing  to  my- 
self that  the  goods  of  fortune  I  possessed  were  but  ill  dispensed, 
when,  in  the  midst  of  every  means  and  appliance  for  comfort  and 
happiness,  I  lived  a  solitary  man,  companionless  and  alone. 

I  arose  from  breakfast  a  hundred  times  ;  now  walking  impatiently 
towards  the  window,  now  strolling  into  the  drawing-room.  Around, 
on  every  side,  lay  scattered  the  prints  and  drawings,  as  Baby  had 
thrown  them  carelessly  upon  the  floor  ;  her  handkerchief  was  also 
there.  I  took  it  up ;  I  knew  not  why — some  lurking  leaven  of  old 
romance  perhaps  suggested  it ;  but  I  hoped  it  might  prove  of  deli- 
cate texture,  and  bespeaking  that  lady-like  coquetry  which  so  pleas- 
antly associates  with  the  sex  in  our  minds.  Alas !  no.  Nothing 
could  be  more  palpably  the  opposite.  Torn,  and  with  a  knot — some 
hint  to  memory — upon  one  corner,  it  was  no  aid  to  my  careering 
fancy.  And  yet — and  yet,  what  a  handsome  girl  she  is!  how  finely, 
how  delicately  formed  that  Greek  outline  of  forehead  and  brow ! 
how  transparently  soft  that  downy  pink  upon  her  cheek !  with  what 
varied  expression  those  eyes  can  beam  ! — ay,  that  they  can :  but, 
confound  it !  there's  this  fault, — their  very  archness — their  sly  mal- 
ice— will  be  interpreted  by  the  ill-judging  world  to  any  but  the  real 
motive.  "  How  like  a  flirt !"  will  one  say  ;  "  how  impertinent !  how 
ill-bred!"  The  conventional  stare  of  cold,  patched  and  painted 
beauty,  upon  whose  unblushing  cheek  no  stray  tinge  of  modesty  has 
wandered,  will  be  tolerated — even  admired ;  while  the  artless  beam- 
ings of  the  soul  upon  the  face  of  rural  loveliness  will  be  condemned 
without  appeal. 

Such  a  girl  may  a  man  marry  who  destines  his  days  to  the  wild 
west,  but  woe  unto  him ! — woe  unto  him  !  should  he  migrate  among 
the  more  civilized  and  less  charitable  coteries  of  our  neighbors. 

"Ah  I  here  are  the  papers,  and  I  was  forgetting.  Let  me  see — 
'  Bayonne' — ay,  '  march  of  the  troops — sixth  corps.'  What  can  that 
be  without  ?    I  say,  Mike,  who  is  cantering  along  the  avenue  ?" 

"  It's  me,  sir.  I'm  training  the  brown  filly  for  Miss  Mary,  as  your 
honor  bid  me  last  night." 

"Ah,  very  true.     Does  she  go  quietly  ?" 

"  Like  a  lamb,  sir ;  barrin'  she  does  give  a  kick  now  and  then  at 
the  sheet,  when  it  bangs  against  her  legs." 

"Am  I  to  go  over  with  the  books  now,  sir?"  said  a  wild-looking 
shockhead  appearing  within  the  door. 

"  Yes,  take  them  over,  with  my  compliments ;  and  say  I  hope 
Miss  Mary  Blake  has  caught  no  cold." 

"You  were  speaking  about  a  habit  and  hat,  sir?"  said  Mrs. 
Magra,  curtseying  as  she  entered. 


NEW  VIEWS.  '    671 

"  Yes,  Mrs.  Magra  ;  I  want  your  advice.  Oh,  tell  Barnes  I  really 
cannot  be  bored  about  those  eternal  turnips  every  day  of  my  life. 
And,  Mike,  I  wish  you'd  make  them  look  over  the  four-horse  har- 
ness. I  want  to  try  those  grays;  they  tell  me  they'll  run  well 
together.  Well,  Freney,  more  complaints,  I  hope?  nothing  but 
trespasses  ;  I  don't  care ;  so  you'd  not  worry  me,  if  they  eat  up  every 
blade  of  clover  in  the  grounds.  I'm  sick  of  being  bored  this  way. 
Did  you  say  that  we'd  eight  couple  of  good  dogs? — quite  enough  to 
begin  with.  Tell  Jones  to  ride  into  Banagher  and  look  after  that 
box :  Buckmaster  sent  it  from  London  two  months  ago,  and  it  has 
been  lying  there  ever  since.  And,  Mrs.  Magra,  pray  let  the  windows 
be  opened,  and  the  house  well  aired.  That  drawing-room  would  be 
all  the  better  for  new  papering." 

These  few  and  broken  directions  may  serve  to  show  my  readers — 
what  certainly  they  failed  to  convince  myself  of— that  a  new  chapter 
of  my  life  had  opened  before  me ;  and  that  in  proportion  to  the 
length  of  time  my  feelings  had  found  neither  vent  nor  outlet,  they 
now  rushed  madly,  tempestuously,  into  their  new  channels,  suffering 
no  impediment  to  arrest,  no  obstacle  to  oppose  their  current. 

Nothing  can  be  conceived  more  opposite  to  my  late,  than  my 
present  habits  now  became.  The  house,  the  grounds,  the  gardens, 
all  seemed  to  participate  in  the  new  influence  which  beamed  upon 
myself;  the  stir  and  bustle  of  active  life  was  everywhere  percepti- 
ble ;  and,  amid  numerous  preparations  for  the  moors  and  the  hunt- 
ing-field, for  pleasure  parties  up  the  river,  and  fishing  excursions  up 
the  mountains,  my  days  were  spent.  The  Blakes,  without  even  for 
a  moment  pressing  their  attentions  upon  me,  permitted  me  to  go 
and  come  amongst  them  unquestioned  and  unasked.  When,  nearly 
every  morning,  I  appeared  in  the  breakfast-room,  I  felt  exactly  like 
a  member  of  the  family.  The  hundred  little  discrepancies  of 
thought  and  habit  which  struck  me  forcibly  at  first  looked  daily 
less  apparent;  the  careless  inattentions  of  my  fair  cousins  as  to 
dress,  their  free-and-easy,  boisterous  manner,  their  very  accents, 
which  fell  so  harshly  upon  my  ear,  gradually  made  less  and  less 
impression,  until  at  last,  when  a  raw  English  ensign,  just  arrived 
in  the  neighborhood,  remarked  to  me  in  confidence,  "  What  devilish 
fine  girls  they  were,  if  they  were  not  so  confoundedly  Irish !"  I 
could  not  help  wondering  what  the  fellow  meant,  and  attributed  the 
observation  more  to  his  ignorance  than  to  its  truth. 

Papa  and  Mamma  Blake,  like  prudent  generals,  so  long  as  they 
saw  the  forces  of  the  enemy  daily  wasting  before  them — so  long  as 
they  could  with  impunity  carry  on  the  war  at  his  expense — resolved 
to  risk  nothing  by  a  pitched  battle.  Unlike  the  Dalrymples,  they 
could  leave  all  to  time. 


672  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Oh !  tell  me  not  of  dark  eyes  swimming  in  their  own  ethereal 
essence ;  tell  me  not  of  pouting  lips,  of  glossy  ringlets,  of  taper  fin- 
gers, and  well-rounded  insteps ;  speak  not  to  me  of  soft  voices, 
whose  seductive  sounds  ring  sweetly  in  our  hearts ;  preach  not  of 
those  thousand  womanly  graces  so  dear  to  every  man,  and  doubly  so 
to  him  who  lives  apart  from  all  their  influences  and  fascinations; 
neither  dwell  upon  congenial  temperament,  similarity  of  taste,  of 
disposition,  and  of  thought;  these  are  not  the  great  risks  a  man 
runs  in  life.  Of  all  the  temptations,  strong  as  these  may  be,  there 
is  one  greater  than  them  all,  and  that  is — propinquity  ! 

Show  me  the  man  who  has  ever  stood  this  test;  show  me  the 
man,  deserving  the  name  of  such,  who  has  become  daily  and  hourly 
exposed  to  the  breaching  artillery  of  flashing  eyes,  of  soft  voices,  of 
winning  smiles,  and  kind  speeches,  and  who  hasn't  felt,  and  that  too 
soon,  a  breach  within  the  rampart  of  his  heart.  He  may,  it  is  true, — 
nay,  he  will,  in  many  cases, — make  a  bold  and  vigorous  defence ; 
sometimes  will  he  re-intrench  himself  within  the  stockades  of  his 
prudence,  but,  alas !  it  is  only  to  defer  the  moment  when  he  must 
lay  down  his  arms.  He  may,  like  a  wise  man,  who  sees  his  fate 
inevitable,  make  a  virtue  of  necessity,  and  surrender  at  discretion  ; 
or,  like  a  crafty  foe,  seeing  his  doom  before  him,  under  the  cover 
of  the  night  he  may  make  a  sortie  from  the  garrison,  and  run  for 
his  life.  Ignominious  as  such  a  course  must  be,  it  is  often  the  only 
one  left. 

But  to  come  back.  Love,  like  the  small-pox,  is  most  danger- 
ous when  you  take  it  in  the  natural  way.  Those  made  matches, 
which  Heaven  is  supposed  to  have  a  hand  in,  when  placing  an  un- 
married gentleman's  property  in  the  neighborhood  of  an  unmarried 
lady's,  which  destine  two  people  for  each  other  in  life,  because  their 
well-judging  friends  have  agreed  "  they'll  do  very  well ;  they  were 
made  for  each  other," — these  are  the  mild  cases  of  the  malady ;  this 
process  of  friendly  vaccination  takes  out  the  poison  of  the  disease, 
substituting  a  more  harmless  and  less  exciting  affection.  But  the 
really  dangerous  instances  are  those  from  contact,  that  same  pro- 
pinquity, that  confounded  tendency  every  man  yields  to,  to  fall  into 
a  railroad  of  habit ;  that  is  the  risk — that  is  the  danger.  What  a 
bore  it  is  to  find  that  the  absence  of  one  person,  with  whom  you  are 
nowise  in  love,  will  spoil  your  morning's  canter,  or  your  rowing 
party  upon  the  river !  How  much  put  out  you  are  when  she  to 
whom  you  always  gave  your  arm  at  dinner  does  not  make  her 
appearance  in  the  drawing-room ;  and  your  tea  too,  some  careless 
one,  indifferent  to  your  taste,  puts  a  lump  of  sugar  too  little,  or 
cream  too  much,  while  she — But  no  matter ;  habit  has  done  for  you 
what  no  direct  influence  of  beauty  could  do,  and,  a  slave  to  your 


NEW  VIEWS.  673 

own  selfish  indulgences,  and  the  cultivation  of  that  ease  you  prize 
so  highly,  you  fall  over  head  and  ears  in  love. 

Now,  you  are  not,  my  good  reader,  by  any  means  to  suppose  that 
this  was  my  case.  No,  no ;  I  was  too  much  what  the  world  terms 
the  "  old  soldier"  for  that.  To  continue  my  illustration  :  like  the  for- 
tress that  has  been  often  besieged,  the  sentry  upon  the  walls  keeps 
more  vigilant  watch  ;  his  ear  detects  the  far-off  clank  of  the  dread 
artillery ;  he  marks  each  parallel ;  he  notes  down  every  breaching 
battery ;  and  if  he  be  captured,  at  least  it  is  in  fair  fight. 

Such  were  some  of  my  reflections  as  I  rode  slowly  home  one  even- 
ing from  Gurt-na-Morra.  Many  a  time,  latterly,  had  I  contrasted 
my  own  lonely  and  deserted  hearth  with  the  smiling  looks,  the 
happy  faces,  and  the  merry  voices  I  had  left  behind  me  ;  and  many 
a  time  did  I  ask  myself,  "  Am  I  never  to  partake  of  a  happiness  like 
this  ?"  How  many  a  man  is  seduced  into  matrimony  from  this  very 
feeling !  How  many  a  man  whose  hours  have  passed  fleetingly  at 
the  pleasant  tea-table,  or  by  the  warm  hearth  of  some  old  country- 
house,  going  forth  into  the  cold  and  cheerless  night,  reaches  his  far- 
off  home  only  to  find  it  dark  and  gloomy,  joyless  and  companion- 
less  ?  How  often  has  the  hard-visaged  look  of  his  old  butler,  as 
with  sleepy  eyes  and  yawning  face  he  hands  a  bed-room  candle, 
suggested  thoughts  of  married  happiness  ?  Of  the  perils  of  propin- 
quity I  have  already  spoken;  the  risks  of  contrast  are  also  great. 
Have  you  never,  in  strolling  through  some  fragrant  and  rich  con- 
servatory, fixed  your  eye  upon  a  fair  and  lovely  flower,  whose  blos- 
soming beauty  seems  to  give  all  the  lustre  and  all  the  incense  of  the 
scene  around?  and  how  have  you  thought  it  would  adorn  and  grace 
the  precincts  of  your  home,  diffusing  fragrance  on  every  side.  Alas ! 
the  experiment  is  not  always  successful.  Much  of  the  charm  and 
many  of  the  fascinations  which  delight  you  are  the  result  of  associ- 
ation of  time  and  of  place.  The  lovely  voice,  whose  tones  have 
spoken  to  your  heart,  may,  like  some  instrument,  be  delightful  in 
the  harmony  of  the  orchestra,  but,  after  all,  prove  a  very  middling 
performer  in  a  duet. 

I  say  not  this  to  deter  men  from  matrimony,  but  to  warn  them 
from  a  miscalculation  which  may  mar  their  happiness.  Flirtation 
is  a  very  fine  thing,  but  it's  only  a  state  of  transition,  after  all.  The 
tadpole  existence  of  the  lover  would  be  great  fun  if  one  was  never 
to  become  a  frog  under  the  hands  of  the  parson.  I  say  all  this  dis- 
passionately and  advisedly.  Like  the  poet  of  my  country,  for  many 
years  of  my  life, 

"  My  only  books  were  woman's  looks," 

and  certainly  I  subscribed  to  a  circulating  library. 
43 


674  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

All  this  long  digression  may  perhaps  bring  the  reader  to  where  it 
brought  me — the  very  palpable  conviction  that  though  not  in  love 
with  my  cousin  Baby,  I  could  not  tell  when  I  might  eventually 
become  so. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

A    RECOGNITION. 

THE  most  pleasing  part  about  retrospect  is  the  memory  of  our 
bygone  hopes.  The  past,  however  happy,  however  blissful, 
few  would  wish  to  live  over  again ;  but  who  is  there  that  does 
not  long  for,  does  not  pine  after,  the  day-dream  which  gilded  the 
future — which  looked  ever  forward  to  the  time  to  come  as  to  a 
realization  of  all  that  was  dear  to  us,  lightening  our  present  cares, 
soothing  our  passing  sorrows,  by  that  one  thought? 

Life  is  marked  out  in  periods  in  which,  like  stages  in  a  journey, 
we  rest  and  repose  ourselves,  casting  a  look,  now  back  upon  the  road 
we  have  been  travelling,  now  throwing  a  keener  glance  towards  the 
path  left  us.  It  is  at  such  spots  as  these  that  remembrance  comes 
full  upon  us,  and  that  we  feel  how  little  our  intentions  have  swayed 
our  career  or  influenced  our  actions.  The  aspirations,  the  resolves 
of  youth,  are  either  looked  upon  as  puerile  follies,  or  a  most  distant 
day  settled  on  for  their  realization.  The  principles  we  fondly  looked 
to,  like  our  guide-stars,  are  dimly  visible — not  seen ;  the  friends  we 
cherished  are  changed  and  gone ;  the  scenes  themselves  seem  no 
longer  the  sunshine  and  the  shade  we  loved ;  and,  in  fact,  we  are 
living  in  a  new  world,  where  our  own  altered  condition  gives  the 
type  to  all  around  us  ;  the  only  link  that  binds  us  to  the  past  being 
that  same  memory,  that,  like  a  sad  curfew,  tolls  the  twilight  of  our 
fairest  dreams  and  most  cherished  wishes. 

That  these  glimpses  of  the  bygone  season  of  our  youth  should  be 
but  fitful  and  passing — tinging,  not  coloring,  the  landscape  of  our 
life — we  should  be  engaged  in  all  the  active  bustle  and  turmoil  of 
the  world,  surrounded  by  objects  of  hope,  love,  and  ambition,  stem- 
ming the  strong  tide  in  whose  fountain  is  fortune. 

He,  however,  who  lives  apart,  a  dreamy  and  passionless  exist- 
ence, will  find  that  in  the  past  more  than  in  the  future  his  thoughts 
have  found  their  resting-place ;  memory  usurps  the  place  of  hope, 
and  he  travels  through  life  like  one  walking  onward,  his  eyes  still 
turning  towards  some' loved  forsaken   spot,  teeming  with  all  the 


A  RECOGNITION.  675 

associations  of  his  happiest  hours,  and  preserving  even  in  distance 
the  outline  that  he  loved. 

Distance  in  time,  as  in  space,  smooths  down  all  the  inequalities 
of  surface ;  and,  as  the  cragged  and  rugged  mountain,  darkened  by 
cliff  and  precipice,  shows  to  the  far-off  traveller  but  some  blue  and 
misty  mass,  so  the  long-lost-sight-of  hours  lose  all  the  cares  and 
griefs  that  tinged  them,  and  to  our.  mental  eye  are  but  objects  of 
uniform  loveliness  and  beauty :  and  if  we  do  not  think  of 

"The  smiles— the  tears 
Of  boyhood's  years," 

it  is  because,  like  April  showers,  they  but  chequer  the  spring  of  our 
existence. 

For  myself,  baffled  in  hope  at  a  period  when  most  men  but  begin 
to  feel  it,  I  thought  myself  much  older  than  I  really  was.  The  dis- 
appointments of  the  world,  like  the  storms  of  the  ocean,  impart  a 
false  step  of  experience  to  the  young  heart,  as  he  sails  forth  upon 
his  voyage;  and  it  is  an  easy  error  to  mistake  trials  for  time. 

The  goods  of  fortune  by  which  I  was  surrounded  took  nothing 
from  the  bitterness  of  my  retrospect ;  on  the  contrary,  I  could  not 
help  feeling  that  every  luxury  of  my  life  was  bought  by  my  sur- 
render of  that  career  which  had  elated  me  in  my  own  esteem,  and 
which,  setting  a  high  and  noble  ambition  before  me,  taught  me  to 
be  a  man. 

To  be  happy,  one  must  not  only  fulfil  the  duties  and  exactions  of 
his  station,  but  the  station  itself  must  answer  to  his  views  and  aspi- 
rations in  life.  Now,  mine  did  not  sustain  this  condition.  All  that 
my  life  had  of  promise  was  connected  with  the  memory  of  her  who 
never  could  share  my  fortunes — of  her  for  whom  I  had  earned  praise 
and  honor ;  becoming  ambitious  as  the  road  to  her  affection,  only 
to  learn  after  that  my  hopes  were  but  a  dream,  and  my  paradise  a 
wilderness. 

While  thus  the  inglorious  current  of  my  life  ran  on,  I  was  not 
indifferent  to  the  mighty  events  the  great  continent  of  Europe  was 
witnessing.  The  success  of  the  Peninsular  campaign  ;  the  triumph- 
ant entry  of  the  British  into  France ;  the  downfall  of  Napoleon ; 
the  restoration  of  the  Bourbons,  followed  each  other  with  the 
rapidity  of  the  most  commonplace  occurrences;  and  in  the  few 
short  years  in  which  I  had  sprung  from  boyhood  to  man's  estate, 
the  whole  condition  of  the  world  was  altered.  Kings  deposed; 
great  armies  disbanded;  rightful  sovereigns  restored  to  their  do- 
minions; banished  and  exiled  men  returned  to  their  country,  in- 
vested with  rank  and  riches ;  and  peace,  in  the  fullest  tide  of  its 
blessings,  poured  down  upon  the  devastated  and  blood-stained  earth. 


676  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Years  passed  on ;  and  between  the  careless  abandonment  to  the 
mere  amusement  of  the  hour,  and  the  darker  meditation  upon  the 
past,  time  slipped  away.  From  my  own  friends  and  brother  officers 
I  heard  but  rarely.  Power,  who  at  first  wrote  frequently,  grew 
gradually  less  and  less  communicative.  Webber,  who  had  gone  to 
Paris  at  the  peace,  had  written  but  one  letter ;  while  from  the  rest 
a  few  straggling  lines  was  all  I  received.  In  truth,  be  it  told,  my 
own  negligence  and  inability  to  reply  cost  me  this  apparent  neglect. 

It  was  a  fine  evening  in  May,  when,  rigging  up  a  sprit-sail,  I 
jumped  into  my  yawl,  and  dropped  easily  down  the  river.  The 
light  wind  gently  curled  the  crested  water,  the  trees  waved  gently 
and  shook  their  branches  in  the  breeze,  and  my  little  bark,  bending 
slightly  beneath,  rustled  on  her  foamy  track  with  that  joyous  bound- 
ing motion  so  inspiriting  to  one's  heart.  The  clouds  were  flying 
swiftly  past,  tinging  with  their  shadows  the  mountains  beneath; 
the  Munster  shore,  glowing  with  a  rich  sunlight,  showed  every 
sheep-cot  and  every  hedge-row  clearly  out,  while  the  deep  shadow 
of  tall  Scariff  darkened  the  silent  river  where  Holy  Island,  with  its 
ruined  churches  and  melancholy  tower,  was  reflected  in  the  still 
water. 

It  was  a  thoroughly  Irish  landscape :  the  changeful  sky ;  the  fast 
flitting  shadows;  the  brilliant  sunlight;  the  plenteous  fields;  the 
broad  and  swelling  stream ;  the  dark  mountain,  from  whose  brown 
crest  a  wreath  of  thin  blue  smoke  was  rising,  were  all  there  smiling 
yet  sadly,  like  her  own  sons,  across  whose  louring  brow  some  fitful 
flash  of  fancy,  ever  playing,  dallies  like  sunbeams  on  the  darkening 
stream,  nor  marks  the  depth  that  lies  below. 

I  sat  musing  over  the  strange  harmony  of  nature  with  the  tem- 
perament of  man,  every  phase  of  his  passionate  existence  seeming 
to  have  its  type  in  things  inanimate,  when  a  loud  cheer  from  the 
land  aroused  me,  and  the  words  "  Charley !  Cousin  Charley !"  came 
wafted  over  the  water  to  where  I  lay. 

For  some  time  I  could  but  distinguish  the  faint  outline  of  some 
figures  on  the  shore,  but  as  I  came  nearer  I  recognized  my  fair 
cousin  Baby,  who,  with  a  younger  brother  of  some  eight  or  nine 
years  old,  was  taking  an  evening  walk. 

"Do  you  know,  Charley,"  said  she,  "the  boys  have  gone  over  to 
the  castle  to  look  for  you ;  we  want  you  particularly  this  evening." 

"  Indeed,  Baby !     Well,  I  fear  you  must  make  my  excuses." 

"Then,  once  for  all,  I  will  not.  I  know  this  is  one  of  your 
sulky  moods,  and  I  tell  you  frankly  I'll  not  put  up  with  them  any 
more." 

"  No,  no,  Baby,  not  so ;  out  of  spirits  if  you  will,  but  not  out  of 
•temper." 


A  RECOGNITION.  677 

"The  distinction  is  much  too  fine  for  me,  if  there  be  any;  but 
there,  now,  do  be  a  good  fellow ;  come  up  with  us — come  up  with 
me!" 

As  she  said  this  she  placed  her  arm  within  mine.     I  thought, 
too — perhaps  it  was  but  a  thought — she  pressed  me  gently.     I  know 
she  blushed,  and  turned  away  her  head  to  hide  it. 
'     "  I  don't  pretend  to  be  proof  against  your  entreaty,  cousin  Baby," 
said  I,  with  half-affected  gallantry,  putting  her  fingers  to  my  lips. 

"  There,  how  can  you  be  so  foolish ;  look  at  William,  yonder ;  I 
am  sure  he  must  have  seen  you."  But,  William,  God  bless  him  ! 
was  bird's-nesting,  or  butterfly-hunting,  or  daisy-picking,  or  some- 
thing of  that  kind. 

Oh  ye  young  brothers, "who,  sufficiently  old  to  be  deemed  com- 
panions and  chaperons,  but  yet  young  enough  to  be  regarded  as 
having  neither  eyes  nor  ears,  what  mischief  have  ye  to  answer  for ! 
what  a  long  reckoning  of  tender  speeches,  of  soft  looks,  of  pressed 
hands,  lies  at  your  door!  What  an  incentive  to  flirtation  is  the 
wily  imp  who  turns  ever  and  anon  from  his  careless  gambols  to 
throw  his  laughter-loving  eyes  upon  you,  calling  up  the  mantling 
blush  to  both  your  cheeks !  He  seems  to  chronicle  the  hours  of 
your  dalliance,  making  your  secrets  known  unto  each  other.  We 
have  gone  through  our  share  of  flirtation  in  this  life.  Match-making 
mothers,  prying  aunts,  choleric  uncles,  benevolent  and  open-hearted 
fathers,  we  understand  to  the  life,  and  care  no  more  for  such  man- 
traps than  a  Melton  man,  well-mounted  on  his  strong-boned  tho- 
roughbred, does  for  a  four-barred  ox-fence  that  lies  before  him. 
Like  him,  we  take  them  flying ;  never  relaxing  the  slapping  stride 
of  our  loose  gallop,  we  go  straight  ahead,  never  turning  aside,  except 
for  a  laugh  at  those  who  flounder  in  the  swamps  we  sneer  at.  But 
we  confess  honestly  we  fear  the  little  brother,  the  small  urchin  who, 
with  nankeen  trousers  and  three  rows  of  buttons,  performs  the  part 
of  Cupid.  He  strikes  real  terror  into  our  hearts ;  he  it  is  who,  with 
a  cunning  wink,  or  sly  smile,  seems  to  confirm  the  soft  nonsense  we 
are  weaving ;  by  some  slight  gesture  he  seems  to  check  off  the  long 
reckoning  of  our  attentions,  bringing  us  every  moment  nearer  to 
the  time  when  the  score  must  be  settled  and  the  debt  paid.  He  it 
is  who,  by  a  memory  delightfully  oblivious  of  his  task  and  his  table- 
book,  is  tenacious  to  the  life  of  what  you  said  to  Fanny ;  how  you 
put  your  head  under  Lucy's  bonnet;  he  can  imitate  to  perfection 
the  way  you  kneeled  upon  the  grass ;  and  the  wretch  has  learned  to 
smack  his  lips  like  a  gourmand,  that  he  may  convey  another  stage 
of  your  proceeding. 

Oh,  for  infant  schools  for  everything  under  the  age  of  ten  !     Oh, 
for  factories  for  the  children  of  the  rich !     The  age  of  prying  curi- 


678  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

osity  is  from  four-and-a-half  to  nine,  and  Fouche  himself  might  get 
a  lesson  in  police  from  an  urchin  in  his  alphabet. 

I  contrived  soon,  however,  to  forget  the  presence  of  even  the  little 
brother.  The  night  was  falling;  Baby  appeared  getting  fatigued 
with  her  walk,  for  she  leaned  somewhat  more  heavily  upon  my  arm, 
and  I — I  cannot  tell  wherefore — fell  into  that  train  of  thinking 
aloud  which,  somehow,  upon  a  summer's  eve,  with  a  fair  girl  beside 
one,  is  the  very  nearest  thing  to  love-making. 

"There,  Charley — don't  now — ah,  don't! — do  let  go  my  hand— 
they  are  coming  down  the  avenue." 

I  had  scarcely  time  to  obey  the  injunction,  when  Mr.  Blake  called 
out: 

"  Well,  indeed !  Charley,  this  is  really  fortunate ;  we  have  got  a 
friend  to  take  tea  with  us,  and  wanted  you  to  meet  him." 

Muttering  an  internal  prayer  for  something  not  exactly  the  wel- 
fare of  the  aforesaid  friend,  whom  I  judged  to  be  some  Galway 
squire,  I  professed  aloud  the  pleasure  I  felt  in  having  come  in  so 
opportunely. 

"  He  wishes  particularly  to  make  your  acquaintance." 

"So  much  the  worse,"  thought  I  to  myself;  "it  rarely  happens 
that  this  feeling  is  mutual." 

Evidently  provoked  at  the  little  curiosity  I  exhibited,  Blake 
.added, 

"He's  on  his  way  to  Fermoy  with  a  detachment." 

"  Indeed  !  what  regiment,  pray  ?" 

"  The  28th  Foot." 

"  Ah  !  I  don't  know  them." 

By  this  time  we  reached  the  steps  of  the  hall-door,  and  just  as  we 
did  so,  the  door  opened  suddenly,  and  a  tall  figure  in  uniform  pre- 
sented himself.  With  one  spring  he  seized  my  hand  and  nearly 
wrung  it  off. 

"  Why,  what,"  said  I,  "  can  this  be?     Is  it  really -" 

"  Sparks,"  said  he — "  your  old  friend  Sparks,  my  boy  ;  I've  changed 
Into  the  infantry,  and  here  I  am.  Heard  by  chance  you  were  in  the 
neighborhood — met  Mr.  Blake,  your  friend  here,  at  the  inn,  and 
accepted  his  invitation  to  meet  you." 

Poor  Sparks,  albeit  the  difference  of  his  costume,  was  the  same  as 
ever.  Having  left  the  14th  soon  after  I  quitted  them,  he  knew  but 
little  of  their  fortunes  ;  and  he  himself  had  been  on  recruiting  stations 
nearly  the  whole  time  since  we  had  met  before. 

While  we  each  continued  to  extol  the  good  fortune  of  the  other — 
he  mine  as  being  no  longer  in  the  service,  and  I  his  for  still  being 
so — we  learned  the  various  changes  which  had  happened  to  each  of 
us  during  our  separation.     Although  his  destination  was  ultimately 


A  RECOGNITION.  679 

Fermoy,  Portumna  was  ordered  to  be  his  present  quarter ;  and  I 
felt  delighted  to  have  once  more  an  old  companion  within  reach,  to 
chat  over  former  days  of  campaigning  and  nights  of  merriment  in 
the  Peninsula, 

Sparks  soon  became  a  constant  visitor  and  guest  at  Gurt-na-Morra ; 
his  good  temper,  his  easy  habits,  his  simplicity  of  character,  rapidly 
enabled  him  to  fall  into  all  their  ways  ;  and,  although  evidently  not 
what  Baby  would  call  "  the  man  for  Gal  way,"  he  endeavored  with, 
all  his  might  to  please  every  one,  and  certainly  succeeded  to  a  con- 
siderable extent. 

Baby  alone  seemed  to  take  pleasure  in  tormenting  the  poor  sub. 
Long  before  she  met  with  him,  having  heard  much  from  me  of  his 
exploits  abroad,  she  was  continually  bringing  up  some  anecdote 
of  his  unhappy  loves  or  misplaced  passions,  which  he  evidently 
smarted  under  the  more  from  the  circumstance  that  he  appeared 
rather  inclined  to  like  my  fair  cousin. 

As  she  continued  this  for  some  time,  I  remarked  that  Sparks,  who 
at  first  was  all  gayety  and  high  spirits,  grew  gradually  more  de- 
pressed and  dispirited.  I  became  convinced  that  the  poor  fellow 
was  in  love ;  very  little  management  on  my  part  was  necessary  to 
obtain  his  confession ;  and,  accordingly,  the  same  evening  the 
thought  first  struck  me,  as  we  were  riding  slowly  home  towards 
O'Malley  Castle,  I  touched  at  first  generally  upon  the  merits  of  the 
Blakes,  their  hospitality,  &c. ;  then  diverged  to  the  accomplishments 
and  perfections  of  the  girls ;  and,  lastly,  Baby  herself,  in  all  form, 
came  up  for  sentence. 

"Ah,  yes  !"  said  Sparks,  with  a  deep  sigh,  "it  is  quite  as  you  say  ; 
she  is  a  lovely  girl ;  and  that  liveliness  in  her  character,  that  elasti- 
city in  her  temperament,  chastened  down  as  it  might  be  by  the  feel- 
ing of  respect  for  the  man  she  loved !  I  say,  Charley,  is  it  a  very 
long  attachment  of  yours  ?" 

"  A  long  attachment  of  mine !  Why,  my  dear  Sparks,  you  can't 
suppose  that  there  is  anything  between  us  !  I  pledge  you  my  word 
most  faithfully." 

"Oh  no,  don't  tell  me  that;  what  good  can  there  be  in  mystifying 
me?" 

"  I  have  no  such  intention,  believe  me.  My  cousin  Baby,  however 
I  like  and  admire  her,  has  no  other  place  in  my  affection  than  a  very 
charming  girl,  who  has  lightened  a  great  many  dreary  and  tiresome 
hours,  and  made  my  banishment  from  the  world  less  irksome  than  I 
should  have  found  it  without  her." 

"And  you  are  really  not  in  love  ?" 

"Not  a  bit  of  it!" 

"Not  going  to  marry  her  either?" 


680  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Not  the  least  notion  of  it ! — a  fact.  Baby  and  I  are  excellent 
friends,  for  the  very  reason  that  we  were  never  lovers ;  we  have  had 
no  petitsjeux  of  fallings  out  and  makings  up;  no  hicle-and-seek  trials 
of  affected  indifference  and  real  disappointments;  no  secrets,  no 
griefs  nor  grudges  ;  neither  quarrels  nor  keepsakes.  In  fact,  we  are 
capital  cousins;  quizzing  every  one  for  our  own  amusement;  riding, 
walking,  boating  together;  in  fact,  doing  and  thinking  of  every- 
thing save  sighs  and  declarations  ;  always  happy  to  meet,  and  never 
broken-hearted  when  we  part.  And  I  can  only  add,  as  a  proof  of 
my  sincerity,  that  if  you  feel  as  I  suspect  you  do  from  your  questions, 
I'll  be  your  ambassador  to  the  court  of  Gurt-na-Morra  with  sincere 
pleasure." 

"Will  you  really? — Will  you  indeed,  Charley,  do  this  for  me? — 
Will  you  strengthen  my  wishes  by  your  aid,  and  give  me  all  your  in- 
fluence with  the  family  ?" 

I  could  scarcely  help  smiling  at  poor  Sparks's  eagerness  or  the  un- 
warrantable value  he  put  upon  my  alliance,  in  a  case  where  his  own 
unassisted  efforts  did  not  threaten  much  failure. 

"  I  repeat  it,  Sparks,  I'll  make  a  proposal  for  you  in  all  form, 
aided  and  abetted  by  everything  recommendatory  and  laudatory  I 
can  think  of;  I'll  talk  of  you  as  a  Peninsular  of  no  small  note  and 
promise ;  and  observe  rigid  silence  about  your  Welsh  flirtation  and 
your  Spanish  elopement. " 

"  You'll  not  blab  about  the  Dalrymples,  I  hope  ?" 

"  Trust  me ;  I  only  hope  you  will  always  be  as  discreet.  But  now — 
when  shall  it  be ?    Should  you  like  to  consider  the  matter  more?" 

"  Oh  no !  nothing  of  the  kind  ;  let  it  be  to-morrow ;  at  once,  if  I 
am  to  fail ;  even  that,  anything's  better  than  suspense." 

"  Well  then,  to-morrow  be  it,"  said  I. 

So  I  wished  him  a  good-night,  and  a  stout  heart  to  bear  his  for- 
tune withal. 


CHAPTEE    L. 

A  MISTAKE. 

IORDEBED  my  horses  at  an  early  hour ;  and  long  before  Sparks 
— lover  that  he  was — had  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light,  was 
already  on  my  way  towards  Gurt-na-Morra.  Several  miles 
slipped  away  before  I  well  determined  how  I  should  open  my  nego- 
tiations :  whether  to  papa  Blake,  in  the  first  instance,  or  to  madame, 


A  MISTAKE.  681 

to  whose  peculiar  province  these  secrets  of  the  home  department 
belonged;  or  why  not  at  once  to  Baby?  because,  after  all,  with  her 
it  rested  finally  to  accept  or  refuse.  To  address  myself  to  the  heads 
of  the  department  seemed  the  more  formal  course;  and,  as  I  was 
acting  entirely  as  an  "  Envoy  Extraordinary,"  I  deemed  this  the  fit- 
ting mode  of  proceeding. 

It  was  exactly  eight  o'elock  as  I  drove  up  to  the  door.  Mr.  Blake 
was  standing  at  the  open  window  of  the  breakfast-room,  sniffing  the 
fresh  air  of  the  morning.  The  Blake  mother  was  busily  engaged 
with  the  economy  of  the  tea-table ;  a  very  simple  style  of  morning 
costume,  and  a  nightcap  with  a  flounce  like  a  petticoat,  marking  her 
unaffected  toilette.  Above  stairs,  more  than  one  head  en  papillose 
took  a  furtive  peep  between  the  curtains;  and  the  butler  of  the 
family,  in  corduroys  and  a  fur  cap,  was  weeding  turnips  in  the  lawn 
before  the  door. 

Mrs.  Blake  had  barely  time  to  take  a  hurried  departure,  when  her 
husband  came  out  upon  the  steps  to  bid  me  welcome.  There  is  no 
physiognomist  like  your  father  of  a  family,  or  your  mother  with 
marriageable  daughters.  Lavater  was  nothing  to  them,  in  reading 
the  secret  springs  of  action — the  hidden  sources  of  all  character. 
Had  there  been  a  good  respectable  bump  allotted  by  Spurzheim  to 
"  honorable  intentions,"  the  matter  had  been  all  fair  and  easy, — the 
very  first  salute  of  the  gentleman  would  have  pronounced  upon  his 
views;  but,  alas  !  no  such  guide  is  forthcoming ;  and  the  science,  as 
it  now  exists,  is  enveloped  in  doubt  and  difficulty.  The  gay,  laugh- 
ing temperament  of  some,  the  dark  and  serious  composure  of  others ; 
the  cautious  and  reserved,  the  open  and  the  candid,  the  witty,  the 
sententious,  the  clever,  the  dull,  the  prudent,  the  reckless — in  a 
word,  every  variety  which  the  innumerable  hues  of  character  im- 
print upon  the  human  face  divine,  are  their  study.  Their  convic- 
tions are  the  slow  and  patient  fruits  of  intense  observation  and 
great  logical  accuracy.  Carefully  noting  down  eVery  lineament  and 
feature, — their  change,  their  action,  and  their  development, — they 
track  a  lurking  motive  with  the  scent  of  a  bloodhound,  and  run 
down  a  growing  passion  with  an  unrelenting  speed.  I  have  been 
in  the  witness-box,  exposed  to  the  licensed  badgering  and  privileged 
impertinence  of  a  lawyer  ;  winked,  leered,  frowned,  and  sneered  at 
with  all  the  long-practised  tact  of  a  Nisi  Prius  torturer ;  I  have 
stood  before  the  cold,  fish-like,  but  searching  eye  of  a  prefect  of 
police,  as  he  compared  my  passport  with  my  person,  and  thought 
he  could  detect  a  discrepancy  in  both  ;  but  I  never  felt  the  same 
sense  of  total  exposure  as  when  glanced  at  by  the  half-curious, 
half-prying  look  of  a  worthy  father  or  mother  in  a  family  where 
there  are  daughters  to  marry,  and  "  nobody  coming  to  woo." 


682  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"You're  early,  Charley,"  said  Mr.  Blake,  with  an  affected  mixture 
of  carelessness  and  warmth.     "  You  have  not  had  breakfast?" 

"  No,  sir.  I  have  come  to  claim  a  part  of  yours ;  and,  if  I  mis- 
take not,  you  seem  a  little  later  than  usual." 

"Not  more  than  a  few  minutes.  The  girls  will  be  down  pres- 
ently ;  they're  early  risers,  Charley  ;  good  habits  are  just  as  easy  as 
bad  ones  ;  and,  the  Lord  be  praised  I  my  girls  were  never  brought 
up  with  any  other." 

"  I  am  well  aware  of  it,  sir ;  and,  indeed,  if  I  may  be  permitted 
to  take  advantage  of  the  a  propos,  it  was  on  the  subject  of  one  of 
your  daughters  that  I  wished  to  speak  to  you  this  morning,  and 
which  brought  me  over  at  this  uncivilized  hour,  hoping  to  find 
you  alone." 

Mr.  Blake's  look  for  a  moment  was  one  of  triumphant  satisfaction ; 
it  was  but  a  glance,  however,  and  repressed  the  very  instant  after, 
as  he  said,  with  a  well  got-up  indifference. 

"  Just  step  with  me  into  the  study,  and  we're  sure  not  to  be  in- 
terrupted." 

Now,  although  I  have  little  time  or  space  for  such  dallying,  I 
cannot  help  dwelling  for  a  moment  upon  the  aspect  of  what  Mr. 
Blake  dignified  with  the  name  of  his  study.  It  was  a  small  apart- 
ment with  one  window,  the  panes  of  which,  independent  of  all 
aid  from  a  curtain,  tempered  the  daylight  through  the  medium 
of  cobwebs,  dust,  and  the  ill-trained  branches  of  some  wall-tree 
without. 

Three  oak  chairs  and  a  small  table  were  the  only  articles  of  fur- 
niture ;  while  round  on  all  sides,  lay  the  disjecta  membra  of  Mr. 
Blake's  hunting,  fishing,  shooting,  and  coursing  equipments — old 
top  boots,  driving  whips,  odd  spurs,  a  racing  saddle,  a  blunderbuss, 
the  helmet  of  the  Gal  way  Light  Horse,  a  salmon  net,  a  large  map 
of  the  county  with  a  marginal  index  to  several  mortgages  marked 
with  a  cross,  a  stable  lantern,  the  rudder  of  a  boat,  and  several 
other  articles  representative  of  his  daily  associations ;  but  not  one 
book,  save  an  odd  volume  of  Watty  Cox's  Magazine,  whose  pages 
seemed  as  much  the  receptacle  of  brown  hackles  for  trout-fishing  as 
the  resource  of  literary  leisure. 

"  Here  we'll  be  quite  cosy,  and  to  ourselves,"  said  Mr.  Blake,  as, 
placing  a  chair  for  me,  he  sat  down  himself,  with  the  air  of  a  man 
resolved  to  assist,  by  advice  and  counsel,  the  dilemma  of  some 
dear  friend. 

After  a  few  preliminary  observations,  which,  like  a  breathing  canter 
before  a  race,  serve  to  get  your  courage  up,  and  settle  you  well  in 
your  seat,  I  opened  my»  negotiations  by  some  very  broad  and  sweep- 
ing truism  about  the  misfortunes  of  a  bachelor  existence,  the  dis- 


A  MISTAKE.  683 

comforts  of  his  position,  his  want  of  home  and  happiness,  the 
necessity  for  his  one  day  thinking  seriously  about  marriage;  it 
being  in  a  measure  almost  as  inevitable  a  termination  of  the  free- 
and-easy  career  of  his  single  life  as  transportation  for  seven  years 
is  to  that  of  a  poacher.  "  You  cannot  go  on,  sir,"  said  I,  "  tres- 
passing forever  upon  your  neighbor's  preserves,  you  must  be  appre- 
hended sooner  or  later ;  therefore,  I  think,  the  better  way  is  to  take 
out  a  license." 

Never  was  a  small  sally  of  wit  more  thoroughly  successful.  Mr. 
Blake  laughed  till  he  cried,  and,  when  he  had  done,  wiped  his  eyes 
with  a  snuffy  handkerchief,  and  cried  till  he  laughed  again.  As, 
somehow,  I  could  not  conceal  from  myself  a  suspicion  as  to  the  sin- 
cerity of  my  friend's  mirth,  I  merely  consoled  myself  with  the 
French  adage,  that  "  he  laughs  best  who  laughs  last,*"  and  went  on. 

"  It  will  not  be  deemed  surprising,  sir,  that  a  man  should  come 
to  the  discovery  I  have  just  mentioned  much  more  rapidly  by  hav- 
ing enjoyed  the  pleasure  or  intimacy  with  your  family  ;  not  only  by 
the  example  of  perfect  domestic  happiness  presented  to  him,  but  by 
the  prospect  held  out  that  a  heritage  of  the  fair  gifts  which  adorn 
and  grace  a  married  life  may  reasonably  be  looked  for  among  the 
daughters  of  those  themselves  the  realization  of  conjugal  felicity." 

Here  was  a  canter,  with  a  vengeance;  and  as  I  felt  blown,  I 
slackened  my  pace,  coughed,  and  resumed : 

"  Miss  Mary  Blake,  sir,  is,  then,  the  object  of  my  present  commu- 
nication ;  she  it  is  who  has  made  an  existence  that  seemed  fair  and 
pleasurable  before,  appear  blank  and  unprofitable  without  her.  I 
have,  therefore,  to  come  at  once  to  the  point,  visited  you  this  morn- 
ing, formally  to  ask  her  hand  in  marriage ;  her  fortune,  I  may 
observe  at  once,  is  perfectly  immaterial — a  matter  of  no  consequence 
(so  Mr.  Blake  thought  also);  a  competence  fully  equal  to  every 
reasonable  notion  of  expenditure n 

"There — there;  don't — don't,"  said  Mr.  Blake,  wiping  his  eyes, 
with  a  sob  like  a  hiccup  ;  "  don't  speak  of  money,  I  know  what  you 
would  say  ;  a  handsome  settlement — a  well-secured  jointure,  and  all 
that.     Yes,  yes,  I  feel  it  all." 

"  Why  yes,  sir,  I  believe  I  may  add,  that  everything  in  this  re- 
spect will  answer  your  expectations." 

"  Of  course ;  to  be  sure.  My  poor  dear  Baby  !  How  to  do  with- 
out her,  that's  the  rub.  You  don't  know,  O'Malley,  what  that  girl 
is  to  me — you  can't  know  it ;  you'll  feel  it  one  day  though — that 
you  will." 

"  The  devil  I  shall  !"  said  I  to  myself.  "  The  great  point  is,  after 
all,  to  learn  the  young  lady's  disposition  in  the  matter " 

"Ah,  Charley !  none  of  this  with  me,  you  sly  dog !     You  think  I 


684  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

don't  know  you.  Why,  I've  been  watching — that  is,  I  have  seen— 
no,  I  mean  I've  heard — they — they,  people  will  talk,  you  know." 

"  Very  true,  sir.     But,  as  I  was  going  to  remark " 

Just  at  this  moment  the  door  opened,  and  Miss  Baby  herself, 
looking  most  annoyingly  handsome,  put  in  her  head. 

"  Papa,  we're  waiting  breakfast.     Ah,  Charley,  how  d'ye  do !" 

"  Come  in,  Baby,"  said  Mr.  Blake ;  "  you  haven't  given  me  my 
kiss  this  morning." 

The  lovely  girl  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck,  while  her  bright 
and  flowing  locks  fell  richly  upon  his  shoulder.  I  turned  rather 
sulkily  away  ;  the  thing  always  provokes  me.  There  is  as  much 
cold,  selfish  cruelty  in  such  coram  publico  endearments  as  in  the  lus- 
cious display  of  rich  rounds  and  sirloins  in  a  chop-house  to  the  eyes 
of  the  starved  and  penniless  wretch  without,  who,  with  dripping 
rags  and  watering  lip,  eats  imaginary  slices,  while  the  pains  of  hun- 
ger are  torturing  him ! 

"  There's  Tim  !"  said  Mr.  Blake,  suddenly.  "  Tim  Cronin !— Tim !" 
shouted  he  to,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  an  imaginary  individual  outside, 
while,  in  the  eagerness  of  pursuit,  he  rushed  out  of  the  study,  bang- 
ing the  door  as  he  went,  and  leaving  Baby  and  myself  to  our  mutual 
edification. 

I  should  have  preferred  it  being  otherwise ;  but,  as  the  Fates  willed 
it  thus,  I  took  Baby's  hand,  and  led  her  to  the  window.  Now,  there 
is  one  feature  of  my  countrymen  which,  having  recognized  strongly 
in  myself,  I  would  fain  proclaim ;  and,  writing  as  I  do — however 
little  people  may  suspect  me — solely  for  the  sake  of  a  moral,  would 
gladly  warn  the  unsuspecting  against.  I  mean  a  very  decided  ten- 
dency to  become  the  consoler,  the  confidant  of  young  ladies ;  seeking 
out  opportunities  of  assuaging  their  sorrow,  reconciling  their  afflic- 
tions, breaking  eventful  passages  to  their  ears ;  not  from  any  inher- 
ent pleasure  in  the  tragic  phases  of  the  intercourse,  but  for  the 
semi -tenderness  of  manner,  that  harmless  hand-squeezing,  that 
innocent  waist-pressing,  without  which  consolation  is  but  like 
salmon  without  lobster— a  thing  maimed,  wanting,  and  imperfect. 

Now,  whether  this  with  me  was  a  natural  gift,  or  merely  a  "  way 
we  have  in  the  army,"  as  the  song  says,  I  shall  not  pretend  to  say  ; 
but  I  venture  to  affirm  that  few  men  could  excel  me  in  the  practice 
I  speak  of  some  five-and  twenty -years  ago.  Fair  reader,  do  pray,  if 
I  have  the  happiness  of  being  known  to  you,  deduct  them  from  my 
age  before  you  subtract  from  my  merits. 

"Well,  Baby  dear,  I  have  just  been  speaking  about  you  to  papa. 
Yes,  dear, — don't  look  so  incredulous — even  of  your  own  sweet  self. 
Well,  do  you  know  I  almost  prefer  your  hair  worn  that  way  ;  those 
same  silky  masses  look  better  falling  thus  heavily " 


A  MISTAKE.  G85 

"  There,  now,  Charley  !  ah,  don't !" 

"  Well,  Baby,  as  I  was  saying,  before  you  stopped  me,  I  have  been 
asking  your  papa  a  very  important  question,  and  he  has  referred  me 
to  you  for  the  answer.  And  now  will  you  tell  me,  in  all  frankness 
and  honesty,  your  mind  on  the  matter  ?" 

She  grew  deadly  pale  as  I  spoke  these  words,  then  suddenly 
flushed  up  again,  but  said  not  a  word.  I  could  perceive,  however, 
from  her  heaving  chest  and  restless  manner,  that  no  common  agita- 
tion was  stirring  her  bosom.  It  was  cruelty  to  be  silent,  so  I  con- 
tinued : 

"  One  who  loves  you  well,  Baby  dear,  has  asked  his  own  heart 
the  question,  and  learned  that  without  you  he  has  no  chance  of  hap- 
piness ;  that  your  bright  eyes  are  to  him  bluer  than  the  deep  sky 
above  him  ;  that  your  soft  voice,  your  winning  smile, — and  what  a 
smile  it  is  I — have  taught  him  that  he  loves,  nay,  adores  you ! 
Then,  dearest, — what  pretty  fingers  those  are !  Ah  !  what  is  this  ? 
Whence  came  that  emerald  ?   I  never  saw  that  ring  before,  Baby !" 

"  Oh,  that,"  said  she,  blushing  deeply, — "  that  is  a  ring  the  foolish 
creature  Sparks  gave  me  a  couple  of  days  ago  ;  but  I  don't  like  it — 
I  don't  intend  to  keep  it." 

So  saying,  she  endeavored  to  draw  it  from  her  finger,  but  in 
vain. 

"  But  why,  Baby,  why  take  it  off?  Is  it  to  give  him  the  pleasure 
of  putting  it  on  again  ?  There,  don't  look  angry  ;  we  must  not  fall 
out,  surely." 

"No,  Charley,  if  you  are  not  vexed  with  me, — if  you  are 
not " 

"  No,  no,  my  dear  Baby — nothing  of  the  kind.  Sparks  was  quite 
right  in  not  trusting  his  entire  fortune  to  my  diplomacy ;  but  at 
least  he  ought  to  have  told  me  that  he  had  opened  the  negotiation. 
Now,  the  question  simply  is — Do  you  love  him  ?  or,  rather,  because 
that  shortens  matters,  will  you  accept  him?" 

"  Love  whom  ?" 

"  Love  whom  ?    Why,  Sparks,  to  be  sure !" 

A  flash  of  indignant  surprise  passed  across  her  features,  now  pale 
as  marble ;  her  lips  were  slightly  parted,  her  large  full  eyes  were 
fixed  upon  me  steadfastly,  and  her  hand,  which  I  had  held  in  mine, 
she  suddenly  withdrew  from  my  grasp. 

"  And  so — and  so  it  is  of  Mr.  Sparks's  cause  you  are  so  ardently 
the  advocate  ?"  said  she,  at  length,  after  a  pause  of  most  awkward 
duration. 

"  Why,  of  course,  my  dear  cousin.  It  was  at  his  suit  and  solicita- 
tion I  called  on  your  father ;  it  was  he  himself  who  entreated  me  to 
take  this  step  ;  it  was  he " 


b«b  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

But  before  I  could  conclude,  she  burst  into  a  torrent  of  tears,  and 
rushed  from  the  room. 

Here  was  a  situation  I  What  the  deuce  was  the  matter  ?  Did  she 
or  did  she  not  care  for  him  ?  Was  her  pride  or  her  delicacy  hurt  at 
my  being  made  the  means  of  the  communication  to  her  father? 
What  had  Sparks  done  or  said  to  put  himself  and  me  in  such  a  devil 
of  a  predicament  ?    Could  she  care  for  any  one  else  ? 

"  Well,  Charley !"  cried  Mr.  Blake,  as  he  entered,  rubbing  his 
hands  in  a  perfect  paroxysm  of  good  temper — "  well,  Charley,  has 
love-making  driven  breakfast  out  of  your  head  ?" 

"Why,  faith,  sir,  I  greatly  fear  I  have  blundered  my  mission 
sadly.  My  cousin  Mary  does  not  appear  so  perfectly  satisfied  ;  her 
manner " 

"  Don't  tell  me  such  nonsense.  The  girl's  manner. !  Why,  man, 
I  thought  you  were  too  old  a  soldier  to  be  taken  in  that  way." 

"  Well,  then,  sir,  the  best  thing,  under  the  circumstances,  is  to 
send  over  Sparks  himself.  Your  consent,  I  may  tell  him,  is  already 
obtained." 

"  Yes,  my  boy ;  and  my  daughter's  is  equally  sure.  But  I  don't 
see  what  we  want  with  Sparks  at  all.  Among  old  friends  and  rela- 
tives, as  we  are,  there  is,  I  think,  no  need  of  a  stranger." 

"  A  stranger !  Very  true,  sir,  he  is  a  stranger ;  but  when  that 
stranger  is  about  to  become  your  son-in-law " 

"  About  to  become  what  ?"  said  Mr.  Blake,  rubbing  his  spectacles, 
and  placing  them  leisurely  on  his  nose  to  regard  me, — "  to  become 
what?" 

"Your  son-in-law.  I  hope  I  have  been  sufficiently  explicit,  sir, 
in  making  known  Mr.  Sparks's  wishes  to  you." 

"  Mr.  Sparks  !  Why,  d —  me,  sir, — that  is — I  beg  pardon  for  the 
warmth — you — you  never  mentioned  his  name  to-day  till  now.  You 
led  me  to  suppose  that — in  fact  you  told  me  most  clearly " 

Here,  from  the  united  effects  of  rage  and  a  struggle  for  conceal- 
ment, Mr.  Blake  was  unable  to  proceed,  and  walked  the  room  with 
a  melodramatic  stamp  perfectly  awful. 

"  Really,  sir,"  said  I  at  last,  "  while  I  deeply  regret  any  miscon- 
ception or  mistake  I  have  been  the  cause  of,  I  must,  in  justice  to 
myself,  say  that  I  am  perfectly  unconscious  of  having  misled  you. 
I  came  here  this  morning  with  a  proposition  for  the  hand  of  your 
daughter  in  behalf  of " 

"  Yourself,  sir.  Yes,  yourself.  I'll  be— no  !  I'll  not  swear ;  but— 
but  just  answer  me  if  you  ever  mentioned  one  word  of  Mr.  Sparks — 
if  you  ever  alluded  to  him  till  the  last  few  minutes  ?" 

I  was  perfectly  astounded.  It  might  be  ;  alas !  it  was  exactly  as 
he  stated.    In  my  unlucky  effort  at  extreme  delicacy,  I  became  only 


A  MISTAKE.  687 

so  very  mysterious,  that  I  left  the  matter  open  for  them  to  suppose 
that  it  might  be  the  Khan  of  Tartary  who  was  in  love  with  Baby. 

There  was  but  one  course  now  open.  I  most  humbly  apologized 
for  my  blunder,  repeated,  by  every  expression  I  could  summon  up, 
my  sorrow  for  what  had  happened,  and  was  beginning  a  renewal  of 
negotiation  "in  re  Sparks,"  when,  overcome  by  his  passion,  Mr. 
Blake  could  hear  no  more,  but  snatched  up  his  hat  and  left  the 
room. 

Had  it  not  been  for  Baby's  share  in  the  transaction,  I  should  have 
laughed  outright.  As  it  was,  I  felt  anything  but  mirthful ;  and  the 
only  clear  and  collected  idea  in  my  mind  was,  to  hurry  home  with 
all  speed,  and  fasten  a  quarrel  on  Sparks,  the  innocent  cause  of  the 
whole  mishap.  Why  this  thought  struck  me,  let  physiologists 
decide. 

A  few  moments'  reflection  satisfied  me  that,  under  present  cir- 
cumstances, it  would  be  particularly  awkward  to  meet  with  any 
others  of  the  family.  Ardently  desiring  to  secure  my  retreat,  I  suc- 
ceeded, after  some  little  time,  in  opening  the  window-sash,  con- 
soling myself  for  any  injury  I  was  about  to  inflict  upon  Mr.  Blake's 
young  plantation  in  my  descent,  by  the  thought  of  the  service 
I  was  rendering  him,  while  also  admitting  a  little  fresh  air  into  his 
sanctum. 

For  my  patriotism's  sake  I  will  not  record  my  sensations  as  I  took 
my  way  through  the  shrubbery  towards  the  stable.  Men  are  ever 
so  prone  to  revenge  their  faults  and  their  follies  upon  such  inoffen- 
sive agencies  as  time  and  place,  wind  or  weather,  that  I  was  quite 
convinced  that  to  any  other  but  Galway  ears  my  expose  would  have 
been  perfectly  clear  and  intelligible,  and  that  in  no  other  country 
under  heaven  would  a  man  be  expected  to  marry  a  young  lady  from 
a  blunder  in  his  grammar. 

"Baby  may  be  quite  right,"  thought  I ;  "but  one  thing  is  assur- 
edly true— if  I'll  never  do  for  Galway,  Galway  will  never  do  for  me. 
No,  hang  it !  I  have  endured  enough  for  above  two  years.  I  have 
lived  in  banishment,  away  from  society,  supposing  that,  at  least,  if 
I  isolated  myself  from  the  pleasures  of  the  world,  I  wras  exempt 
from  its  annoyances."  But  no ;  in  the  seclusion  of  my  remote 
abode,  troubles  found  their  entrance  as  easily  as  elsewhere,  so  that 
I  determined  at  once  to  leave  home — where  for,  I  knew  not.  If 
life  had  few  charms,  it  had  still  fewer  ties  for  me.  If  I  was  not 
bound  by  the  bonds  of  kindred,  I  was  untrammelled  by  their  re- 
straints. 

The  resolution  once  taken,  I  burned  to  put  it  into  effect ;  and  so 
impatiently  did  I  press  forward,  as  to  call  forth  more  than  one  re- 
monstrance on  the  part  of  Mike  at  the  pace  we  were  proceeding  at. 


688  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

As  I  neared  home,  the  shrill  but  stirring  sounds  of  drum  and  fife 
met  me,  and  shortly  after  a  crowd  of  country  people  filled  the  road. 
Supposing  it  some  mere  recruiting  party,  I  was  endeavoring  to  press 
on,  when  the  sounds  of  a  full  military  band,  in  the  exhilarating 
measure  of  a  quickstep,  convinced  me  of  my  error ;  and,  as  I  drew 
to  one  side  of  the  road,  the  advanced  guard  of  an  infantry  regiment 
came  forward.  The  men's  faces  were  flushed,  their  uniforms  dusty 
and  travel-stained,  their  knapsacks  strapped  firmly  on,  and  their 
gait  the  steady  tramp  of  the  march.  Saluting  the  subaltern,  I  asked 
if  anything  of  consequence  had  occurred  in  the  south,  that  the 
troops  were  so  suddenly  under  orders.  The  officer  stared  at  me  for 
a  moment  or  two  without  speaking,  and,  while  a  slight  smile  curled 
his  lip,  then  answered, — 

"Apparently,  sir,  you  seem  very  indifferent  to  military  news, 
otherwise  you  can  scarcely  be  ignorant  of  the  cause  of  our  route." 

"  On  the  contrary,"  said  I,  "  I  am,  though  a  young  man,  an  old 
soldier,  and  feel  most  anxious  about  everything  connected  with  the 
service." 

"  Then  it  is  very  strange,  sir,  you  should  not  have  heard  the  news. 
Bonaparte  has  returned  from  Elba,  has  arrived  at  Paris,  been  re- 
ceived with  the  most  overwhelming  enthusiasm,  and  at  this  moment 
the  preparations  for  war  are  resounding  from  Venice  to  the  Vistula. 
All  our  disposable  forces  are  on  the  march  for  embarkation.  Lord 
Wellington  has  taken  the  command,  and  already,  I  may  say,  the 
campaign  has  begun." 

The  tone  of  enthusiasm  in  which  the  young  officer  spoke,  the 
astounding  intelligence  itself,  contrasting  with  the  apathetic  indo- 
lence of  my  own  life,  made  me  blush  deeply,  as  I  muttered  some 
miserable  apology  for  my  ignorance. 

"And  you  are  now  en  route?" 

"  For  Fermoy,  from  which  we  march  to  Cove  for  embarkation. 
The  first  battalion  of  our  regiment  sailed  for  the  West  Indies  a  week 
since,  but  a  frigate  has  been  sent  after  them  to  bring  them  back; 
and  we  hope  all  to  meet  in  the  Netherlands  before  the  month  is 
over.  But  I  must  beg  your  pardon  for  saying  adieu.  Good-bye, 
sir." 

"  Good-bye,  sir ;  good-bye ;"  said  I,  as,  still  standing  in  the  road, 
I  was  so  overwhelmed  with  surprise  that  I  could  scarcely  credit  my 
senses. 

A  little  further  on  I  came  up  with  the  main  body  of  the  regiment, 
from  whom  I  learned  the  corroboration  of  the  news,  and  also  the 
additional  intelligence  that  Sparks  had  been  ordered  off  with  his 
detachment  early  in  the  morning,  a  veteran  battalion  being  sent 
into  garrison  in  the  various  towns  of  the  south  and  west. 


BRUSSELS.  689 

"Do  you  happen  to  know  a  Mr.  O'Malley,  sir?"  said  the  Major, 
coming  up  with  a  note  in  his  hand. 

"  I  beg  to  present  him  to  you,"  said  I,  bowing. 

"Well,  sir,  Sparks  gave  me  this  note,  which  he  wrote  with  a 
pencil  as  we  crossed  each  other  on  the  road  this  morning.  He  told 
me  you  were  an  old  14th  man ;  but  your  regiment  is  in  India,  I 
believe ;  at  least  Power  said  they  were  under  orders  when  we  met 
him." 

"  Fred  Power !  are  you  acquainted  with  him  ?  Where  is  he  now, 
pray?" 

"  Fred  is  on  the  staff  with  General  Yandeleur,  and  is  now  in  Bel- 
gium." 

"  Indeed !"  said  I,  every  moment  increasing  my  surprise  at  some 
new  piece  of  intelligence.  "And  the  88th?"  said  I,  recurring  to  my 
old  friends  in  that  regiment. 

"  Oh,  the  88th  are  at  Gibraltar  or  somewhere  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean :  at  least,  I  know  they  are  not  near  enough  to  open  the  present 
campaign  with  us.  But  if  you'd  like  to  hear  any  more  news,  you 
must  come  over  to  Borrisokane ;  we  stop  there  to-night." 

"Then  I'll  certainly  do  so." 

"  Come  at  six,  then,  and  dine  with  us." 

"Agreed,"  said  I;  "and  now,  good-morning." 

So  saying,  I  once  more  drove  on ;  my  head  full  of  all  that  I  had 
been  hearing,  and  my  heart  bursting  with  eagerness  to  join  the  gal- 
lant fellows  now  bound  for  the  campaign. 


CHAPTER   LI. 

BRUSSELS. 

I  MUST  not  protract  a  tale  already  far  too  long  by  the  recital  of 
my  acquaintance  with  the  gallant  26th.  It  is  sufficient  that  I 
should  say  that,  having  given  Mike  orders  to  follow  me  to  Cove, 
I  joined  the  regiment  on  their  march,  and  accompanied  them  to 
Cork.  Every  hour  of  each  day  brought  us  in  news  of  moment  and 
importance ;  and,  amid  all  the  stirring  preparations  for  the  war,  the 
account  of  the  splendid  spectacle  of  the  Champ  de  Mai  burst  upon 
astonished  Europe,  and  the  intelligence  spread  far  and  near  that 
the  enthusiasm  of  France  never  rose  higher  in  favor  of  the  Em*- 
peror ;  and,  while  the  whole  world  made  preparations  for  the  deadly 
44 


690  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

combat,  Napoleon  surpassed  even  himself,  by  the  magnificent  con- 
ceptions for  the  coming  conflict,  and  the  stupendous  nature  of 
those  plans  by  which  he  resolved  on  resisting  combined  and  united 
Europe. 

While  our  admiration  and  wonder  of  the  mighty  spirit  that  ruled 
the  destinies  of  the  Continent  rose  high,  so  did  our  own  ardent  and 
burning  desire  for  the  day  when  the  open  field  of  fight  should  place 
us  once  more  in  front  of  each  other. 

Every  hard-fought  engagement  of  the  Spanish  war  was  thought 
of  and  talked  over ;  from  Talavera  to  Toulouse,  all  was  remembered ; 
and  while  among  the  old  Peninsulars  the  military  ardor  was  so  uni- 
versally displayed,  among  the  regiments  who  had  not  shared  the 
glories  of  Spain  and  Portugal,  an  equal,  perhaps  a  greater,  impulse 
was  created  for  the  approaching  campaign.    . 

When  we  arrived  at  Cork,  the  scene  of  bustle  and  excitement  ex- 
ceeded anything  I  ever  witnessed.  Troops  were  mustering  in  every 
quarter;  regiments  arriving  and  embarking;  fresh  bodies  of  men 
pouring  in ;  drills,  parades,  and  inspections  going  forward ;  arms, 
ammunition,  and  military  stores  distributing  ;  and,  amid  all,  a  spirit 
of  burning  enthusiasm  animated  every  rank  for  the  approaching 
glory  of  the  newly-arisen  war. 

While  thus  each  was  full  of  his  own  hopes  and  expectations,  I 
alone  felt  depressed  and  downhearted.  My  military  caste  was  lost 
to  me  forever ;  my  regiment  many,  many  a  mile  from  the  scene  of 
the  coming  strife;  though  young,  I  felt  like  one  already  old  and 
bygone.  The  last-joined  ensign  seemed,  in  his  glowing  aspiration, 
a  better  soldier  than  I,  as,  sad  and  dispirited,  I  wandered  through 
the  busy  crowds,  surveying  with  curious  eye  each  gallant  horseman 
as  he  rode  proudly  past.  What  were  wealth  and  fortune  to  me? 
What  had  they  ever  been,  compared  with  all  they  cost  me  ? — the 
abandonment  of  the  career  I  loved — the  path  in  life  I  sought  and 
panted  for?  Day  after  day  I  lingered  on,  watching  with  beating 
heart  each  detachment  as  they  left  the  shore ;  and  when  their  part- 
ing cheer  rang  high  above  the  breeze,  I  turned  sadly  back  to  mourn 
over  a  life  that  had  failed  in  its  promise,  and  an  existence  now 
shorn  of  its  enjoyment. 

It  was  on  the  evening  of  the  3d  of  June  that  I  was  slowly  wending 
my  way  back  towards  my  hotel ;  latterly  I  had  refused  all  invita- 
tions to  dine  at  the  mess;  and,  by  a  strange  spirit  of  contradiction, 
while  I  avoided  society,  could  not  yet  tear  myself  away  from  the 
spot  where  every  remembrance  of  my  past  life  was  daily  embittered 
by  the  scenes  around  me.  But  so  it  was ;  the  movement  of  the 
troops,  their  reviews,  their  arrivals  and  departures,  possessed  the 
most  thrilling  interest  for  me;  while  I  could  not  endure  to  hear 


BRUSSELS.  691 

the  mention  of  the  high  hopes  and  glorious  vows  each  brave  fellow 
muttered. 

It  was,  as  I  remember,  on  the  evening  of  the  3d  of  June,  I  entered 
my  hotel,  lower  in  spirits  even  than  usual ;  the  bugles  of  the  gallant 
71st,  as  they  dropped  down  v/ith  the  tide,  played  a  well-known  march 
I  had  heard  the  night  before  Talavera;  all  my  bold  and  hardy  days 
came  rushing  madly  to  my  mind ;  and  my  present  life  seemed  no 
longer  endurable.  The  last  Army  List  and  the  newspapers  lay  on 
my  table,  and  I  turned  to  read  the  latest  promotions  with  that  feel- 
ing of  bitterness  by  which  an  unhappy  man  loves  to  tamper  with 
his  misery. 

Almost  the  first  paragraph  I  threw  my  eyes  upon  ran  thus : — 

"  Ostend,  May  24. — The  sloop-of-war  Vixen,  which  arrived  at 
our  port  this  morning,  brought,  among  several  other  officers  of  in- 
ferior note,  Lieutenant-General  Sir  George  Dashwood,  appointed  as 
Assistant- Adjutant-General  on  the  staff  of  his  Grace  the  Duke  of 
Wellington.  The  gallant  General  was  accompanied  by  his  lovely 
and  accomplished  daughter,  and  his  military  secretary  and  aide-de- 
camp, Major  Hammersley,  of  the  2d  Life  Guards.  They  partook  of 
a  hurried  dgjeunt  with  the  Burgomaster,  and  left  immediately  after 
for  Brussels." 

Twice  I  read  this  over,  while  a  burning,  hot  sensation  settled  upon 
my  throat  and  temples.  "So  Hammersley  still  persists — he  still 
hopes.  And  what  then  ? — what  can  it  be  to  me?  My  prospects  have 
long  since  faded  and  vanished !  doubtless,  ere  this,  I  am  as  much 
forgotten  as  though  we  had  never  met, — would  that  we  never  had!" 
I  threw  up  the  window-sash  ;  a  light  breeze  was  gently  stirring,  and, 
as  it  fanned  my  hot  and  bursting  head,  I  felt  cool  and  relieved. 
Some  soldiers  were  talking  beneath  the  window,  and  among  them  I 
recognized  Mike's  voice. 

"  And  so  you  sail  at  daybreak,  sergeant  ?" 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Free ;  we  have  our  orders  to  be  on  board  before  the 
flood-tide.  The  Thunderer  drops  down  the  harbor  to-night,  and  we 
are  merely  here  to  collect  our  stragglers." 

"  Faix,  it's  little  I  thought  I'd  ever  envy  a  sodger  any  more ;  but, 
some  way,  I  wish  I  was  going  with  you." 

"Nothing  easier,  Mike,"  said  another,  laughing. 

"  Oh,  true  for  you,  but  that's  not  the  way  I'd  like  to  do  it.  If  my 
master,  now,  would  just  get  over  his  low  spirits,  and  spake  a  word 
to  the  Duke  of  York,  devil  a  doubt  but  he'd  give  him  his  commis- 
sion back  again,  and  then  one  might  go  in  comfort." 

"  Your  master  likes  his  feather  pillow  better  than  a  mossy  stone 
under  his  head,  I'm  thinking ;  and  he  ain't  far  wrong,  either." 


692  CHAJILES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  You're  out  there,  neighbor.  It's  himself  cares  as  little  for  hard- 
ships as  any  one  of  you;  and  sure  it's  not  becoming  me  to  say  it, 
but  the  best  blood  and  the  best  bred  was  always  the  last  to  give  in 
for  either  cold  or  hunger,  ay,  or  even  complain  of  it." 

Mike's  few  words  shot  upon  me  a  new  and  a  sudden  conviction — 
what  was  to  prevent  my  joining  once  more  ?  Obvious  as  such  a 
thought  now  was,  yet  never  until  this  moment  did  it  present  itself 
so  palpably.  So  habituated  does  the  mind  become  to  a  certain  train 
of  reasoning,  framing  its  convictions  according  to  one  preconceived 
plan,  and  making  every  fact  and  every  circumstance  concur  in 
strengthening  what  may  be  but  a  prejudice,  that  the  absence  of  the 
old  14th  in  India,  the  sale  of  my  commission,  the  want  of  rank  in 
the  service,  all  seemed  to  present  an  insurmountable  barrier  to  my 
re-entering  the  army.  A  few  chance  words  now  changed  all  this, 
and  I  saw  that,  as  a  volunteer,  at  least,  the  path  of  glory  was  still 
open,  and  the  thought  was  no  sooner  conceived  than  the  resolve  to 
execute  it.  While,  therefore,  I  walked  hurriedly  up  and  down,  de- 
vising, planning,  plotting,  and  contriving,  each  instant  I  would 
stop  to  ask  myself  how  it  happened  I  had  not  determined  upon  this 
before. 

As  I  summoned  Mike  before  me,  I  could  not  repress  a  feeling  of 
false  shame  as  I  remembered  how  suddenly  so  natural  a  resolve 
must  seem  to  have  been  adopted ;  and  it  was  with  somewhat  of  hesi- 
tation that  I  opened  the  conversation. 

"And  so,  sir,  you  are  going,  after  all? — long  life  to  you!  But  I 
never  doubted  it.  Sure,  you  wouldn't  be  your  father's  son,  and  not 
join  divarsion  when  there  was  any  going." 

The  poor  fellow's  eyes  brightened  up,  his  look  gladdened,  and 
before  he  reached  the  foot  of  the  stairs  I  heard  his  loud  cheer  of 
delight,  that  once  more  we  were  off  to  the  wars. 

The  packet  sailed  for  Liverpool  the  next  morning ;  by  it  we  took 
our  passage,  and  on  the  third  morning  I  found  myself  in  the  wait- 
ing-room at  the  Horse  Guards,  expecting  the  moment  of  his  Royal 
Highness's  arrival ;  my  determination  being  to  serve  as  a  volun- 
teer in  any  regiment  the  Duke  might  suggest,  until  such  time  as  a 
prospect  presented  itself  of  entering  the  service  as  a  subaltern. 

The  room  was  crowded  by  officers  of  every  rank  and  arm  in  the 
service.  The  old,  gray-headed  general  of  division ;  the  tall,  stout- 
looking  captain  of  infantry ;  the  thin  and  boyish  figure  of  the  newly- 
gazetted  cornet,  were  all  there.  Every  accent,  every  look  that 
marked  each  trait  of  national  distinction  in  the  empire,  had  its  rep- 
resentative,— the  reserved,  and  distant  Scotchman  ;  the  gay,  laugh- 
ing, exuberant  Patlander;  the  dark-eyed  and  dark-browed  North 
Briton,  collected  in  groups,  talking  eagerly  together ;  while  every 


BRUSSELS.  693 

instant,  as  some  new  arrival  would  enter,  all  eyes  would  turn  to  the 
spot,  in  eager  expectation  of  the  Duke's  coming.  At  last  the  clash 
of  arms,  as  the  guard  turned  out,  apprised  us  of  his  approach,  and 
we  had  scarcely  time  to  stand  up  and  stop  the  buzz  of  voices,  when 
the  door  opened,  and  an  aide-de-camp  proclaimed,  in  a  full  tone, 
"  His  Eoyal  Highness  the  Commander-in-Chief  1" 
Bowing  courteously  on  every  side,  he  advanced  through  the  crowd, 
turning  his  rapid  and  piercing  100k  here  and  there  through  the 
room,  while  with  that  tact,  the  essential  gift  of  his  family,  he  re- 
cognized each  person  by  his  name,  directing  from  one  to  the  other 
some  passing  observation. 

"  Ah,  Sir  George  Cockburn,  how  d'ye  do  ? — your  son's  appoint- 
ment is  made  out.  Major  Conyers,  that  application  shall  be  looked 
to.  Forbes,  you  must  explain  that  I  cannot  possibly  put  men  in 
the  regiment  of  their  choice — the  service  is  the  first  thing.     Lord 

L ,  your  memorial   is   before  the   Prince  Regent — the  cavalry 

command  will,  I  believe,  however,  include  your  name." 

While  he  spoke  thus,  he  approached  the  place  where  I  was  stand- 
ing, when,  suddenly  checking  himself,  he  looked  at  me  for  a  mo- 
ment somewhat  sternly. 

"  Why  not  in  uniform,  sir  ?" 
"  Your  Royal  Highness,  I  am  not  in  the  army." 
"  Not  in  the  army — not  in  the  army  ?     And  why,  may  I  beg  to 
know,  have  you — but  I'm  speaking  to  Captain  O'Malley,  if  I  mis- 
take not?" 

"  I  held  that  rank,  sir,  once,  but  family  necessities  compelled  me 
to  sell  out ;  I  have  no  commission  in  the  service,  but  am  come  to 
beseech  your  Royal  Highness's  permission  to  serve  as  a  volunteer." 
•  As  a  volunteer,  eh— a  volunteer?  Come,  that's  right,  I  like 
that ;  but  still,  we  want  such  fellows  as  you — the  man  of  Ciudad 
Rodrigo.  Yes,  my  lord,  this  is  one  of  the  stormers ;  fought  his  way 
through  the  trench  among  the  first ;  must  not  be  neglected.  Hold 
yourself  in  readiness,  Captain— hang  it,  I  was  forgetting— Mr.  O'Mal- 
ley, I  mean — hold  yourself  in  readiness  for  a  staff  appointment. 
Smithson,  take  a  note  of  this."  So  saying,  he  moved  on ;  and  I 
found  myself  in  the  street,  with  a  heart  bounding  with  delight,  and 
a  step  proud  as  an  emperor's. 

With  such  rapidity  did  the  events  of  my  life  now  follow  one  upon 
the  other,  that  I  could  take  no  note  of  time  as  it  passed.  On  the 
fourth  day  after  my  conversation  with  the  Duke  I  found  myself  in 
Brussels.  As  yet,  I  heard  nothing  of  the  appointment,  nor  was  I 
gazetted  to  any  regiment  or  any  situation  on  the  staff.  It  was 
strange  enough,  too,  I  met  but  few  of  my  old  associates,  and  not 
one  of  those  with  whom  I  had  been  most  intimate  in  my  Peninsular 


694  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

career ;  but  it  so  chanced  that  very  many  of  the  regiments  who  most 
distinguished  themselves  in  the  Spanish  campaigns,  at  the  peace  of 
1814  were  sent  on  foreign  service.  My  old  friend  Power  was,  I 
learned,  quartered  at  Courtrai ;  and,  as  I  was  perfectly  at  liberty  to 
dispose  of  my  movemerlts  at  present,  I  resolved  to  visit  him  there. 

It  was  a  beautiful  evening  on  the  12th  of  June.  I  had  been  in  • 
quiring  concerning  post-horses  for  my  journey,  and  was  returning 
slowly  through  the  park.  The  hour  was  late — near  midnight — but 
a  pale  moonlight,  a  calm,  unruffled  air,  and  stronger  inducements 
still,  the  song  of  the  nightingales  that  abound  in  this  place,  pre- 
vailed on  many  of  the  loungers  to  prolong  their  stay  j  and  so,  from 
many  a  shady  walk  and  tangled  arbor,  the  clank  of  a  sabre  would 
strike  upon  the  ear,  or  the  low,  soft  voice  of  woman  would  mingle 
its  dulcet  sound  with  the  deep  tones  of  her  companion.  I  wandered 
on,  thoughtful  and  alone ;  my  mind  preoccupied  so  completely  with 
the  mighty  events  passing  before  me,  that  I  totally  forgot  my  own 
humble  career,  and  the  circumstances  of  my  fortune.  As  I  turned 
into  an  alley  which  leads  from  the  Great  Walk  towards  the  palace 
of  the  Prince  of  Orange,  I  found  my  path  obstructed  by  three  per- 
sons who  were  walking  slowly  along  in  front  of  me.  I  was,  as  I 
have  mentioned,  deeply  absorbed  in  thought,  so  that  I  found  myself 
close  behind  them  before  I  was  aware  of  their  presence.  Two  of  the 
party  were  in  uniform,  and  by  their  plumes,  upon  which  a  passing 
ray  of  moonlight  flickered,  I  could  detect  they  were  general  officers; 
the  third  was  a  lady.  Unable  to  pass  them,  and  unwilling  to  turn 
back,  I  was  unavoidably  compelled  to  follow,  and,  however  unwil- 
ling, to  overhear  somewhat  of  their  conversation. 

"  You  mistake,  George,  you  mistake.  Depend  upon  it,  this  will 
be  no  lengthened  campaign ;  victory  will  soon  decide  for  one  snje 
or  the  other.  If  Napoleon  beats  the  Prussians  one  day,  and  beats 
us  the  next,  the  German  states  will  rally  to  his  standard,  and  the 
old  confederation  of  the  Ehine  will  spring  up  once  more,  in  all  the 
plenitude  of  its  power.  The  Champ  de  Mai  has  shown  the  enthusi- 
asm of  France  for  their  emperor.  Louis  Eighteenth  fled  from  his 
capital,  with  few  to  follow,  and  none  to  say,  '  God  bless  him  !'  The 
warlike  spirit  of  the  nation  is  roused  again  ;  the  interval  of  peace, 
too  short  to  teach  habits  of  patient  and  enduring  industry,  is  yet 
sufficient  to  whet  the  appetite  for  carnage,  and  nothing  is  wanting* 
save  the  presence  of  Napoleon  alone  to  restore  all  the  brilliant  de- 
lusions and  intoxicating  splendors  of  the  empire." 

"  I  confess,"  said  the  other,  "  I  take  a  very  different  view  from 
yours  in  this  matter.  To  me  it  seems  that  France  is  as  tired  of 
battles  as  of  the  Bourbons " 

I  heard  no  more,  for,  though  the  speaker  continued,  a  misty  con- 


BRUSSELS.  695 

fusion  passed  across  my  mind.  The  tones  of  his  voice,  well  remem- 
bered as  they  were  by  me,  left  me  unable  to  think,  and  as  I  stood 
motionless  on  the  spot,  I  muttered,  half  aloud,  "  Sir  George  Dash- 
wood."  It  was  he,  indeed ;  and  she  who  leaned  upon  his  arm  could 
be  no  other  than  Lucy  herself.  I  know  not  how  it  was  ;  for  many  a 
long  month  I  had  schooled  my  heart,  and  taught  myself  to  believe 
that  time  had  dulled  the  deep  impression  she  had  made  upon  me, 
and  that  were  we  to  meet  again,  it  would  be  with  more  sorrow  on 
my  part  for  my  broken  dream  of  happiness  than  of  attachment  and 
affection  for  her  who  inspired  it ;  but  now,  scarcely  was  I  near  her — 
I  had  not  gazed  upon  her  looks,  I  had  not  even  heard  her  voice — 
and  yet,  in  all  their  ancient  force  came  back  the  early  passages  of 
my  love,  and  as  her  footfall  sounded  gently  upon  the  ground,  my 
keart  beat  scarce  less  audibly.  Alas  !  I  could  no  longer  disguise 
from  myself  the  avowal  that  she  it  was,  and  she  only,  who  implanted 
in  my  heart  the  thirst  for  distinction,  and  the  moment  was  ever 
present  to  my  mind  in  which,  as  she  threw  her  arms  round  her 
father's  neck,  she  muttered,  "  Oh,  why  not  a  soldier?" 

As  I  thus  reflected,  an  officer  in  full  dress  passed  me  hurriedly, 
and  taking  off  his  hat  as  he  came  up  with  the  party  before  me, 
bowed  obsequiously. 

"  My  Lord ,  I  believe,  and  Sir  George  Dash  wood  ?"    They 

replied  by  a  bow.  "  Sir  Thomas  Picton  wishes  to  speak  with  you 
both  for  a  moment ;  he  is  standing  beside  the  '  Basin.'  If  you  will 
permit "  said  he,  looking  toward  Lucy. 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Sir  George  ;  "  if  you  will  have  the  good- 
ness to  accompany  us,  my  daughter  will  wait  our  coming  here.  Sit 
down,  Lucy ;  we  shall  not  be  long  away." 

The  next  moment  she  was  alone.  The  last  echoes  of  their  retiring 
footsteps  had  died  away  in  the  grassy  walk,  and  in  the  calm  and 
death-like  stillness  I  could  hear  every  rustle  of  her  silk  dress. 
The  moonlight  fell  in  fitful,  straggling  gleams  between  the  leafy 
branches,  and  showed  me  her  countenance,  pale  as  marble.  Her 
eyes  were  upturned  slightly  ;  her  brown  hair,  divided  upon  her  fair 
forehead,  sparkled  with  a  wreath  of  brilliants,  which  heightened  the 
lustrous  effect  of  her  calm  beauty ;  and  now  I  could  perceive  her 
dress  bespoke  that  she  had  been  at  some  of  the  splendid  entertain- 
ments which  followed  day  after  day  in  the  busy  capital. 

Thus  I  stood  within  a  few  paces  of  her  to  be  near  whom,  a  few 
hours  before,  I  would  willingly  have  given  all  I  possessed  in  the 
world ;  and  yet  now  a  barrier  far  more  insurmountable  than  time  and 
space  intervened  between  us  ;  still,  it  seemed  as  though  fortune  had 
presented  this  incident  as  a  last  farewell  between  us.  Why  should  I 
not  take  advantage  of  it  ?     Why  should  I  not  seize  the  only  opportu- 


696  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

nity  that  might  ever  occur  of  rescuing  myself  from  the  apparent  load 
of  ingratitude  which  weighed  on  me  ?  I  felt  in  the  cold  despair  of 
my  heart  that  I  could  have  no  hold  upon  her  affection ;  but  a  pride 
scarce  less  strong  than  the  attachment  that  gave  rise  to  it  urged  me 
to  speak.  By  one  violent  effort  I  summoned  up  my  courage ;  and 
while  I  resolved  to  limit  the  few  words  I  should  say  merely  to  my 
vindication,  I  prepared  to  advance.  Just  at  this  instant,  however, 
a  shadow  crossed  the  path  *  a  rustling  sound  was  heard  among  the 
branches,  and  the  tall  figure  of  a  man  in  a  dra*goon  cloak  stood 
before  me.  Lucy  turned  suddenly  at  the  sound  ;  but  scarcely  had 
her  eyes  been  bent  in  the  direction,  when,  throwing  off  his  cloak,  he 
sprang  forward,  and  dropped  at  her  feet.  All  my  feeling  of  shame 
at  the  part  I  was  performing  was  now  succeeded  by  a  sense  of  savage 
and  revengeful  hatred.  It  was  enough  that  I  should  be  brought 
to  look  upon  her  whom  I  had  lost  forever  without  the  added 
bitterness  of  witnessing  her  preference  for  a  rival.  The  whirlwind 
passion  of  my  brain  stunned  and  stapefied  me.  Unconsciously  I 
drew  my  sword  from  my  scabbard,  and  it  was  only  as  the  pale  light 
fell  upon  the  keen  blade  that  the  thought  flashed  across  me,  "  What 
could  I  mean  to  do  ?" 

"  No,  Hammersley," — it  was  he  indeed, — said  she,  "  it  is  unkind, 
it  is  unfair,  nay,  it  is  unmanly  to  press  me  thus.  I  would  not  pain 
you,  were  it  not  that  in  sparing  you  now  I  should  entail  deeper 
injury  upon  you  hereafter.  Ask  me  to  be  your  sister — your  friend  ; 
ask  me  to  feel  proudly  in  your  triumphs — to  glory  in  your  success ; 
all  this  I  do  feel ;  but  oh  !  I  beseech  you,  as  you  value  your  happi- 
ness— as  you  prize  mine — ask  me  no  more  than  this." 

There  was  a  pause  of  some  seconds,  and  at  length  the  low  tones 
of  a  man's  voice,  broken  and  uncertain  in  their  utterance,  said, — 

"  I  know  it — I  feel  it.  My  heart  never  bade  me  hope — and  now — 
'tis  over." 

He  stood  up  as  he  spoke,  and  while  he  threw  the  light  folds  of  his 
mantle  round  him,  a  gleam  of  light  fell  upon  his  features.  They 
were  pale  as  death ;  two  dark  circles  surrounded  .his  sunken  eyes, 
and  his  bloodless  lip  looked  still  more  ghastly  from  the  dark  mous- 
tache that  drooped  above  it. 

"  Farewell !"  said  he,  slowly,  as  he  crossed  his  arms  sadly  upon 
his  breast ;  "  I  will  not  pain  you  more." 

"Oh!  go  not  thus  from  me,"  said  she,  as  her  voice  became 
tremulous  with  emotion  ;  "  do  not  add  to  the  sorrow  that  weighs 
upon  my  heart.  I  cannot,  indeed  I  cannot,  be  other  than  I  am ; 
and  I  do  but  hate  myself  to  think  that  I  cannot  give  my  love  where 

I  have  given  all  my  esteem.     If  time "     But  before  she  could 

continue  further,  the  noise  of  approaching  footsteps  was  heard,  and 


BRUSSELS.  697 

the  voice  of  Sir  George,  as  he  came  near.  Hammersley  disappeared 
at  once,  and  Lucy,  with  rapid  steps,  advanced  to  meet  her  father, 
while  I  remained  riveted  upon  the  spot.  What  a  torrent  of  emotions 
then  rushed  upon  my  heart!  What  hopes,  long  dead  or  dying, 
sprang  up  to  life  again  I  What  visions  of  long-abandoned  happi- 
ness flitted  before  me  !  Could  it  be,  then  ?  dare  I  trust  myself  to 
think  of  it,  that  Lucy  cared  for  me  ?  The  thought  was  maddening. 
With  a  bounding  sense  of  ecstasy  I  dashed  across  the  park,  resolving 
at  all  hazards  to  risk  everything  upon  the  chance,  and  wait  the  next 
morning  upon  Sir  George  Dashwood.  As  I  thought  thus,  I  reached 
my  hotel,  where  I  found  Mike  in  waiting  with  a  letter.  As  I  walked 
towards  the  lamp  in  the  porte  coch&re,  my  eye  fell  upon  the  address. 
It  was  in  General  Dashwood's  hand.  I  tore  it  open,  and  read  as 
follows: 

"Dear  Sir: — Circumstances,  into  which  you  will  excuse  me 
entering,  having  placed  an  insurmountable  barrier  to  our  former 
terms  of  intimacy,  you  will,  I  trust,  excuse  me  declining  the  honor 
of  any  nearer  acquaintance,  and  also  forgive  the  liberty  I  take  in 
informing  you  of  it,  which  step,  however  unpleasant  to  my  feelings, 
will  save  us  both  the  great  pain  of  meeting. 

"I  have  only  this  moment  heard  of  your  arrival  in  Brussels,  and 
take  thus  the  earliest  opportunity  of  communicating  with  you. 

"  With  every  assurance  of  my  respect  for  you  personally,  and  an 
earnest  desire  to  serve  you  in  your  military  career, 

"  I  beg  to  remain, 

"  Very  faithfully  yours, 

"George  Dashwood." 

"Another  note,  sir,"  said  Mike,  as  he  thrust  into  my  hand  a 
letter  he  had  just  received  from  an  orderly. 

Stunned,  half  stupefied,  I  broke  the  seal.  The  contents  were  but 
three  lines. 

"Sir  :— I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  Sir  Thomas  Picton 
has  appointed  you  an  extra  aide-de-camp  on  his  personal  staff.  You 
will  therefore  present  yourself  to-morrow  morning  at  the  Adjutant- 
General's  office,  to  receive  your  appointment  and  instructions. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c. 

"G.  Fitzroy." 

Crushing  the  two  letters  in  my  fevered  hand,  I  retired  to  my  room, 
and  threw  myself,  dressed  as  I  was,  upon  my  bed.  Sleep,  that  seems 


698  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

to  visit  us  in  the  saddest  as  in  the  happiest  times  of  our  existence, 
came  over  me,  and  I  did  not  awake  until  the  bugles  of  the  95th  were 
sounding  the  reveille  through  the  park,  and  the  bright  beams  of  the 
morning  sun  were  peering  through  the  window. 


CHAPTEE    LII. 

AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE. 

MR.  O'MALLEY,"  said  a  voice,  as  my  door  opened,  and  an 
officer  in  undress  entered.  "Mr.  O'Malley,  I  believe  you 
received  your  appointment  last  night  on  General  Picton's 
staff?" 

I  bowed  in  reply,  as  he  resumed  : 

u  Sir  Thomas  desires  that  you  will  proceed  to  Courtrai  with  these 
despatches  in  all  haste.  I -don't  know  if  you  are  well  mounted,  but 
I  recommend  you,  in  any  case,  not  to  spare  your  cattle." 

So  saying,  he  wished  me  a  good  morning,  and  left  me,  in  a  state  of 
no  small  doubt  and  difficulty,  to  my  own  reflections.  What  the 
deuce  was  I  to  do  ?  I  had  no  horse  ;  I  knew  not  where  to  find  one. 
What  uniform  should  I  wear?  For  although  appointed  on  the  staff, 
I  was  not  gazetted  to  any  regiment  that  I  knew  of,  and  hitherto  had 
"fceen  wearing  an  undress  frock  and  a  foraging  cap,  for  I  could  not 
bear  to  appear  as  a  civilian  among  so  many  military  acquaintances. 
No  time  was,  however,  to  be  lost,  so  I  proceeded  to  put  on  my  old 
14th  uniform,  wondering  whether  my  costume  might  not  cost  me  a 
reprimand  in  the  very  outset  of  my  career.  Meanwhile  I  despatched 
Mike  to  see  after  a  horse,  caring  little  for  the  time,  the  merits,  or 
the  price  of  the  animal,  provided  he  served  my  present  purpose. 

In  less  than  twenty  minutes  my  worthy  follower  appeared  beneath 
my  window,  surrounded  by  a  considerable  mob,  who  seemed  to  take 
no  small  interest  in  the  proceedings. 

"  What  the  deuce  is  the  matter  ?"  cried  I,  as  I  opened  the  sash  and 
looked  out. 

"Mighty  little's  the  matter,  your  honor;  it's  the  savages  here 
that's  admiring  my  horsemanship,"  said  Mike,  as  he  belabored  a 
tall,  scraggy-looking  mule  with  a  stick  which  bore  an  uncommon 
resemblance  to  a  broom-handle*. 

"  What  do  you  mean  to  do  with  that  beast  ?"  said  I.  "  You  surely 
don't  expect  me  to  ride  a  mule  to  Courtrai  ?" 


AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE.  699 

"  Faith,  and  if  you  don't,  you  are  likely  to  walk  the  journey  ;  for 
there  isn't  a  horse  to  be  had  for  love  or  money  in  the  town ;  but  I 
am  told  that  Mr.  Marsden  is  coming  up  to-morrow  with  plenty,  so 
that  you  may  as  well  take  the  journey  out  of  the  soft  horns  as  spoil 
a  better,  and  if  he  only  makes  as  good  use  of  his  fore  legs  as  he  does 
of  the  hind  ones,  he'll  think  little  of  the  road." 

A  vicious  lash  out  behind  served  in  a  moment  to  corroborate 
Mike's  assertion,  and  to  scatter  the  crowd  on  every  side. 

However  indisposed  to  exhibit  myself  with  such  a  turnout,  my 
time  did  not  admit  of  any  delay  ;  and  so,  arming  myself  with  my  de- 
spatches, and  having  procured  the  necessary  information  as  to  the 
road,  I  set  out  from  the  Belle  Vue,  amid  an  ill-suppressed  titter  of 
merriment  from  the  mob,  which  nothing  but  fear  of  Mike  and  his 
broomstick  prevented  becoming  a  regular  shout  of  laughter. 

It  was  near  nightfall  as,  tired  and  weary  of  the  road,  I  entered 
the  little  village  of  Halle.  All  was  silent  and  noiseless  in  the  de- 
serted streets  ;  not  a  lamp  threw  its  glare  upon  the  pavement,  not 
even  a  solitary  candle  flickered  through  the  casement.  Unlike  a 
town  garrisoned  by  troops,  neither  sentry  nor  outpost  was  to  be  met 
with ;  nothing  gave  evidence  that  the  place  was  held  by  a  large 
body  of  men  ;  and  I  could  not  help  feeling  struck,  as  the  footsteps  of 
my  mule  were  echoed  along  the  causeway,  with  the  silence  almost  of 
desolation  around  me.  By  the  creaking  of  a  sign,  as  it  swung  mourn- 
fully to  and  fro,  I  was  directed  to  the  door  of  the  village  inn,  where, 
dismounting,  I  knocked  for  some  moments,  but  without  success.  At 
length,  when  I  had  made  an  uproar  sufficient  to  alarm  the  entire 
village,  the  casement  above  the  door  slowly  opened,  and  a  head  en- 
veloped in  a  huge  cotton  nightcap — so,  at  least,  it  appeared  to  me 
from  the  size — protruded  itself.  After  uttering  a  curse  in  about  the 
most  barbarous  French  I  ever  heard,  he  asked  me  what  I  wanted 
there;  to  which  I  replied,  most  nationally,  by  asking  in  return 
where  the  British  dragoons  were  quartered, 

"  They  left  for  Nivelle  this  morning,  to  join  some  regiments  of 
your  own  country." 

"  Ah !  ah !"  thought  I,  "  he  mistakes  me  for  a  Brunswicker,"  to 
which,  by  the  uncertain  light,  my  uniform  gave  me  some  resem- 
blance. As  it  was  now  impossible  for  me  to  proceed  further, 
I  begged  to  ask  where  I  could  procure  accommodation  for  the 
night. 

"  At  the  Burgomaster's.  Turn  to  your  left  at  the  end  of  this  street, 
and  you  will  soon  find  it.  They  have  got  some  English  officers 
there,  who,  I  believe  in  my  soul,  never  sleep." 

This  was,  at  least,  pleasant  intelligence,  and  promised  a  better  ter- 
mination to  my  journey  than  I  had  begun  to  hope  for ;  so  wishing 


700  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

my  friend  a  good-night,  to  which  he  willingly  responded,  I  resumed 
my  way  down  the  street.  As  he  closed  the  window,  once  more  leav- 
ing me  to  my  reflections,  I  began  to  wonder  within  myself  to  what 
arm  of  the  service  these  officers  belonged  to  whose  convivial  gifts  he 
bore  testimony.  As  I  turned  the  corner  of  the  street,  I  soon  dis- 
covered the  correctness  of  his  information.  A  broad  glare  of  light 
stretched  across  the  entire  pavement  from  a  large  house  with  a 
clumsy  stone  portico  before  it.  On  coming  nearer,  the  sound  of 
voices,  the  roar  of  laughter,  the  shouts  of  merriment  that  issued 
forth,  plainly  bespoke  that  a  jovial  party  were  seated  within.  The 
half-shutter  which  closed  the  lower  part  of  the  windows  prevented 
my  obtaining  a  view  of  the  proceedings ;  but  having  cautiously  ap- 
proached the  casement,  I  managed  to  creep  on  the  window-sill  and 
look  into  the  room. 

There  the  scene  was  certainly  a  curious  one.  Around  a  large  table 
sat  a  party  of  some  twenty  persons,  the  singularity  of  whose  appear- 
ance may  be  conjectured  when  I  mention  that  all  those  who  ap- 
peared to  be  British  officers  were  dressed  in  the  robes  of  the  tchevins 
(or  aldermen)  of  the  village  ;  while  some  others,  whose  looks  bespoke 
them  as  sturdy  Flemings,  sported  the  cocked  hats  and  cavalry  hel- 
mets of  their  associates.  He  who  appeared  the  ruler  of  the  feast  sat 
with  his  back  towards  me,  and  wore,  in  addition  to  the  dress  of  bur- 
gomaster, a  herald's  tabard,  which  gave  him  something  the  air  of  a 
grotesque  screen  at  its  potations.  A  huge  fire  blazed  upon  the 
ample  hearth,  before  which  were  spread  several  staff  uniforms,  whose 
drabbled  and  soaked  appearance  denoted  the  reason  of  the  party's 
change  of  habiliments.  Every  imaginable  species  of  drinking- vessel 
figured  upon  the  board,  from  the  rich  flagon  of  chased  silver  to  the 
humble  cruche  we  see  in  a  Teniers  picture.  As  well  as  I  could  hear, 
the  language  of  the  company  seemed  to  be  French,  or,  at  least,  such 
an  imitation  of  that  language  as  served  as  a  species  of  neutral  terri- 
tory for  both  parties  to  meet  in. 

He  of  the  tabard  spoke  louder  than  the  others,  and  although,  from 
the  execrable  endeavors  he  made  to  express  himself  in  French,  his 
natural  voice  was  much  altered,  there  was  yet  something  in  his  ac- 
cents which  seemed  perfectly  familiar  to  me. 

"Mosheer  V Abbey"  said  he,  placing  his  arm  familiarly  on  the 
shoulder  of  a  portly  personage,  whose  shaven  crown  strangely  con- 
trasted with  a  pair  of  corked  moustaches — "Mosheer  V Abbey,  nous 
sommes  frercs,  et  moi,  savez-vous,  suis  iveque, — 'pon  my  life  it's  true;  I 
might  have  been  Bishop  of  Saragossa,  if  I  had  only  consented  to 
leave  the  23d.  J6  suis  bong  Catholique.  Lord  bless  you,  if  you  saw 
how  I  loved  the  nunneries  of  Spain  !  J'ai  tres  jolly  souvenirs  of 
those  nunneries — a  goodly  company  of  little  silver  saints ;  and  this 


AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE.  701 

waistcoat  you  see — rnong  gilet — was  a  satin  petticoat  of  our  Lady  of 
Loretto." 

Need  I  say  that  before  this  speech  was  concluded,  I  had  recog- 
nized in  the  speaker  nobody  but  that  inveterate  old  villain,  Monsoon 
himself? 

" Permettez,  voire  Excellence"  said  a  hale,  jolly-looking  personage 
on  his  left,  as  he  filled  the  Major's  goblet  with  obsequious  politeness. 

"Bong  engfong"  replied  Monsoon,  tapping  him  familiarly  on  the 
head.  "  Burgomaster,  you  are  a  trump ;  and  when  I  get  my  pro- 
motion, I'll  make  you  prefect  in  a  wine  district.  Pass  the  lush,  and 
don't  look  sleepy !  *  Drowsiness,'  says  Solomon,  '  clothes  a  man  in 
rags ;'  and  no  marl  knew  the  world  better  than  Solomon.  Don't  you 
be  laughing,  you  raw  boys.  Never  mind  them,  Abbey ;  Us  sont  petits 
gargongs — fags  from  Eton  and  Harrow ;  better  judges  of  mutton 
broth  than  sherry  negus." 

"  I  say,  Major,  you  are  forgetting  the  song  you  promised  us." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  several  voices  together ;  "  the  song,  Major !  the 
song !" 

"  Time  enough  for  that ;  we're  doing  very  well  as  it  is.  Upon  my 
life,  though,  they  hold  a  deal  of  wine.  I  thought  we'd  liave  had 
them  fit  to  bargain  with  before  ten ;  and  see,  it's  near  midnight ; 
and  I  must  have  my  forage  accounts  ready  for  the  Commissary- 
General  by  to-morrow  morning." 

This  speech  having  informed  me  the  reason  of  the  Major's  pre- 
sence there,  I  resolved  to  wait  no  longer  a  mere  spectator  of  their 
proceedings ;  so,  dismounting  from  my  position,  I  commenced  a 
vigorous  attack  upon  the  door. 

It  was  some  time  before  I  was  heard ;  but  at  length  the  door  was 
opened,  and  I  was  accosted  by  an  Englishman,  who,  in  a  strange 
compound  of  French  and  English,  asked  "  what  the  devil  I  meant 
by  all  that  uproar?"  Determining  to  startle  my  old  friend  the 
major,  I  replied  that  "  I  was  an  aide-de-camp  to  General  Picton, 
and  had  come  down  on  very  unpleasant  business."  By  this  time  the 
noise  of  the  party  within  had  completely  subsided,  and,  from  a  few 
whispered  sentences,  and  their  thickened  breathing,  I  perceived  that 
they  were  listening. 

"May  I  ask,  sir,"  continued  I,  "if  Major  Monsoon  is  here?" 

"  Yes,"  stammered  the  Ensign,  for  such  he  was. 

"  Sorry  for  it,  for  his  sake,"  said  I ;  "  but  my  orders  are  peremp- 
tory." 

A  deep  groan  from  within,  and  a  muttered  request  to  pass  down 
the  sherry,  nearly  overcame  my  gravity ;  but  I  resumed, — 

"  If  you  will  permit  me,  I  will  make  the  affair  as  short  as  possible. 
The  Major,  I  presume,  is  here?" 


702  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

So  saying,  I  pushed  forward  into  the  room,  where  now  a  slight 
scuffling  noise  and  murmur  of  voices  had  succeeded  silence.  Brief 
us  was  the  interval  of  our  colloquy,  the  scene  within  had,  notwith- 
standing, undergone  considerable  change.  The  English  officers, 
hastily  throwing  off  their  aldermanic  robes,  were  busily  arraying 
themselves  in  their  uniforms,  while  Monsoon  himself,  with  a  huge 
basin  of  water  before  him,  was  endeavoring  to  wash  the  cork  from 
his  countenance  in  the  corner  of  his. tabard. 

"  Very  hard  upon  me,  all  this ;  upon  my  life,  so  it  is.  Picton  is 
always  at  me,  just  as  if  we  had  not  been  school-fellows.  The  service 
is  getting  worse  every  day.  RegardezmoiyCurey,  mong  face  est  propref 
Eh  ?  There,  thank  you.  Good  fellow  the  Curey  is,  but  takes  a  deal 
of  fluid.  Oh,  Burgomaster !  I  fear  it  is  all  up  with  me !  No  more 
fun,  no  more  jollification,  no  more  plunder — and  how  I  did  do  it  I 
Nothing  like  watching  one's  little  chances!  'The  poor  is  hated 
even  by  his  neighbor.'  Oui,  Curey,  it  is  Solomon  says  that,  and 
they  must  have  had  a  heavy  poor-rate  in  his  day  to  make  him  say 
so.     Another  glass  of  sherry  ?" 

By  this  time  I  approached  the  back  of  his  chair,  and,  slapping 
him  heartily  on  the  shoulder,  called  out, — 
" Major!  old  boy,  how  goes  it?" 

"  Eh ?— what?— how ?— who  is  this ?  It  can't  be— egad,  sure.it  is, 
though.  Charley !  Charley  O'Malley,  you  scapegrace,  where  have 
you  been  ?     When  did  you  join  ?" 

"A  week  ago,  Major.  I  could  resist  it  no  longer.  I  did  my  best 
to  be  a -country  gentleman,  and  behave  respectably,  but  the  old 
temptation  was  too  strong  for  me.  Fred  Power  and  yourself,  Major, 
had  ruined  my  education ;  and  here  I  am  once  more  amongst  you." 
"  And  so  Picton,  and  the  arrest,  and  all  that,  was  nothing  but  a 
joke?"  said  the  old  fellow,  rolling  his  wicked  eyes  with  a  most  cun- 
ning expression.  „■ 

"Nothing  more,  Major;  set  your  heart  at  rest." 
"  What  a  scamp  you  are,"  said  he,  with  another  grin.    "  77  est  mon 
fils—il  est  mon  fils,  Curey ,"  presenting  me,  as  he  spoke,  while  the 
Burgomaster,  in  whose  eyes  the  Major  seemed  no  inconsiderable 
personage,  saluted  me  with  profound  respect. 

Turning  at  once  towards  this  functionary,  T  explained  that  I  was 
the  bearer  of  important  despatches,  and  that  my  horse— I  was 
ashamed  to  say  my  mule— having  fallen  lame,  I  was  unable  to 
proceed. 

"Can  you  procure  me  a  remount,  monsieur?"  said  I,  "for  I  must 
hasten  on  to  Courtrai." 

"  In  half  an  hour  you  shall  be  provided,  as  well  as  with  a  mounted 
guide  for  the  road.    Lefils  de  son  Excellence,"  said  he,  with  emphasis, 


AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE.  703 

bowing  to  the  Major  as  he  spoke,  who,  in  his  turn,  repaid  the  cour- 
tesy with  a  still  lower  obeisance. 

"  Sit  down,  Charley  ;  here  is  a  clean  glass.  I  am  delighted  to  see 
you,  my  boy  !  They  tell  me  you  have  got  a  capital  estate,  and  plenty 
of  ready.  Lord  !  we  so  wanted  you,  as  there's  scarcely  a  fellow  with 
sixpence  among  us.  Give  me  the  lad  that  can  do  a  bit  of  paper  at 
.three  months,  and  always  be  ready  for  a  renewal !  You  haven't  got 
a  twenty-pound  note  ?"  This  was  said  sotto  voce.  "  Never  mind,  ten 
will  do  ;  you  will  give  me  the  remainder  at  Brussels.  Strange,  is  it 
not,  I  have  not  seen  a  bit  of  clean  bank  paper  like  this  for  above  a 
twelvemonth !"  This  was  said  as  he  thrust  his  hand  into  his  pocket, 
with  one  of  those  peculiar  leers  upon  his  countenance  which,  un- 
fortunately, betrayed  more  satisfaction  at  his  success  than  gratitude 
for  the  service.  "  You  are  looking  fat — too  fat,  I  think,"  said  he, 
scrutinizing  me  from  head  to  foot ;  "  but  the  life  we  are  leading  just 
now  will  soon  take  that  off.  The  slave-trade  is  luxurious  indolence 
compared  to  it.  Post  haste  to  Nivelle  one  day ;  down  to  Ghent  the 
next ;  forty  miles  over  a  paved  road  in  a  hand-gallop,  and  an  aide- 
de-camp  with  a  watch  in  his  hand  at  the  end  of  it,  to  report  if  you 
are  ten  minutes  too'late.  And  there  is  Wellington  has  his  eye  every- 
where ;  there  is  not  a  truss  of  hay  served  to  the  cavalry,  nor  a  pair 
of  shoes  half-soled  in  the  regiment,  that  he  don't  know  of.  I've  got 
it  over  the  knuckles  already." 

"  How  so,  Major? — how  was  that?" 

"  Why,  he  ordered  me  to  picket  two  squadrons  of  the  7th,  and  a 
supper  was  waiting.  I  didn't  like  to  leave  my  quarters,  so  I  took  up 
my  telescope  and  pitched  upon  a  sweet  little  spot  of  ground  on  a 
hill — rather  difficult  to  get  up,  to  be  sure,  but  a  beautiful  view  when 
you're  on  it.  '  There  is  your  ground,  Captain/  said  I,  * as  I  sent  one 
of  my  people  to  mark  the  spot.'  He  did  not  like  it  much  ;  however, 
he  was  obliged  to  go.  And,  would  you  believe  it  ? — so  much  for  bad 
luck  ! — there  turned  out  to  be  no  water  within  two  miles  of  it — not 
a  drop,  Charley ;  and  so,  about  eleven  at  night,  the  two  squadrons 
moved  down  into  Grammont  to  wet  their  Jips,  and,  what  is  worse, 
to  report  me  to  the  commanding  officer.  And,  only  think,  they  put 
me  under  arrest  because  Providence  did  not  make  a  river  run  up  a 
mountain !" 

Just  as  the  Major  finished  speaking,  the  distant  clatter  of  horses' 
feet  and  the  clank  of  cavalry  was  heard  approaching.  We  all  rushed 
eagerly  to  the  door ;  and  scarcely  had  we  done  so,  when  a  squadron 
of  dragoons. came  riding  up  the  street  at  a  fast  trot. 

u  I  say,  good  people,"  cried  the  officer,  in  French,  "  where  does 
the  Burgomaster  live  here?" 

"  Fred  Power,  'pon  my  life !"  shouted  the  Major. 


704  en  a  in.  E8  (j' ma  li,  i:  y. 

"  Kli,  Morr-oon  I   that  y-ii  '  mbler  of  wine,  old  boy  ; 

you  are  lure  to  bar*  nd  I  am  (to  blows/1 

"Got  down,  I  '"I,  gel  down;  we  bare  an  old  friend  here*" 
''Who  the  donee  d'ye  mean?"  -aid  he,  u  throwing  bimeell  from 
addle,  he  -trode  into  the  room.    "Charley  O'Mallerl  by  nil 

that',  gioriouel" 

! red,  my  (,'allant  fellow!"  I*id   I. 

"  It  mm  but  tibia  morning,  Charley,  that  f  ■-.<>  iriehed  for  you  bore. 
The  FrcBoh  are  advancing,  my  lad;  they  havecroeaed  the  frontier; 
Ziethen'i  dorne  bawe  i><  m  attacked,  and  driven  In  ;  lil  urix  r  ie  falling 

buck    upon    Li(/ny;   anrj  the  MtUpkigD  M  Opened.      But  I  rnunf 

forward;  the  regiment  hi  cloaa  behind  me,  and  we  are  ordered  to 
pa  i.  i',r  Btuaaek  in  all  bnato/1 
"  'i  ben  aatchea,"  mid  I,  lowing  my  packet,  "  'tin  mine* 

CCfuary  to  proceed  with  ?" 

"Quite  o.    Oct  into  tii'-  -addle,  and  dame  bach  with  uh." 
The  Bnrgemj  kef  bed  kept  bit  word  with  mej  eo,  mounted  upon 
aatrong  backney,  J  set  out  with  Power  on  the  "';"i  to  BruaeeU,    I 

ion    more,    than  once  to  ask    pardon   of  my  reader  for 

the  prolixity  of  my  narrative,  ko  I    H.ha.11    not    tr  him   here 

by  the  dataH  of  our  eonver-ation  ■  we  jogged  alone-.      Of  me  and 

'!  v<  ill  ur< Ml  he tain  ady  known  enouj/h      perhapH   too  much.      My 

friend  Potrer'i  career,  abounding  a-  it  did  In  striking  incidenta,  and 

all  the  light  and  shadow  of  a  soldier'.-;  life,  yet  not,  bearing  upon  any 

of  the  ohnraekera  I  have  presented  to  your  acquaintance,  except  in 
ope  Inatanoe,  of  that  only  thai]  I  ip 
"And  the  Benbora,  Fred, how  go<*  your  fortune  in  that  quarterf1 

"  (iloriou.-.ly,  Charley  !      I    am  every  day  expecting  the  promotion 

in  my  regiment  which  is  to  make  bar  mine." 

"  You  bate  heard  from  her  lately,  then?" 

u  Heard  from  berl    Why,  man,  ihi  to  hi  BrnaaeW^ 

"  [a  Brneeebf" 

"To  be  sure.     Don  Emanuel  in  in  hie-h  favor  with  the  Duke,  and 

m  (lomm'r    ary  <  <<  nera.1  with  the,  a.rmy  ;   arid  the  Henhora,  in  the 
fojfc  of  the  l!in;    koyale,  or,  at   leant,  it'rt  a    divided  'y  00- 

n    h<  r    and    Lucy    DartliWOOd*      And    now,   Charley,  let  m< 

what  of  her?    There    there,  don't  blush,  man;    there,  is  quite 
enough  moonlight  to  show  how  tender  you  an-  in  that  quart 
"Once  for  all,  Fred,  pray  space  me  on  that  subject,     You  bare 

been  far   tOO    fortunate    in    your  offakrt   dt   '•'/"/,  and    I   too    mueh    the 
'•,  tO  permit   mueh    -ympafhy  betwe. n  . 

"  Do  you  not  visit,  then  J  or  is  it  a  eut   between  you  ?" 
"  I  have  DOrer  met  her  sinee   (,|1(;  [light  uf  tin;  masquerade  of  the 

Villa  -at  least,  to  Hpcak  to " 


AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE.  70.r> 

"Well,  I  inn  I COIlfc  :■:-;  you  seem  to  111:1  nage  you  f  own  affairs  much 
worse  Mi:i.ii  your  friend,';  not  hut  that  in  ho  doing  you  an- «-.\hih 
iliii!'  a  very  Irish  f<:iliire  of  your  character*,  hi  :my  < :. ..«•,  ymi  will 
come  I"  thobali?    limy,  will  be  delighted  to  see  you ;  mid  I  havegdt 

over  all  my  jealousy." 

u  What  bail  ?    I  never  beard  of  it." 

u  Never  beard  of  it!  Why,  the  Duchess  of  Richmond's,  of  course. 

Pooh,  pooh!  man  ;  not  invited? — of  course  you  are  invited;  the 
staff  arc  never  left  out  on  Hiieh  occasions.  You  will  find  your  card 
at  your  hotel  when  you  return. 

"  in  any  case,  Fred " 

"  I  shall  insist  upon  your  going.  I  liuve  no  urrure  fmtii  about 
B  reconciliation  with  the  Daub  woods-  no  subtle  scheme,  on  my 
honor;    hut   simply    I     feel    that   you    will    never    give    yourself  fair 

ehancei  Ld  the  world  by  Indulging  your  hahit  of  shrinking  from 
every  embarrassment,     Doo't  be  offended,  hoy ;  I  know  you  have 

pluck  enough  to  Storm  a  battery;  I  have  seen  you  under  lire  before 
now.  What  avails  your  eour:i;'e  in  the.  held  it  you  have  not  pn  :.<n.-.- 
of  mind  in  the  drawing  room.''     I.  crything  else  out  of  the 

question,  it   i;-    :i.   breach  of  eti.pietfc   towards    your  chief  to  decline 

such  an  Invitation." 

"You  think  so?" 

"  Think  so  ?— No ;  I  am  sure  of  it." 
"Then,  as  to  uniform,  Fred?" 

"Oh,  as  to  that,  easily  managed.     And,  now   I    think    of  It,  they 
have  sent  me  an  unattached   uniform,  which  you  can   have  ;   hut  re 
member,    my    hoy,  if  I    put   you    in    my  COat,    I    don'!    want  you    to 
Stand    in    my   shoes.      Don't   forget,   also,  tin.!,  I    am  your  debtor   Ifl 
horse  flesh,  and   fortunately  able   to  repay  you.     I  have  ;<ot     ml,   a 

charger;  your  own  favorite  color,  darl  chestnut,  and,  except  one 
white:  leg,  noi  a  spot  about  bin  ;  can  carry  i  Ixteen  stone  overa  five 

foot  fence,  and  an  steady  as  a  rock  under  fire." 

"  r.ut,  h'red,  how  are  you ?" 

"Oh,  never  mind  me;  I  havesix  in  my;!:.!,!.-,  .and  intend  to  ,|,:,  re 
with  you.      Xhe  fact  is,   I   have  been  traofn  red  from  one  sfafflo  ;,n 

other  for  the  hist  six  months,  and  lour  of  my  number  are  presents, 

Is    Mike,   with    you?      Ah!  rlad    to    bear    it:   you  will    never  get  on 
without  that  fellow.      Hesidcs,  it   is  a  capital    tiling  to  have  such  u 
connecting  link  with  one's  nationality.     No  fear  of  your  evei   I--, 
getting  Ireland  with  Mr.  ffroe  In  your  company,   You  are  not  aware 

1 1,:Lt     wr    li:iv<'    l"'*»    <<"'■•    pond,  nls?      :,.    f.,,-1,   I    :i     ,,,  \f,|.(. 

wrote  me  two  letters;    ami  such   I.  !!,r;     liny   Vferel       The    I 

Jeremiad  over  your  decline  and  fail,  with  a  very  ominous  picture  of 
a  certain  Miss  Baby  Blal 
i.. 


706  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Confound  the  rascal !" 

"  By  Jove,  though,  Charley,  you  were  coming  it  rather  strong 
with  Baby.  Inez  saw  the  letter,  and  as  well  as  she  could  decipher 
Mike's  hieroglyphics,  saw  there  was  something  in  it;  but  the  name 
Baby  puzzled  her  immensely,  and  she  set  the  whole  thing  down  to 
your  great  love  of  children.  I  don't  think  that  Lucy  quite  agreed 
with  her." 

"  Did  she  tell  it  to  Miss  Dashwood  ?"  I  inquired,  with  fear  and 
trembling. 

"  Oh,  that  she  did  ;  in  fact  Inez  never  ceases  talking  of  you  to  Lucy. 
But  come,  don't  look  so  grave ;  let's  have  another  brush  with  the 
enemy ;  capture  a  battery  of  their  guns  ;  carry  off  a  French  Marshal 
or  two ;  get  the  Bath  for  your  services,  and  be  thanked  in  general 
orders,  and  I  will  wager  all  my  chateaux  en  Espagne  that  everything 
goes  well." 

Thus  chatting  away,  sometimes  over  the  past,  of  our  former 
friends  and  gay  companions,  of  our  days  of  storm  and  sunshine ; 
sometimes  indulging  in  prospects  for  the  future,  we  trotted  along, 
and,  as  the  day  was  breaking,  mounted  the  ridge  of  low  hills  from 
whence,  at  the  distance  of  a  couple  of  leagues,  the  city  of  Brussels 
came  into  view. 


CHAPTER    LIII. 

THE   DUCHESS  OF  RICHMOND'S  BALL. 

WHETHER  we  regard  the  illustrious  and  distinguished  per- 
sonages who  thronged  around,  or  we  think  of  the  porten- 
tous moment  in  which  it  was  given,  the  Duchess  of 
Richmond's  ball,  on  the  night  of  the  15th  of  June,  1815,  was  not 
only  one  of  the  most  memorable,  but,  in  its  interest,  the  most 
exciting  entertainment  that  the  memory  of  any  one  now  living  can 
compass. 

There  is  always  something  of  no  common  interest  in  seeing  the 
bronzed  and  war-worn  soldier  mixing  in  the  crowd  of  light-hearted 
and  brilliant  beauty.  To  watch  the  eye  whose  proud  glance  has 
flashed  o'er  the  mail-clad  squadrons,  now  bending  meekly  beneath 
the  look  of  some  timid  girl ;  tohear  the  voice  that,  high  above  the 
battle  or  the  breeze,  has  shouted  the  hoarse  word  "  Charge !"  now 
subdued  into  the  low,  soft  murmur  of  flattery  or  compliment, — this, 
at  any  time,  is  a  picture  full  of  its  own  charm  ;  but  when  we  see 


THE  DUCHESS  OF  RICHMOND'S  BALL.  707 

these  heroes  of  a  hundred  fights ;  when  we  look  upon  these  hardy 
veterans,  upon  whose  brow  the  whitened  locks  of  time  are  telling, 
indulging  themselves  in  the  careless  gayety  of  a  moment  snatched, 
as  it  were,  from  the  arduous  career  of  their  existence,  while  the 
tramp  of  the  advancing  enemy  shakes  the  very  soil  they  stand  on, 
and  where  it  may  be  doubted  whether  each  aide-de-camp  who  enters 
comes  a  new  votary  of  pleasure  or  the  bearer,  of  tidings  that  the 
troops  of  the  foe  are  advancing,  and  already  the  work  of  death  has 
begun, — this  is,  indeed,  a  scene  to  make  the  heart  throb  and  the 
pulse  beat  high ;  this  is  a  moment  second  in  its  proud  excitement 
only  to  the  very  crash  and  din  of  battle  itself;  and  into  this  en- 
trancing whirlwind  of  passion  and  of  pleasure,  of  brilliant  beauty 
and  ennobled  greatness,  of  all  that  is  lovely  in  woman  and  all  that 
is  chivalrous  and  heroic  in  man,  I  brought  a  heart  which,  young  in 
years,  was  yet  tempered  by  disappointment ;  still,  such  was  the  fas- 
cination, such  the  brilliancy  of  the  spectacle,  that  scarcely  had  I 
entered,  than  I  felt  a  change  come  over  me.  The  old  spirit  of  my 
boyish  ardor — that  high-wrought  enthusiasm  to  do  something — to 
be  something  which  men  may  speak  of— shot  suddenly  through  me, 
and  I  felt  my  cheek  tingle,  and  my  temples  throb,  as  name  after 
name  of  starred  and  titled  officers  was  announced,  to  think  that  to 
me,  also,  the  path  of  glorious  enterprise  was  opening. 

"  Come  along,  come  along,"  said  Power,  catching  me  by  the  arm  ; 
"  you've  not  been  presented  to  the  Duchess ;  I  know  her,  I'll  do  it 
for  you — or  perhaps  it  is  better  Sir  Thomas  Picton  should.  In  any 
case,  'JHez'  after  me,  for  the  dark-eyed  Senhora  is  surely  expecting 
us.  There,  do  you  see  that  dark,  intelligent-looking  fellow  leaning 
over  the  end  of  the  sofa?  that  is  Alava.  And  there,  you  know  who 
that  is — that  beau  ideal  of  a  hussar  ?  Look  how  jauntily  he  carries 
himself;  see  the  careless  but  graceful  sling  with  which  he  edges 
through  the  crowd ;  and  look !  mark  his  bow !  Did  you  see  that, 
Charley  ? — did  you  catch  the  quick  glance  he  shot  yonder,  and  the 
soft  smile  that  showed  his  white  teeth  ?  Depend  upon  it,  boy,  some 
fair  heart  is  not  the  better  nor  the  easier  for  that  look." 

"Who  is  it?"  said  I. 

"  Lord  Uxbridge,  to  be  sure, — the  handsomest  fellow  in  the  ser- 
vice. And  there  goes  Vandeleur,  talking  with  Vivian  ;  the  other,  to 
the  left,  is  Ponsonby." 

"  But  stay,  Fred,  tell  me  who  that  is  ?"  For  a  moment  or  two  I 
had  some  difficulty  in  directing  his  attention  to  the  quarter  I  de- 
sired. The  individual  I  pointed  out  was  somewhat  above  the  mid- 
dle size;  his  uniform,  of  blue  and  gold,  though  singularly  plain, 
had  a  look  of  richness  about  it ;  besides  that,  among  the  orders 
which  covered  his  breast,  he  wore  one  star  of  great  brilliancy  and 


708  CHABLES  (VM  ALLEY. 

size.  This,  however,  was  his  least  distinction;  for  although  sur- 
rounded on  every  side  by  those  who  might  be  deemed  the  very 
types  and  pictures  of  their  caste,  there  was  something  in  the  easy 
but  upright  carriage  of  his  head,  the  intrepid  character  of  his  fea- 
tures, the  bold  and  vigorous  flashing  of  his  deep  blue  eye,  that 
marked  him  as  no  common  man.  He  was  talking  with  an  old  and 
prosy-looking  personage,  in  civilian  dress  ;  and  while  I  could  detect 
an  anxiety  to  get  free  from  a  tiresome  companion,  there  was  an  air 
of  deferential  and  even  kind  attention  in  his  manner  absolutely 
captivating. 

"  A  thorough  gentleman,  Fred,  whoever  he  be,"  said  I. 

"  I  should  think  so,"  replied  Power,  dryly  ;  "  and  as  our  country- 
men would  say,  '  The  devil  thank  him  for  it  !'  That  is  the  Prince 
of  Orange ;  but  see,  look  at  him  now ;  his  features  have  learned 
another  fashion."  And  true  it  was.  With  a  smile  of  the  most  win- 
ning softness,  and  with  a  voice  whose  slightly  foreign  accent  took 
nothing  from  its  interest,  I  heard  him  engaging  a  partner  for  a 
waltz. 

There  was  a  flutter  of  excitement  in  the  circle  as  the  lady  rose  to 
take  his  arm,  and  a  muttered  sound  of  "How  very  beautiful! 
quelle  est  belle !  c'est  un  ange  /"  on  all  sides.  I  leaned  forward  to 
catch  a  glance  as  she  passed — it  was  Lucy  Dashwood.  Beautiful 
beyond  anything  I  had  ever  seen  her,  her  lovely  features  lit 
up  with  pleasure  and  with  pride,  she  looked  in  every  way  worthy 
to  lean  upon  the  arm  of  royalty.  The  graceful  majesty  of  her  walk, 
the  placid  loveliness  of  her  gentle  smile,  struck  every  one  as  she 
passed  on.  As  for  me,  totally  forgetting  all  else,  not  seeing  or  hear- 
ing aught  around  me,  I  followed  her  with  my  eye  until  she  was  lost 
amongst  the  crowd,  and  then,  with  an  impulse  of  which  I  was  not 
master,  followed  in  her  steps. 

"  This  way,  this  way,"  said  Power ;  "  I  see  the  Senhora."  So  say- 
ing, we  entered  a  little  boudoir,  where  a  party  was  playing  at  cards. 
Leaning  on  the  back  of  a  chair,  Inez  was  endeavoring,  with  that 
mixture  of  coquetry  and  half  malice  she  possessed,  to  distract  the 
attention  of  the  player.  As  Power  came  near,  she  scarcely  turned 
her  head  to  give  him  a  kind  of  saucy  smile,  while,  seeing  me,  she 
held  out  her  hand  with  friendly  warmth,  and  seemed  quite  happy 
to  meet  me. 

"  Do,  pray,  take  her  away ;  get  her  to  dance,  to  eat  ice,  or  flirt 
with  you,  for  Heaven's  sake  !"  said  the  half-laughing  voice  of  her 
victim.  "I  have  revoked  twice,  and  misdealt  four  times,  since  she 
has  been  here.  Believe  me,  I  shall  take  it  as  the  greatest  favor  if 
if  you'll " 

As  he  got  thus  far,  he  turned  round  towards  me,  and  I  perceived 


THE  DUCHESS  OF  RICHMOND'S  BALL.  709 

it  was  Sir  George  Dashwood.  The  meeting  was  as  awkward  for  him 
as  for  me,  and  while  a  deep  blush  covered  my  face,  he  muttered 
some  unintelligible  apology,  and  Inez  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter  at 
the  ludicrous  contretemps  of  our  situation. 

"  I  will  dance  with  you  now,  if  you  like,"  said  she,  "  and  that  will 
be  punishing  all  three.     Eh,  Master  Fred  ?" 

So  saying,  she  took  my  arm,  as  I  led  her  towards  the  ball-room. 

"And  so  you  really  are  not  friends  with  the  Dashwoods?  How 
very  provoking,  and  how  foolish  too  !  But  really,  chevalier,  I  must 
say  you  treat  ladies  very  ill.  I  don't  forget  your  conduct  to  me. 
Dear  me,  I  wish  we  could  move  forward ;  there  is  some  one  pushing 
me  dreadfully !" 

"  Get  on,  ma'am,  get  on  !"  said  a  sharp,  decided  voice  behind  me. 
I  turned,  half  smiling,  to  see  the  speaker.  It  was  the  Duke  of  Wel- 
lington himself,  who,  with  his  eye  fixed  upon  some  person  at  a  dis- 
tance, seemed  to  care  very  little  for  any  intervening  obstruction. 
As  I  made  way  for  him  to  pass  between  us,  he  looked  hardly  at  me, 
while  he  said,  in  a  short,  quick  way, 

"  Know  your  face  very  well — how  d'ye  do  ?"  With  this  brief 
recognition  he  passed  on,  leaving  me  to  console  Inez  for  her  crushed 
sleeve,  by  informing  her  who  had  done  it. 

The  ball  was  now  at  its  height.  The  waltzers  whirled  past  in  the 
wild  excitement  of  the  dance.  The  inspiriting  strains  of  the  music, 
the  sounds  of  laughter,  the  din,  the  tumult,  all  made  up  that  strange 
medley  which,  reacting  upon  the  minds  of  those  who  cause  it,  in- 
creases the  feeling  of  pleasurable  abandonment,  making  the  old  feel 
young,  and  the  young  intoxicated  with  delight. 

As  the  Senhora  leaned  upon  me,  fatigued  with  waltzing,  I  was 
endeavoring  to  sustain  a  conversation  with  her,  while  my  thoughts 
were  wandering  with  my  eyes  to  where  I  had  last  seen  Lucy  Dash- 
wood. 

"  It  must  be  something  of  importance  ;  I'm  sure  it  is,"  said  she, 
at  the  conclusion  of  a  speech  of  which  I  had  not  heard  one  word. 
"  Look  at  General  Picton's  face  !" 

"Very  pretty,  indeed,"  said  I ;  "but  the  air  is  unbecoming,"  re- 
plying to  some  previous  observation  she  had  made,  and  still  lost  in 
reverie.  A  hearty  burst  of  laughter  was  her  answer,  and  she  gently 
took  my  arm,  saying, 

"  You  really  are  too  bad !  You  never  listen  to  one  word  I've 
been  telling  you,  but  keep  continually  staring  with  your  eyes  here 
and  there,  turning  this  way  and  looking  that;  and  the  dull  and 
vacant,  unmeaning  smile,  answering  at  random  in  the  most  pro- 
voking manner.  There,  now,  pray  pay  attention,  and  tell  me  what 
that  means."     As  she  said  this,  she  pointed  with  her  fan  to  where  a 


710  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

dragoon  officer,  in  splashed  and  spattered  uniform,  was  standing, 
talking  to  some  three  or  four  general  officers.  "  But  here  comes  the 
Duke  ;  it  can't  be  anything  of  consequence." 

At  the  same  instant  the  Duke  of  Wellington  passed,  with  the 
Duchess  of  Eichmond  on  his  arm. 

"  No,  Duchess  ;  nothing  to  alarm  you.     Did  you  say  ice  ?" 

"There,  you  heard  that,  I  hope?"  said  Inez;  "there  is  nothing 
to  alarm  us." 

"Go  to  General  Picton,  at  once,  but  don't  let  it  be  remarked," 
said  an  officer,  in  a  whisper,  as  he  passed  close  by  me. 

"  Inez,  I  have  the  greatest  curiosity  to  know  what  that  new  arrival 
has  to  say  for  himself,  and  if  you  will  permit  me,  I'll  leave  you  with 
Lady  Gordon  for  one  moment " 

"Delighted,  of  all  things.  You  are,  without  exception,  the  most 
tiresome Good-bye." 

"  Adieu  !"  said  I,  as  I  hurried  through  the  crowd  towards  an  open 
window,  on  the  balcony  outside  of  which  Sir  Thomas  Picton  was 
standing. 

"  Ah,  Mr.  O'Malley  !  have  you  a  pencil  ?  There,  that'll  do.  Eide 
down  to  Etterbeck  with  this  order  for  Godwin.  You  have  heard  the 
news,  I  suppose,  that  the  French  are  in  advance  ?  The  79th  will 
muster  in  the  Grande  Place.  The  92d  and  the  28th  along  the  Park 
and  the  Boulevard.  Napoleon  left  Fresnes  this  morning.  The 
Prussians  have  fallen  back.  Zeithen  has  been  beaten.  We  march 
at  once." 

"  To-morrow,  sir  ?" 

"  No,  sir ;  to-night.  There,  don't  delay.  But,  above  all,  let 
everything  be  done  quietly  and  noiselessly.  The  Duke  will  remain 
here  for  an  hour  longer,  to  prevent  suspicion.  When  you've  exe- 
cuted your  orders,  come  back  here." 

I  mounted  the  first  horse  I  could  find  at  the  door,  and  galloped 
with  top  speed  over  the  heavy  causeway  to  Etterbeck.  In  two 
minutes  the  drum  beat  to  arms,  and  the  men  were  mustering  as  I 
left.  Thence  I  hastened  to  the  barracks  of  the  Highland  brigade 
and  the  28th  Eegiment,  and  before  half  an  hour  was  back  in  the 
ball-room,  where,  from  the  din  and  tumult,  I  guessed  the  scene  of 
pleasure  and  dissipation  continued  unabated.  As  I  hurried  up  the 
staircase,  a  throng  of  persons  were  coming  down,  and  I  was  obliged 
to  step  aside  to  let  them  pass. 

"  Ah !  come  here,  pray,"  said  Picton,  who,  with  a  lady,  cloaked 
and  hooded,  leaning  upon  his  arm,  was  struggling  to  make  way 
through  the  crowd.     "  The  very  man  !" 

"  Will  you  excuse  me,  if  I  commit  you  to  the  care  of  my  aide-de- 
camp, who  will  see  you  to  your  carriage?    The  Duke  has  just  de> 


THE  DUCHESS  OF  RICHMOND'S  BALL.  Ill 

sired  to  see  me."  This  he  said  in  a  hurried  and  excited  tone ;  and 
the  same  moment  beckoned  to  me  to  take  the  lady's  arm. 

It  was  with  some  difficulty  I  succeeded  in  reaching  the  spot,  and 
had  only  time  to  ask  whose  carriage  I  should  call  for,  ere  we  arrived 
in  the  hall. 

"  Sir  George  Dashwood's,"  said  a  low,  soft  voice,  whose  accents 
sank  into  my  very  heart.  Heaven  !  it  was  Lucy  herself;  it  was  her 
arm  that  leaned  on  mine,  her  locks  that  fluttered  beside  me,  her 
hand  that  hung  so  near,  and  yet  I  could  not  speak.  I  tried  one 
word ;  but  a  choking  feeling  in  my  throat  prevented  utterance,  and 
already  we  were  upon  the  door-steps. 

"  Sir  George  Dashwood's  carriage,"  shouted  the  footman,  and  the 
announcement  was  repeated  by  the  porter.  The  steps  were  hurried 
down ;  the  footman  stood  door  in  hand,  and  I  led  her  forward,  mute 
and  trembling.  Did  she  know  me  ?  I  assisted  her  as  she  stepped 
in ;  her  hand  touched  mine ;  it  was  the  work  of  a  second ;  to  me  it 
was  the  bliss  of  years.  She  leaned  a  little  forward,  and,  as  the  ser- 
vant put  up  the  steps,  said,  in  her  soft,  sweet  tone,  "  Thank  you,  sir. 
Good-night." 

I  felt  my  shoulder  touched  by  some  one,  who,  it  appeared,  was 
standing  close  to  me  for  some  seconds ;  but  so  occupied  was  I  in 
gazing  at  her,  that  I  paid  no  attention  to  the  circumstance.  The 
carriage  drove  away,  and  disappeared  in  the  thick  darkness  of  a 
starless  night.  I  turned  to  re-enter  the  house,  and  as  I  did  so,  the 
night  lamp  of  the  hall  fell  upon  the  features  of  the  man  beside  me, 
and  showed  me  the  pale  and  corpse-like  face  of  Hammersley.  His 
eye  was  bent  upon  me  with  an  expression  of  fierce  and  fiery  passion, 
in  which  the  sadness  of  long  suffering  also  mingled.  His  bloodless 
lips  parted,  moved  as  though  speaking,  while  yet  no  sound  issued  ; 
and  his  nostrils,  dilating  and  contracting  by  turns,  seemed  to  denote 
some  deep  and  hidden  emotion  that  worked  within  him. 

"  Hammersley,"  said  I,  holding  out  my  hand  towards  him.  "Ham- 
mersley, do  not  always  mistake  me." 

He  shook  his  head  mournfully  as  it  fell  forward  upon  his  breast; 
and,  covering  his  arm,  moved  slowly  away  without  speaking. 

General  Picton's  voice,  as  he  descended  the  stairs,  accompanied 
by  Generals  Vandeleur  and  Vivian,  aroused  me  at  once,  and  I  hur- 
ried towards  him. 

"  Now,  sir ;  to  horse.  The  troops  will  defile  by  the  Namur  gate ; 
meet  me  there  in  an  hour.  Meanwhile  tell  Colonel  Cameron  that  he 
must  march  with  the  light  companies  of  his  own  and  the  92d  at  once." 

"  I  say,  Picton,  they'll  say  we  were  taken  by  surprise  in  England  ; 
won't  they  ?"  said  a  sharp  strong  voice,  in  a  half-laughing  tone,  from 
behind. 


712  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"No,  your  Grace,"  said  Sir  Thomas,  bowing  slightly;  "they'll 
scarcely  do  so  when  they  hear  the  time  we  took  to  get  under  arms." 

I  heard  no  more;  but,  throwing  myself  into  the  saddle  of  my 
troop-horse,  once  more  rode  back  to  the  Belle  Vue,  to  make  ready 
for  the  road. 

The  thin  pale  crescent  of  a  new  moon,  across  which  masses  of 
dark  and  inky  clouds  were  hurrying,  tipped  with  its  faint  and  sickly 
light  the  tall  minarets  of  the  Hotel  de  Ville,  as  I  rode  into  the 
"  Grande  Place."  Although  midnight,  the  streets  were  as  crowded 
as  at  noonday;  horse,  foot,  and  dragoons  passing  and  hurrying 
hither;  the  wild  pibroch  of  the  Highlander;  the  mellow  bugle  of 
the  71st ;  the  hoarse  trumpet  of  the  cavalry ;  the  incessant  roll  of 
the  drum,  mingled  their  sounds  with  the  tide  of  human  voices,  in 
which  every  accent  was  heard,  from  the  reckless  cheer  of  anticipated 
victory  to  the  heart-piercing  shriek  of  woman's  agony.  Lights 
gleamed  from  every  window ;  from  the  doors  of  almost  every  house 
poured  forth  a  crowd  of  soldiers  and  townsfolk.  The  sergeants  on 
one  side  might  be  seen  telling  off  their  men,  their  cool  and  steady 
countenances  evidencing  no  semblance  of  emotion  ;  while  near  them, 
some  young  ensign,  whose  beardless  cheek  and  vacant  smile  bespoke 
the  mere  boy,  looked  on  with  mingled  pride  and  wonder  at  the  wild 
scene  before  him.  Every  now  and  then  some  general  officer,  with 
his  staff,  came  cantering  past ;  and  as  the  efforts  to  muster  and  form 
the  troops  grew  more  pressing,  I  could  mark  how  soon  we  were  des- 
tined to  meet  the  enemy. 

There  are  few  finer  monuments  of  the  architecture  of  the  middle 
ages  than  the  Grande  Place  of  Brussels.  The  rich  facade  of  the 
Hotel  de  Ville,  with  its  long  colonnade  of  graceful  arches,  upon 
every  keystone  of  which  some  grim  grotesque  head  is  peering ;  the 
massive  cornices  ;  the  heavy  gorbels  carved  into  ten  thousand  strange 
and  uncouth  fancies ;  but,  finer  than  all,  the  taper  and  stately  spire, 
fretted  and  perforated  like  some  piece  of  silver  filigree,  stretches 
upward  towards  the  sky,  its  airy  pinnacle  growing  finer  and  more 
beautiful  as  it  nears  the  stars  it  points  to.  How  full  of  historic  as- 
sociations is  every  dark  embrasure,  every  narrow  casement  around ! 
Here  may  have  stood  the  great  Emperor  Charles  the  Fifth,  medita- 
ting upon  that  greatness  he  was  about  to  forego  forever ;  here,  from 
this  tall  window,  may  have  looked  the  sad  and  sickly  features  of 
Jeanne  Laffolle,  as,  with  wandering  eye  and  idiot  smile,  she  gazed 
upon  the  gorgeous  procession  beneath.  There  is  not  a  stone  that 
has  not  echoed  to  the  tread  of  haughty  prince  or  bold  baron ;  yet 
never,  in  the  palmiest  days  of  ancient  chivalry,  did  those  proud 
dwellings  of  the  great  of  old  look  out  upon  a  braver  and  more  valiant 
host  than  now  thronged  beneath  their  shadow.     It  was  indeed  a 


THE  DUCHESS  OF  RICHMOND'S  BALL.  713 

splendid  sight,  where  the  bright  gleams  of  torch  and  lantern  threw 
the  red  light  around,  to  watch  the  measured  tread  and  steady  tramp 
of  the  Highland  regiments  as  they  denied  into  the  open  space,  each 
footstep,  as  it  met  the  ground,  seeming,  in  its  proud  and  firm  tread, 
to  move  in  more  than  sympathy  with  the  wild  notes  of  their  native 
mountains ;  silent  and  still  they  moved  along  ;  no  voice  spoke  within 
their  ranks,  save  that  of  some  command  to  "  Close  up — take  ground 
— to  the  right — rear  rank — close  order."  Except  such  brief  words 
as  these,  or  the  low  muttered  praise  of  some  veteran  general  as 
he  rode  down  the  line,  all  was  orderly  and  steady  as  on  a  parade. 
Meanwhile,  from  an  angle  of  the  square,  the  band  of  an  approaching 
regiment  was  heard ;  and  to  the  inspiriting  quickstep  of  "  The  Young 
May  Moon,"  the  gallant  28th  came  forward,  and  took  up  their  ground 
opposite  to  the  Highlanders. 

The  deep  bell  of  the  Hotel  de  Ville  tolled  one.  The  solemn  sound 
rang  out  and  died  away  in  many  an  echo,  leaving  upon  the  heart  a 
sense  of  some  unknown  depression ;  and  there  was  something  like  a 
knell  in  the  deep  cadence  of  its  bay ;  and  over  many  a  cheek  a  rapid 
trace  of  gloomy  thought  now  passed,  and  true — too  true,  alas! — how 
many  now  listened  for  the  last  time ! 

"  March !  March !"  passed  from  front  to  rear ;  and,  as  the  bands 
burst  forth  again  in  strains  of  spirit-stirring  harmony,  the  79th 
moved  on;  the  28th  followed;  and  as  they  debouched  from  the 
"Place,"  the  71st  and  the  92d  succeeded  them.  Like  wave  after 
wave,  the  tide  of  armed  men  pressed  on,  and  mounted  the  steep  and 
narrow  streets  towards  the  upper  town  of  Brussels.  Here  Pack's 
brigade  was  forming  in  the  Place  Royale;  and  a  crowd  of  staff 
officers  dictating  orders,  and  writing  hurriedly  on  the  drum  heads, 
were  also  seen.  A  troop  of  dragoons  stood  beside  their  horses  at  the 
door  of  the  Belle  Vue,  and  several  grooms  with  led  horses  walked  to 
and  fro. 

"  Ride  forward,  sir,  to  the  Bois  de  Cambre,"  said  Picton,  "  and 
pivot  the  troops  on  the  road  to  Mont  St.  Jean.  You  will  then  wait 
for  my  coming  up,  or  further  orders." 

This  command,  which  was  given  to  me,  I  hastened  to  obey ;  with 
difficulty  forcing  my  way  through  the  opposing  crowd,  I  at  length 
reached  the  Namur  gate.  Here  I  found  a  detachment  of  the  Guards, 
who  as  yet  had  got  no  orders  to  march,  and  were  somewhat  surprised 
to  learn  the  forward  movement.  Ten  minutes'  ride  brought  me  to 
the  angle  of  the  wood,  whence  I  wrote  a  few  lines  to  my  host  of  the 
Belle  Vue,  desiring  him  to  send  Mike  after  me  with  my  horses  and 
my  kit.  The  night  was  cold,  dark,  and  threatening;  the  wind 
howled  with  a  low  and  wailing  cry  through  the  dark  pine  trees ; 
and  as  I  stood  alone  in  the  solitude,  1  had  time  to  think  of  the 


714  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

eventful  hours  before  me,  and  of  that  field  which  ere  long  was  to 
witness  the  triumph  or  the  downfall  of  my  country's  arms.  The 
road  which  led  through  the  forest  of  Soignies  caught  an  additional 
gloom  from  the  dark,  dense  woods  around.  The  faint  moon  only 
showed  at  intervals;  and  a  louring  sky,  without  a  single  star, 
stretched  above  us.  It  was  an  awful  and  a  solemn  thing  to  hear 
the  deep  and  thundering  roll  of  that  mighty  column,  awakening  the 
echoes  of  the  silent  forest  as  they  went.  So  hurried  was  the  move- 
ment, that  we  had  scarcely  any  artillery,  and  that  of  the  lightest 
calibre ;  but  the  clash  and  clank  of  cavalry,  the  heavy  monotonous 
tramp  of  infantry  was  there  ;  and  as  division  followed  after  division, 
staff  officers  rode  hurriedly  to  and  fro,  pressing  on  the  eager  troops. 

"  Move  up  there,  95th.  Ah  !  42d,  we've  work  before  us  !"  said 
Picton,  as  he  rode  up  to  the  head  of  his  brigade.  The  air  of  depres- 
sion which  usually  sat  upon  his  careworn  features  now  changed  for 
a  light  and  laughing  look,  while  his  voice  was  softened  and  subdued 
into  a  low  and  pleasing  tone.  Although  it  was  midsummer,  the 
roads  were  heavy  and  deep  with  mud.  For  some  weeks  previously 
the  weather  had  been  rainy;  and  this,  added  to  the  haste  and  dis- 
comfort of  the  night  march,  considerably  increased  the  fatigue  of 
the  troops.  Notwithstanding  these  disadvantages,  not  a  murmur  nor 
complaint  was  heard  on  any  side. 

"  I'm  unco  glad  to  get  a  blink  o'  them,  onyhow,"  said  a  tall,  raw- 
boned  sergeant,  who  marched  beside  me. 

"  Faith,  and  maybe  you  won't  be  over  pleased  at  the  expression  of 
their  faces,  when  you  see  them,"  said  Mike,  whose  satisfaction  at  the 
prospect  before  him  was  still  as  great  as  that  of  any  other  amid  the 
thousands  there. 

The  day  was  slowly  breaking,  as  a  Prussian  officer,  splashed  and 
covered  with  foam,  came  galloping  up  at  full  speed  past  us.  While 
I  was  yet  conjecturing  what  might  be  the  intelligence  he  brought, 
Power  rode  up  to  my  side. 

"  We're  in  for  it,  Charley,"  said  he.  "  The  whole  French  army 
are  on  the  march ;  and  Blucher's  aide-de-camp,  who  has  arrived, 
gives  the  number  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  men.  The 
Prussians  are  drawn  up  between  Saint  Amand  and  Sombref,  and 
the  Nassau  and  Dutch  troops  are  at  Quatre  Bras,  both  expecting  tot 
be  attacked." 

"  Quatre  Bras  was  the  original  rallying  spot  for  our  troops,  was  it 
not?"  said  I. 

"Yes,  yes.  It  is  that  we're  now  marching  upon;  but  our  Prus- 
sian friend  seems  to  think  we  shall  arrive  too  late.  Strong  French 
corps  are  already  at  Fresnes,  under  the  command,  it  is  said,  of  Mar- 
shal Ney." 


THE  DUCHESS  OF  RICHMOND'S  BALL.  715 

The  great  object  of  the  British  Commander-in-Chief  was  to  arrive 
at  Quatre  Bras  in  sufficient  time  to  effect  his  junction  with  Blucher 
before  a  battle  should  be  fought.  To  effect  this  no  exertion  was 
spared :  efforts  almost  superhuman  were  made ;  for,  however  pre- 
pared for  a  forward  movement,  it  was  impossible  to  have  anticipated 
anything  until  the  intentions  of  Napoleon  became  clearly  manifest. 
While  Nivelle  and  Chaiieroi  were  exposed  to  him  on  one  side,  Namur 
lay  open  on  the  other ;  and  he  could  either  march  upon  Brussels, 
by  Mons  or  Halle,  or,  as  he  subsequently  attempted,  by  Quatre  Bras 
and  Waterloo.  No  sooner,  however,  were  his  intentions  unmasked, 
and  the  line  of  his  operations  manifested,  than  Lord  Wellington, 
with  an  energy  equal  to  the  mighty  occasion  that  demanded  it, 
poured  down  with  the  whole  force  under  his  command  to  meet  him. 

The  march  was  a  most  distressing  one — upwards  of  three-and- 
twenty  miles,  with  deep  and  cut-up  roads,  in  hot,  oppressive  weather, 
in  a  country  almost  destitute  of  water.  Still  the  troops  pressed  for- 
ward, and  by  noon  came  within  hearing  of  the  heavy  cannonade  in 
front,  which  indicated  the  situation  of  the  battle.  From  this  time 
aide-de-camp  followed  aide-de-camp  in  quick  succession,  who,  from 
their  scared  looks  and  hurried  gestures,  seemed  to  bode  but  ill  for- 
tune to  the  cause  we  cared  for.  What  the  precise  situation  of  the 
rival  armies  might  be  we  knew  not ;  but  we  heard  that  the  French 
were  in  overwhelming  numbers ;  that  the  Dutch  troops  had  aban- 
doned their  position ;  the  Hanoverians  being  driven  back,  the  Duke 
of  Brunswick — the  brave  sovereign  of  a  gallant  people — fell  charg- 
ing at  the  head  of  his  black  hussars.  From  one  phrase  which  con- 
stantly met  our  ears,  it  seemed  that  the  Bois  de  Bossu  was  the  key 
of  the  position.  This  had  been  won  and  lost  repeatedly  by  both 
sides ;  and  as  we  neared  the  battle-field,  a  despatch  hurriedly  an- 
nounced to  Picton  the  importance  of  at  once  recovering  this  con- 
tested point.  The  95th  were  ordered  up  to  the  attack.  Scarcely 
was  the  word  given,  when  fatigue,  thirst,  and  exhaustion  were  for- 
gotten. With  one  cheer  the  gallant  regiment  formed  into  line,  and 
advanced  upon  the  wood.  Meanwhile,  the  Highland  brigade  moved 
down  towards  the  right ;  the  Royals  and  the  28th  debouched  upon 
the  left  of  the  road ;  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  after  our  arrival 
our  whole  force  was  in  action. 

There  is  something  appalling  to  the  bravest  army  in  coming  up  to 
battle  at  the  time  that  an  overwhelming  and  conquering  foe  are 
carrying  victory  triumphantly  before  them.  Such  was  our  position 
at  Quatre  Bras.  Bravely  and  gloriously  as  the  forces  of  the  Prince 
of  Orange  fought,  the  day,  however,  was  not  theirs.  The  Bois  de 
Bossu,  which  opened  to  the  enemy  the  road  to  Brussels,  wTas  held  by 
their  tirailleurs ;  the  valley  to  the  right  was  ridden  over  by  their 


716  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

mounted  squadrons,  who  with  lance  and  sabre  carried  all  before 
them  ;  their  dark  columns  pressed  steadily  on  ;  and  a  death-dealing 
artillery  swept  the  allied  ranks  from  flank  to  flank.  Such  was  the 
field  when  the  British  arrived,  and,  throwing  themselves  into  squares, 
opposed  their  unaided  force  to  the  dreadful  charges  of  the  enemy. 
The  batteries  showered  down  their  storms  of  grape.  Milhaud's 
heavy  dragoons,  assisted  by  crowds  of  lancers,  rushed  upon  the 
squares,  but  they  stood  unbroken  and  undaunted,  as  sometimes  upon 
three  sides  of  their  position  the  infuriated  horsemen  of  the  enemy 
came  down.  Once,  and  once  only,  were  the  French  successful ;  the 
42d,  who  were  stationed  amid  tall  corn-fields,  wTere  surrounded  with 
cavalry  before  they  knew  it.  The  word  wras  given  to  form  square ; 
the  Lancers  were  already  among  them,  and,  fighting  back  to  back, 
the  gallant  Highlanders  met  the  foe.  Fresh  numbers  poured  down 
upon  them,  and  already  half  the  regiment  was  disabled  and  their 
colonel  killed.  These  brave  fellows  were  rescued  by  the  44th,  who, 
throwing  in  a  withering  volley,  fixed  bayonets  and  charged.  Mean- 
while, the  95th  had  won  and  lost  the  wood,  which,  now  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  French  tirailleurs,  threatened  to  turn  the  left  of  our 
position.  It  was  at  this  time  that  a  body  of  cavalry  were  seen 
standing  to  the  left  of  the  Enghien  road,  as  if  in  observation. 
An  officer,  sent  forward  to  reconnoitre,  returned  with  the  intelli- 
gence that  they  were  British  troops,  for  he  had  seen  their  red  uni- 
forms. 

"  I  can't  think  it  sir,"  said  Picton.  "  It  is  hardly  possible  that 
any  regiment  from  Enghien  could  have  arrived  already.  Ride  for- 
ward, O'Malley,  and  if  they  be  our  fellows  let  them  carry  that 
height  yonder ;  there  are  two  guns  there  cutting  the  92d  to  pieces." 

I  put  spurs  to  my  horse,  cleared  the  road  at  once,  and  dashing 
across  the  open  space  to  the  left  of  the  wood,  rode  on  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  horsemen.  When  I  came  within  the  distance  of  three 
hundred  yards  I  examined  them  with  my  glass,  and  could  plainly 
detect  the  scarlet  coats  and  bright  helmets.  "  Ha,"  thought  I,  "  the 
1st  Dragoon  Guards,  no  doubt."  Muttering  to  myself  thus  much,  I 
galloped  straight  on;  and  waving  my  hand  as  I  came  near,  an- 
nounced that  I  was  the  bearer  of  an  order.  Scarcely  had  I  done  so, 
when  four  horsemen,  dashing  spurs  into  their  steeds,  plunged  hastily 
out  from  the  line,  and,  before  I  could  speak,  surrounded  me,  while 
the  foremost  called  out,  as  he  flourished  his  sabre  above  his  head, 
"Rendezvous  /"  At  the  same  moment  I  was  seized  on  each  side,  and 
led  back  a  captive  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

"  We  guess  your  mistake,  Capitaine,"  said  the  French  officer  before 
whom  1  was  brought.  "We  are  the  regiment  of  Berg,  and  our 
scarlet  uniform  cost  us  dearly  enough  yesterday." 


QUATRE  BRAS.  717 

This  allusion,  I  afterwards  learned,  was  in  reference  to  a  charge 
by  a  cuirassier  regiment,  which,  in  mistaking  them  for  English, 
poured  a  volley  into  them,  and  killed  and  wounded  about  twenty  of 
their  number. 


CHAPTER    LIV. 

QUATRE  BRAS. 

THOSE  who  have  visited  the  field  of  Quatre  Bras  will  remem- 
ber that  on  the  left  of  the  high  road,  and  nearly  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  Bois  de  Bossu,  stands  a  large  Flemish  farm- 
house, whose  high,  pitched  roof,  pointed  gables,  and  quaint, 
old-fashioned  chimneys,  remind  one  of  the  architecture  so  fre- 
quently seen  in  Teniers's  pictures.  The  house,  which,  with  its 
dependencies  of  stables,  granaries,  and  out-houses,  resembles  a  little 
village,  is  surrounded  by  a  large,  straggling  orchard  of  aged  fruit- 
trees,  through  which  the  approach  from  the  high  road  leads.  The 
interior  of  this  quaint  dwelling,  like  all  those  of  its  class,  is  only 
remarkable  for  a  succession  of  small,  dark,  low-ceiled  rooms,  leading 
one  into  another ;  their  gloomy  aspect  increased  by  the  dark  oak 
furniture,  the  heavy  armories,  and  old-fashioned  presses,  carved  in 
the  grotesque  taste  of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries. 
Those  who  visit  it  now  may  mark  the  trace  of  cannon-shot  here  and 
there  through  the  building ;  more  than  one  deep  crack  will  attest 
the  force  of  the  dread  artillery.  Still  the  traveller  will  feel  struck 
with  the  rural  peace  and  quietude  of  the  scene.  The  speckled  oxen 
that  stand  lowing  in  the  deep  meadows ;  the  splash  of  the  silvery 
trout  as  he  sports  in  the  bright  stream  that  ripples  along  over  its 
gravelly  bed ;  the  cawing  of  the  old  rooks  in  the  tall  beech-trees ; 
but,  more  than  all,  the  happy  laugh  of  children,  speak  of  the  spot 
as  one  of  retired  and  tranquil  beauty ;  yet,  when  my  eyes  opened 
upon  it  on  the  morning  of  the  17th  of  June,  the  scene  presented 
features  of  a  widely  different  interest.  The  day  was  breaking  as  the 
deep,  full  sound  of  the  French  bugles  announced  the  reveille.  For- 
getful of  where  I  was,  I  sprang  from  my  bed  and  rushed  to  the 
window ;  the  prospect  before  me  at  once  recalled  me  to  my  recollec- 
tion, and  I  remembered  that  I  was  a  prisoner.  The  exciting  events 
around  left  me  but  little  time  and  as  little  inclination  to  think  over 
my  old  misfortunes ;  and  I  watched,  with  all  the  interest  of  a  sol- 
dier, the  movement  of  the  French  troops  in  the  orchard  beneath.   A 


718  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

squadron  of  dragoons,  who  seemed  to  have  passed  the  night  beside 
their  horses,  lay  stretched  or  seated  in  all  the  picturesque  groupings 
of  a  bivouac.  Some  were  already  up  and  stirring ;  others  leaned 
half  listlessly  upon  their  elbows,  and  looked  about  as  if  unwilling  to 
believe  the  night  was  over ;  and  some,  stretched  in  deep  slumber, 
woke  not  with  the  noise  and  tumult  around  them.  The  room  in 
which  I  was  confined  looked  out  upon  the  road  to  Charleroi ;  I  could 
therefore  see  the  British  troops;  and  as  the  French  army  had  fallen 
back  during  the  night,  only  an  advance  guard  maintaining  the  posi- 
tion, I  was  left  to  my  unaided  conjectures  as  to  the  fortune  of  the 
preceding  day  of  battle.  What  a  period  of  anxiety  and  agitation 
was  that  morning  to  me ;  what  would  I  not  have  given  to  learn  the 
result  of  the  action  since  the  moment  of  my  capture  !  Stubborn  as 
our  resistance  had  been,  we  were  evidently  getting  the  worst  of  it ; 
and  if  the  Guards  had  not  arrived  in  time,  I  knew  we  must  have 
been  beaten. 

I  walked  up  and  down  my  narrow  room,  tortured  and  agonized  by 
my  doubts,  now  stopping  to  reason  over  the  possibilities  of  success, 
now  looking  from  the  window  to  try  if,  in  the  gesture  and  bearing 
of  those  without,  I  could  conjecture  anything  that  passed.  Too  well 
I  knew  the  vaunting  character  of  the  French  soldier,  in  defeat  as  in 
victory,  to  put  much  confidence  in  their  bearing.  While,  however, 
I  watched  them  with  an  eager  eye,  I  heard  the  tramp  of  horsemen 
coming  along  the  paved  causeway.  From  the  moment  my  ear 
caught  the  sound  to  that  of  their  arrival  at  the  gate  of  the  orchard, 
but  few  minutes  had  elapsed;- their  pace  was  indeed  a  severe  one, 
and,  as  they  galloped  through  the  narrow  path  that  led  to  the  farm- 
house, they  never  drew  rein  till  they  reached  the  porch.  The 
party  consisted  of  about  a  dozen  persons,  whose  plumed  hats  bespoke 
them  staff  officers ;  but  their  uniforms  were  concealed  beneath  their 
great-coats.  As  they  came  along  the  picket  sprang  to  their  feet,  and 
the  guard  at  the  door  beneath  presented  arms.  This  left  no  doubt 
upon  my  mind  that  some  officer  of  rank  was  among  them,  and  as  I 
knew  that  Ney  himself  commanded  on  the  preceding  day,  I  thought 
it  might  be  he.  The  sound  of  voices  beneath  informed  me  that  the 
party  occupied  the  room  under  that  in  which  I  was ;  and,  although 
I  listened  attentively,  I  could  hear  nothing  but  the  confused  mur- 
mur of  persons  conversing  together  without  detecting  even  a  word. 
My  thoughts  now  fell  into  another  channel,  and  as  I  ruminated 
over  my  old  position,  I  heard  the  noise  of  the  sentry  at  my  door  as 
he  brought  his  musket  to  the  shoulder,  and  the  next  moment  an 
officer  in  the  uniform  of  the  Chasseurs  of  the  Guard  entered.  Bow- 
ing politely  as  he  advanced  to  the  middle  of  the  room,  he  addressed 
me  thus : 


QUA  THE  BRAS.  719 

"  You  speak  French,  sir?"  and,  as  I  replied  in  the  affirmative, 
continued : 

"  Will  you  then  have  the  goodness  to  follow  me  this  way  ?" 

Although  burning  with  anxiety  to  learn  what  had  taken  place, 
yet  somehow  I  could  not  bring  myself  to  ask  the  question.  A  secret 
pride  mingled  with  my  fear  that  all  had  not  gone  well  with  us,  and 
I  durst  not  expose  myself  to  hear  of  our  defeat  from  the  lips  of  an 
enemy.  I  had  barely  time  to  ask  into  whose  presence  I  was  about 
to  be  ushered,  when,  with  a  slight  smile  of  a  strange  meaning,  he 
opened  the  door  and  introduced  me  into  the  saloon.  Although  I 
had  seen  at  least  twelve  or  fourteen  horsemen  arrive,  there  were  but 
three  persons  in  the  room  as  I  entered.  One  of  these,  who  sat 
writing  at  a  small  table  near  the  window,  never  lifted  his  head  on 
my  entrance,  but  continued  assiduously  his  occupation.  Another, 
a  tall,  fine-looking  man  of  some  sixty  years  or  upwards,  whose  high, 
bald  forehead  and  drooping  moustache,  white  as  snow,  looked  in 
every  way  the  old  soldier  of  the  empire,  stood  leaning  upon  his 
sabre ;  while  the  third,  whose  stature,  somewhat  below  the  middle 
size,  was  yet  cast  in  a  strong  and  muscular  mould,  stood  with  his 
back  to  the  fire,  holding  on  his  arms  the  skirts  of  a  gray  surtout 
which  he  wore  over  his  uniform ;  his  legs  were  cased  in  the  tall 
boots  worn  by  the  chasseur  d  cheval,  and  on  his  head  a  low  cocked- 
hat,  without  plume  or  feather,  completed  his  costume.  There  was 
something  which,  at  the  very  moment  of  my  entrance,  struck  me  as 
uncommon  in  his  air  and  bearing,  so  much  so  that  when  my  eyes 
had  once  rested  on  his  pale  but  placid  countenance,  his  regular, 
handsome,  but  somewhat  stern  features,  I  totally  forgot  the  presence 
of  the  others  and  looked  only  at  him. 

"What's  your  rank,  sir?"  said  he,  hurriedly,  and  with  a  tone 
which  bespoke  command. 

"  I  have  none  at  present,  save " 

"  Why  do  you  wear  your  epaulettes  then,  sir  ?"  said  he,  harshly, 
while  from  his  impatient  look  and  hurried  gesture  I  saw  that  he  put 
no  faith  in  my  reply. 

"I  am  an  aide-de-camp  to  General  Picton,  but  without  regi- 
mental rank." 

"  What  was  the  British  force  under  arms  yesterday  ?" 

"  I  do  not  feel  myself  at  liberty  to  give  you  any  information  as  to 
the  number  or  the  movements  of  our  army." 

"Dia?itre/  Diantre!"  said  he,  slapping  his  boot  with  his  horse- 
whip, "do  you  know  what  you've  been  saying  there,  eh?  Cani- 
bronne,  you  heard  him,  did  you  ?" 

"  Yes,  sire,  and  if  your  Majesty  would  permit  me  to  deal  with 
him,  I  would  before  long  have  his  information,  if  he  possess  any." 


720  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Eh,  gaillard"  said  he,  as  he  pinched  the  old  general's  ear  in  jest, 
"  I  believe  you,  with  all  my  heart.'' 

The  truth  flashed  upon  my  mind.  I  was  in  the  presence  of  the 
Emperor  himself.  As,  however,  up  to  this  moment  I  was  uncon- 
scious of  his  presence,  I  resolved  now  to  affect  ignorance  of  it 
throughout. 

"  Had  you  despatches,  sir  ?"  said  he,  turning  towards  me  with 
a  look  of  stern  severity.  "  Were  any  despatches  found  upon 
him  when  he  was  taken  V  This  latter  question  was  directed  to 
the  aide-de-camp  who  introduced  me,  and  who  still  remained  at 
the  door. 

"  No,  sire,  nothing  was  found  upon  him  except  this  locket." 

As  he  said  these  words  he  placed  in  Napoleon's  hands  the  keep- 
sake which  St.  Croix  had  left  with  me  years  before  in  Spain, 
and  which,  as  the  reader  may  remember,  was  a  miniature  of  the 
Empress  Josephine. 

The  moment  the  Emperor  threw  his  eyes  upon  it,  the  flush 
which  excitement  had  called  into  his  cheek  disappeared  at  once : 
he  became  pale  as  death,  his  very  lips  as  bloodless  as  his  wan 
cheek. 

"  Leave  me,  Lefebvre ;  leave  me,  Cambronne,  for  a  moment ;  I 
will  speak  with  this  gentleman  alone." 

As  the  door  closed  upon  them,  he  leaned  his  arm  upon  the  man- 
telpiece, and,  with  his  head  sunk  upon  his  bosom,  remained  some 
moments  without  speaking. 

"Augure  sinistre  /"  muttered  he  within  his  teeth,  as  his  piercing 
gaze  was  riveted  upon  the  picture  before  him. 

"  Viola  la  troisilme  fois ;  pevt-etre  la  derntere."  Then  suddenly  rous- 
ing himself,  he  advanced  close  to  me,  and  seizing  me  by  the  arm 
with  a  grasp  like  iron,  inquired  : 

"  How  came  you  by  that  picture  ?  The  truth,  sir  ;  mark  me,  the 
truth." 

Without  showing  any  sign  of  feeling  hurt  at  the  insinuation  of 
this  question,  I  detailed,  in  as  few  words  as  I  could,  the  circum- 
stance by  which  the  locket  became  mine.  Long  before  I  had  con- 
cluded, however,  I  could  mark  that  his  attention  flagged,  and  finally 
wandered  far  away  from  the  matter  before  him. 

"  Why  will  you  not  give  me  the  information  I  look  for  ?  I  seek 
for  no  breach  of  faith.  The  campaign  is  all  but  over.  The  Prus- 
sians were  beaten  at  Ligny,  their  army  routed,  their  artillery  cap- 
tured, and  ten  thousand  prisoners  taken.  Your  troops  and  the 
Dutch  were  conquered  yesterday,  and  they  are  in  full  retreat  on 
Brussels.  By  to-morrow  evening  I  shall  date  my  bulletin  from  the 
palace  of  Laeken.  Antwerp  will  be  in  my  possession  within  twenty- 


QUATRE  BE  AS.  721 

four  hours.  Namur  is  already  mine.  Cambrortne,  Lefebvre,"  cried 
he,  "cet  homme-ld  nJen  sait  rien"  pointing  to  me  as  he  spoke.  "  Let 
us  see  the  other."  With  this  he  motioned  slightly  with  his  hand,  as 
a  sign  for  me  to  withdraw,  and  the  next  moment  I  was  once  more 
in  the  solitude  of  my  prison-room,  thinking  over  the  singular  inter- 
view I  had  jusHiad  with  the  great  Emperor. 

How  anxiously  pass  the  hours  of  one  who,  deprived  of  other 
means  of  information,  is  left  to  form  his  conjectures  by  some  pass- 
ing object  or  some  chance  murmur.  The  things  which  in  the  ordi- 
nary course  of  life  are  passed  by  unnoticed  and  unregarded,  are  now 
matters  of  moment.  With  what  scrutiny  he  examines  the  features 
of  those  whom  he  dare  not  question !  with  what  patient  ear  he 
listens  to  each  passing  word !  Thus  to  me,  a  prisoner,  the  hours 
went  by  tardily  yet  anxiously.  No  sabre  clanked ;  no  war  horse 
neighed ;  no  heavy-booted  cuirassier  tramped  in  the  court-yard 
beneath  my  window  without  setting  a  hundred  conjectures  afloat  as 
to  what  was  about  to  happen.  For  some  time  there  had  been  a 
considerable  noise  and  bustle  in  and  about  the  dwelling.  Horse- 
men came  and  went  continually.  The  sounds  of  galloping  could  be 
heard  along  the  paved  causeway ;  then  the  challenge  of  the  sentry 
at  the  gate ;  then  the  nearer  tread  of  approaching  steps,  and  many 
voices  speaking  together,  would  seem  to  indicate  that  some  messen- 
ger had  arrived  with  despatches.  At  length  all  these  sounds  became 
hushed  and  still ;  no  longer  were  the  voices  heard,  and  except  the 
measured  tread  of  the  heavy  cuirassier,  as  he  paced  on  the  flags 
beneath,  nothing  was  to  be  heard.  My  state  of  suspense,  doubly 
greater  now  than  when  the  noise  and  tumult  suggested  food  for  con- 
jecture, continued  till  towards  noon,  when  a  soldier  in  undress 
brought  me  some  breakfast,  and  told  me  to  prepare  speedily  for 
the  road. 

Scarcely  had  he  left  the  room,  when  the  rumbling  noise  of  wag- 
ons was  heard  below,  and  a  train  of  artillery  carts  moved  into  the 
little  court-yard,  loaded  with  wounded  men.  It  was  a  sad  and 
frightful  sight  to  see  these  poor  fellows,  as,  crammed  side  by  side  in 
the  straw  of  the  charrette,  they  lay,  their  ghastly  wounds  opening 
with  every  motion  of  the  wagon,  while  their  wan,  pale  faces  were 
convulsed  with  agony  and  suffering.  Of  every  rank,  from  the  sous- 
lieutenant  to  the  humble  soldier,  from  every  arm  of  the  service, 
from  the  heavy  Cuirassier  of  the  Guard  to  the  light  and  intrepid 
tirailleur,  they  were  there;  I  well  remember  one,  an  artilleryman 
of  the  Guard,  who,  as  they  lifted  him  forth  from  the  cart,  presented 
the  horrifying  spectacle  of  one  both  of  whose  legs  had  been  carried 
away  by  a  cannon-shot.  Pale,  cold,  and  corpse-like,  he  lay  in  their 
arms  ;  his  head  lay  heavily  to  one  side,  and  his  arms  fell  passively 
46 


722  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

as  in  death.  It  was  at  this  moment  that  a  troop  of  lancers,  the  ad- 
vanced guard  of  D'Erlon's  division,  came  trotting  up  the  road.  The 
cry  of  "  Vive  PEmpereur  I"  burst  from  them  as  they  approached ;  its 
echo  rang  within  the  walls  of  the  farm-house,  when  suddenly  the 
dying  man,  as  though  some  magic  touch  had  called  him  back  to  life 
and  vigor,  sprang  up  erect  between  his  bearers,  his"filmy  eye  flash- 
ing fire,  a  burning  spot  of  red  coloring  his  bloodless  cheek ;  he  cast 
one  wild  and  hurried  look  around  him,  like  one  called  back  from 
death  to  look  upon  the  living,  and,  as  he  raised  his  blood-stained 
hand  above  his  head,  shouted,  in  a  heart-piercing  cry,  "  Vive  VEmpe- 
reur!"  The  effort  was  his  last.  It  was  the  expiring  tribute  of 
allegiance  to  the  chief  he  adored.  The  blood  spouted  in  cataracts 
from  his  half-closed  wounds,  a  convulsive  spasm  worked  through 
his  frame,  his  eyes  rolled  fearfully,  as  his  outstretched  hands  seemed 
striving  to  clutch  some  object  before  them — and  he  was  dead.  Fresh 
arrivals  of  wounded  continued  to  pour  in ;  and  now  I  thought  I 
could  detect  at  intervals  the  distant  noise  of  the  cannonade ;  the 
wind,  however,  was  from  the  southward,  and  the  sounds  were  too 
indistinct  to  be  relied  on. 

"  Allons!  allons  !  mon  cher,"  said  a  rough  but  good-natured-look- 
ing fellow,  as  he  strode  into  my  room.  He  was  the  quartermaster  of 
Milhaud's  dragoons,  under  whose  care  I  was  now  placed,  and  came 
to  inform  me  that  we  were  to  set  out  immediately. 

Monsieur  Bonnard  was  a  character  in  his  way ;  and  if  it  were  not 
so  near  the  conclusion  of  my  history,  I  should  like  to  present  him 
to  my  readers.  As  it  is,  I  shall  merely  say  that  he  was  a  thorough 
specimen  of  one  class  of  his  countrymen — a  loud  talker,  a  loud 
swearer,  a  vaporing,  boasting,  overbearing,  good-natured,  and  even 
soft-hearted  fellow,  who  firmly  believed  that  Frenchmen  were  the 
climax  of  the  species,  and  Napoleon  the  climax  of  Frenchmen. 
Being  a  great  bavard,  he  speedily  told  me  all  that  had  taken  place 
during  the  last  two  days.  From  him  I  learned  that  the  Prussians 
had  really  been  beaten  at  Ligny,  and  had  fallen  back,  he  knew  not 
where ;  they  were,  however,  he  said,  hotly  pursued  by  Grouchy, 
with  thirty-five  thousand  men,  while  the  Emperor  himself  was 
now  following  the  British  and  Dutch  armies  with  seventy  thousand 
men. 

"  You  see,"  continued  he,  "  V affaire  est  faite  I — who  can  resist  the 
Emperor  ?" 

These  were  sad  tidings  for  me  ;  and  although  I  did  not  place  im- 
plicit confidence  in  my  informant,  I  had  still  my  fears  that  much  of 
what  he  said  was  true. 

"And  the  British,  now,"  said  I;  "what  direction  have  they 
taken?" 


QUA  THE  BRAS.  723 

"  Bah !  they're  in  retreat  on  Brussels,  and  will  probably  capitu- 
late to-morrow." 

"  Capitulate !" 

"Oui,  oui:  ne  vousfachez  pas,  camarade"  said  he,  laughing.  "What 
could  you  do  against  Napoleon  ?  You  did  not  expect  to  beat  him, 
surely  ?  But  come,  we  must  move  on  ;  I  have  my  orders  to  bring 
you  to  Planchenoit  this  evening,  and  our  horses  are  tired  enough 
already." 

"  Mine,  methinks,  should  be  fresh,"  said  I. 

" Parbleu  non"  replied  he ;  " he  has  twice  made  the  journey  to 
Fresnes  this  morning  with  despatches  for  Marshal  Ney.  The  Empe- 
ror is  enraged  with  the  Marshal  for  having  retreated  last  night, 
having  the  wood  in  his  possession.  He  says  he  should  have  waited 
till  daybreak,  and  then  fallen  upon  your  retreating  columns.  As  it 
is,  you  are  getting  away  without  much  loss.  Sacriste,  that  was  a 
fine  charge !"  These  last  words  he  muttered  to  himself,  adding, 
between  his  teeth,  "  sixty-four  killed  and  wounded." 

"  What  was  that  ?  who  were  they  ?"  said  I. 

"  Our  fellows,"  replied  he,  frankly.  "  The  Emperor  ordered  up 
two  twelve-pounders  and  eight  squadrons  of  lancers  ;  they  fell  upon 
your  light  dragoons  in  a  narrow  part  of  the  high  road.  But  suddenly 
we  heard  a  noise  in  front ;  your  hussars  fell  back,  and  a  column  of 
your  heavy  dragoons  came  thundering  down  upon  us.  Parbleu  !  they 
swept  over  us  as  if  we  were  broken  infantry ;  and  there !  there !" 
said  he,  pointing  to  the  court-yard,  from  whence  the  groans  of  the 
wounded  still  rose,  "  there  are  the  fruits  of  that  terrible  charge." 

I  could  not  restrain  an  outbreak  of  triumphant  pleasure  at  this 
gallant  feat  of  my  countrymen. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  the  honest  Quartermaster,  "  it  was  a  fine  thing ; 
but  a  heavy  reckoning  is  at  hand.     But  come,  let  us  take  the  road." 

In  a  few  moments  more  I  found  myself  seated  upon  a  heavy  Nor- 
man horse,  whose  lumbering  demi-peak  saddle  was  nearly  cleft  in 
two  by  a  sabre-cut. 

"  Ay,  ay,"  said  Monsieur  Bonnard,  as  he  saw  my  eye  fixed  upon 
the  spot,  "  it  was  one  of  your  fellows  did  that ;  and  the  same  cut 
clove  poor  Pierre  from  the  neck  to  the  seat." 

"  I  hope,"  said  I,  laughing,  "the  saddle  may  not  prove  an  un- 
lucky one." 

"  No,  no,"  said  the  Frenchman,  seriously  ;  "  it  has  paid  its  debt 
to  fate." 

As  we  pressed  on  our  road,  which,  broken  by  the  heavy  guns,  and 
ploughed  up  in  many  places  by  the  artillery,  was  nearly  impassable, 
we  could  distinctly  hear  from  time  to  time  the  distant  boom  of  the 
large  guns,  as  the  retiring  and  pursuing  armies  replied  to  each 


T24  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

other ;  while  behind  us,  but  still  a  long  way  off,  a  dark  mass-  ap- 
peared on  the  horizon  :  they  were  the  advancing  columns  of  Ney's 
division. 

"  Have  the  troops  come  in  contact  more  than  once  this  morning?" 

"  Not  closely,"  said  the  Quartermaster.  "  The  armies  have  kept 
a  respectful  distance  ;  they  were  like  nothing  I  can  think  of,"  said 
the  figurative  Frenchman,  "except  two  hideous  serpents  wallow- 
ing in  mire,  and  vomiting  at  each  other  whole  rivers  of  fire  and 
flame." 

As  we  approached  Planchenoit,  we  came  up  to  the  rear-guard  of 
the  French  army ;  from  them  we  learned  that  Ney's  division,  con- 
sisting of  the  eighth  corps,  had  joined  the  Emperor ;  that  the 
British  were  still  in  retreat,  but  that  nothing  of  any  importance  had 
occurred  between  the  rival  armies,  the  French  merely  firing  their 
heavy  guns  from  time  to  time,  to  ascertain  by  the  reply  the  position 
of  the  retreating  forces.  The  rain  poured  down  in  torrents;  gusts 
of  cold  and  stormy  wind  swept  across  the  wide  plains,  or  moaned 
sorrowfully  through  the  dense  forest.  As  I  rode  on  by  the  side  of 
my  companion,  I  could  not  help  remarking  how  little  the  effects  of 
a  fatiguing  march  and  unfavorable  weather  were  apparent  on  those 
around  me.  The  spirit  of  excited  gayety  pervaded  every  rank  ;  and, 
unlike  the  stern  features  which  the  discipline  of  our  service  enforces, 
the  French  soldiers  were  talking,  laughing,  and  even  singing,  as 
they  marched ;  the  canteens  passed  freely  from  hand  to  hand,  and 
jests  and  toasts  flew  from  front  to  rear  along  the  dark  columns ; 
many  carried  their  loaves  of  dark  rye-bread  on  the  tops  of  their 
bayonets ;  and  to  look  upon  that  noisy  and  tumultuous  mass  as  they 
poured  along,  it  would  have  needed  a  practised  eye  to  believe  them 
the  most  disciplined  of  European  armies. 

The  sun  was  just  setting  as,  mounting  a  ridge  of  high  land  beside 
the  high  road,  my  companion  pointed  with  his  finger  to  a  small 
farm-house,  which,  standing  alone  in  the  plain,  commanded  an  ex- 
tensive view  on  every  side  of  it. 

"There,"  said  he,  "there  is  the  quartier  g&n&ral ;  the  Emperor 
sleeps  there  to-night.  The  King  of  Holland  will  afford  him  a  bed 
to-morrow  night." 

The  dark  shadows  of  the  coming  night  were  rapidly  falling  as  I 
strained  my  eyes  to  trace  the  British  position.  A  hollow,  rumbling 
sound  announced  the  movement  of  artillery  in  our  front. 

"What  is  it,  Arnotte?"  said  the  Quartermaster  to  a  dragoon  officer 
who  rode  past. 

"  It  is  nothing,"  replied  the  other,  laughing,  "  but  a  ruse  of  the 
Emperor.  He  wishes  to  ascertain  if  the  enemy  are  in  force,  or  if 
we  have  only  a  strong  rear-guard  before  us." 


QUATRE  BRAS.  725 

As  he  spoke,  fifteen  heavy  guns  opened  their  fire,  and  the  still  air 
reverberated  with  a  loud  thunder.  The  sound  had  not  died  away — 
the  very  smoke  lay  yet  heavily  upon  the  moist  earth — when  forty 
pieces  of  British  cannon  rang  out  their  answer,  and  the  very  plain 
trembled  beneath  the  shock. 

"  Ha  !  they  are  there,  then,"  exclaimed  the  dragoon,  as  his  eyes 
flashed  with  ecstasy.  "  Look !  see  !  the  artillery  are  limbering  up 
already.     The  Emperor  is  satisfied." 

And  so  it  was.  A  dark  column  of  twelve  hundred  horse  that  ac- 
companied the  guns  into  the  plain,  now  wheeled  slowly  round,  and 
wound  their  long  track  far  away  to  the  right.  The  rain  fell  in  tor- 
rents; the  wind  was  hushed ;  and,  as  the  night  fell  in  darkness,  the 
columns  moved  severally  to  their  destinations.  The  bivouacs  were 
formed,  the  watch-fires  were  lighted,  and  seventy  thousand  men 
and  two  hundred  pieces  of  cannon  occupied  the  heights  of  Plan- 
chenoit. 

"  My  orders  are  to  bring  you  to  La  Caillon,"  said  the  Quarter- 
master ;  "  and  if  you  only  can  spur  your  jaded  horse  into  a  trot,  we 
shall  soon  reach  it." 

About  a  hundred  yards  from  the  little  farm-house  stood  a  small 
cottage  of  a  peasant.  Here  some  officers  of  Marshal  Soult's  staff 
had  taken  up  their  quarters,  and  thither  my  guide  now  bent  his 
steps. 

"Comment!  Bonnard"  said  an  aide-de-camp,  as  we  rode  up,  "ano- 
ther prisoner?  Sacrebleu!  we  shall  have  the  whole  British  staff 
among  us.  You  are  in  better  luck  than  your  countryman,  the 
General,  I  hope,"  said  the  aide-de-camp ;  "  his  is  a  sad  affair ;  and 
I'm  sorry  for  it,  too  ;  he's  a  fine,  soldier-like  looking  fellow." 

"  Pray,  what  has  happened?"  said  I.      "  To  what  do  you  allude?" 

"  Merely  to  one  of  your  people  who  has  just  been  taken  with  some 
letters  and  papers  of  Bourmont's  in  his  possession.  The  Emperor 
is  in  no  very  amicable  humor  towards  that  traitor,  and  resolves  to 
pay  off  some  part  of  his  debt  on  his  British  correspondent." 

"  How  cruel !  how  unjust !" 

"  Why,  yes,  it  is  hard,  I  confess,  to  be  shot  for  the  fault  of  another. 
Mais  que  voulez-vous  ?" 

"And  when  is  this  atrocious  act  to  take  place?" 

"  By  daybreak  to-morrow,"  said  he,  bowing  as  he  turned  towards 
the  hut.  "  Meanwhile,  let  me  counsel  you,  if  you  would  not  make 
another  in  the  party,  to  reserve  your  indignation  for  your  return  to 
England." 

"  Come  along,"  said  the  Quartermaster ;  "  I  find  they  have  got 
quarters  for  you  in  the  granary  of  the  farm.  I'll  not  forget  you  at 
supper  time." 


726  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

So  saying,  he  gave  his  horse  io  an  orderly,  and  led  me  by  a  little 
path  to  a  back  entrance  of  the  dwelling.  Had  I  time  or  inclination 
for  such  a  scene,  I  might  have  lingered  long  to  gaze  at  the  spectacle 
before  me.  The  guard  held  their  bivouac  around  the  quarters  of  the 
Emperor;  and  here,  beside  the  watch-fires,  sat  the  bronzed  and 
scarred  veterans  who  had  braved  every  death  and  danger  from  the 
Pyramids  to  the  Kremlin.  On  every  side  I  heard  the  names  of  those 
whom  history  has  already  consigned  to  immortality ;  and,  as  the 
fitful  blaze  of  a  wood-fire  flashed  from  within  the  house,  I  could 
mark  the  figure  of  one  who,  with  his  hands  behind  his  back,  walked 
leisurely  to  and  fro,  his  head  leaned  a  little  forward,  as  though  in 
deep  thought ;  but  as  the  light  fell  upon  his  pale  and  placid  features, 
there  was  nothing  there  to  indicate  the  stormy  strife  of  hope  and 
fear  that  raged  beneath.  From  the  rapid  survey  I  took  around,  I 
was  roused  by  an  officer,  who,  saluting  me,  politely  desired  me  to 
follow  him.  We  mounted  a  flight  of  stone  steps,  which,  outside  the 
wall  of  the  building,  led  to  the  upper  story  of  a  large  but  ruined 
granary.  Here  a  sentry  was  posted,  who  permitting  us  to  pass  for- 
ward, I  found  myself  in  a  small,  mean-looking  apartment,  whose  few 
articles  of  coarse  furniture  were  dimly  lighted  by  the  feeble  glimmer 
of  a  lamp.  At  the  further  end  of  the  room  sat  a  man,  wrapped  in  a 
large  blue  cavalry  cloak,  whose  face,  covered  with  his  hands  as  he 
bent  downwards,  was  completely  concealed  from  view.  The  noise 
of  the  opening  door  did  not  appear  to  arouse  him,  nor  did  he  notice 
my  approach.  As  I  entered,  a  faint  sigh  broke  from  him,  as  he 
turned  his  back  upon  the  light ;  but  he  spoke  not  a  word. 

I  sat  for  some  time  in  silence,  unwilling  to  obtrude  myself  upon 
the  sorrows  of  one  to  whom  I  was  unknown ;  and,  as  I  walked  up 
and  down  the  gloomy  chamber,  my  thoughts  became  riveted  so  com- 
pletely upon  my  own  fortunes  that  I  ceased  to  remember  my  fellow- 
prisoner.  The  hours  passed  thus  lazily  along,  when  the  door  sud- 
denly opened,  and  an  officer  in  the  dress  of  a  lancer  of  the  Guard 
stood  for  an  instant  before  me,  and  then  springing  forward,  clasped 
me  with  both  hands,  and  called  out : 

"  Charles,  mon  ami,  c'est  bien  toi  f" 

The  voice  recalled  to  my  recollection  what  his  features,  altered  by 
time  and  years,  had  failed  to  do.  It  was  Jules  St.  Croix,  my  former 
prisoner  in  the  Peninsula.  I  cannot  paint  the  delight  with  which 
I  saw  him  again  ;  his  presence  now,  while  it  brought  back  the 
memory  of  some  of  my  happiest  days,  also  assured  me  that  I  was 
not  friendless. 

His  visit  was  a  brief  one,  for  he  was  in  attendance  on  Marshal 
Lobau's  staff.     In  the  few  minutes,  however,  of  his  stay,  he  said : 

"  I  have  a  debt  to  pay,  Charles ;  and  have  come  to  discharge  it. 


QUA  TEE  BE  AS.  .  727 

In  an  hour  hence  I  shall  leave  this  with  despatches  for  the  left  of 
our  line.  Before  I  go,  I'll  come  here  with  two  or  three  others,  as  it 
were,  to  wish  you  a  good  night.  I'll  take  care  to  carry  a  second 
cloak  and  a  foraging  cap  'K  I'll  provide  a  fast  horse ;  you  shall  ac- 
company us  for  some  distance.  I'll  see  you  safe  across  our  pickets : 
for  the  rest  you  must  trust  to  yourself.     C'est  arrange,  n'est-ce pas?" 

One  firm  grasp  of  his  hand,  to  which  I  responded  by  another,  fol- 
lowed, and  he  was  gone. 

Everything  concurred  to  show  me  that  a  tremendous  battle  must 
ensue  on  the  morrow,  if  the  British  forces  but  held  their  position. 
It  was  then  with  a  feeling  of  excitement  approaching  to  madness 
that  I  saw  my  liberty  before  me ;  that  once  more  I  should  join  in 
the  bold  charge  and  the  rude  shock  of  arms,  hear  the  wild  cry  of 
my  gallant  countrymen,  and  either  live  to  triumph  with  them  in 
victory,  or  wait  not  to  witness  our  defeat.  Thus  flew  my  hopes,  as 
with  increasing  impatience  I  waited  St.  Croix's  coming,  and  with 
anxious  heart  listened  to  every  sound  upon  the  stairs  which  might 
indicate  his  approach.  At  length  he  came.  I  heard  the  gay  and 
laughing  voices  of  his  companions  as  they  came  along;  the  door 
opened,  and  affecting  the  familiarity  of  old  acquaintance,  to  deceive 
the  sentry,  they  all  shook  me  by  the  hand,  and  spoke  in  terms  of 
intimacy. 

"  Labedoyere  is  below,"  said  St.  Croix,  in  a  whisper ;  "  you  must 
wait  here  a  few  moments  longer,  and  I'll  return  for  you ;  put  on  the 
cloak  and  cap,  and  speak  not  a  word  as  you  pass  out.  The  sentry 
will  suppose  that  one  of  our  party  has  remained  behind ;  for  I  shall 
call  out  as  if  speaking  to  him,  as  I  leave  the  room." 

The  voice  of  an  officer  calling  in  tones  of  impatience  for  the  party 
to  come  down,  cut  short  the  interview,  and  again  assuring  me  of 
their  determination  to  stand  by  me,  they  left  the  chamber,  and  de- 
scended into  the  court.  Scarcely  had  the  door  closed  behind  them, 
when  my  fellow-prisoner,  whom  I  had  totally  forgotten,  sprang  on 
his  legs,  and  came  towards  me.  His  figure  screening  the  lamplight 
as  he  stood,  prevented  my  recognizing  his  features;  but  the  first 
tones  of  his  voice  told  me  who  he  was. 

"  Stay,  sir,"  cried  he,  as  he  placed  his  hand  upon  my  arm ;  "  I 
have  overheard  your  project.  In  an  hour  hence  you  will  be  free. 
Can  you — will  you  perform  a  service  for  one  who  will  esteem  it  not 
the  less  that  it  will  be  the  last  that  man  can  render  him?  The 
few  lines  which  I  have  written  here  with  my  pencil  are  for  my 
daughter." 

I  could  bear  no  more,  and  called  out  in  a  voice  broken  as  his 
own, 

"  Oh,  be  not  deceived,  sir.     Will  you,  even  in  an  hour  like  this, 


728  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

accept  a  service  from  one  whom  you  have  banished  from  your 
house  ?" 

The  old  man  started  as  I  spoke ;  his  hand  trembled  till  it  shook 
my  very  arm,  and,  after  a  pause  and  with  an  effort  to  seem  calm  and 
collected,  he  added : 

"  My  hours  are  few.  Some  despatches  of  General  Bourmont  with 
which  the  Duke  entrusted  me  were  found  in  my  possession.  My 
sentence  is  a  hurried  one — and  it  is  death !  By  to-morrow's  sun- 
rise  " 

"  Stay,  stay !"  said  I.  "You  shall  escape ;  my  life  is  in  no  danger. 
I  have,  as  you  see,  even  friends  among  the  staff-,  besides,  I  have 
done  nothing  to  compromise  or  endanger  my  position." 

"  No,  sir,"  said  he,  sternly,  "  I  will  not  act  such  a  part  as  this. 
The  tears  you  have  seen  in  these  old  eyes  are  not  for  myself.  I  fear 
not  death.  Better  it  were  it  should  have  come  upon  the  field  of 
glorious  battle;  but  as  it  is,  my  soldier's  honor  remains  intact, 
untainted." 

"  You  refuse  the  service  on  account  of  him  who  proffers  it,"  said 
I,  as  I  fell  heavily  upon  a  seat,  my  head  bowed  upon  my  bosom. 

"Not  so,  not  so,  my  boy,"  replied  he,  kindly.  "The  near  apr 
proach  of  death,  like  the  fading  light  of  day,  gives  us  a  longer  and 
a  clearer  view  before  us.  I  feel  that  I  have  wronged  you ;  that  I 
have  imputed  to  you  the  errors  of  others  ;  but,  believe  me,  if  I  have 
wronged  you,  I  have  punished  my  own  heart ;  for,  Charles,  I  have 
loved  you  like  a  son." 

"  Then  prove  it,"  said  I,  "  and  let  me  act  towards  you  as  towards 
a  father.  You  will  not?  You  refuse  me  still?  Then,  by  Heaven, 
I  remain  to  share  your  fate !  I  well  know  the  temper  of  him  who 
has  sentenced  you,  and  that  by  one  word  of  mine  my  destiny  is 
sealed  forever." 

"  No,  no,  boy  !  This  is  but  rash  and  insane  folly.  Another  year 
or  two,  nay,  perhaps  a  few  months  more,  and  in  the  common  course 
of  nature  I  had  ceased  to  be ;  but  you,  with  youth,  with  fortune,  and 
with  hope " 

"  Oh,  not  with  hope !"  said  I,  in  a  voice  of  agony. 

"  Nay,  say  not  so,"  replied  he,  calmly,  while  a  sickly  smile  played 
sadly  over  his  face;  "you  will  give  this  letter  to  my  daughter,  you 
will  tell  her  that  we  parted  as  friends  should  part ;  and  if,  after  that, 
when  time  shall  have  smoothed  down  her  grief,  and  sorrow  be  rather 
a  dark  dream  of  the  past  than  a  present  suffering ;  if,  then,  you  love 
her,  and  if " 

"  Oh,  tempt  me  not  thus  !"  said  I,  as  the  warm  tears  gushed  from 
my  eyes ;  "  lead  me  not  thus  astray  from  what  my  honor  tells  me  I 
should  do.     Hark !  they  are  coming  already.     I  hear  the  clank  of 


QUATRE  BRAS.  729 

their  sabres ;  they  are  mounting  the  steps ;  not  a  moment  is  to  be 
lost !     Do  you  refuse  me  still  ?" 

"  1  do,"  replied  he,  firmly  j  "  I  am  resolved  to  abide  the  course  of 
fate." 

"  Then  so  do  I,"  cried  I,  as,  folding  my  arms,  I  sat  down  beside 
the  window,  determined  on  my  course. 

"  Charley,  Charley,"  said  he,  stooping  over  me,  "  my  friend,  my 
last  hope,  the  protector  of  my  child " 

"  I  will  not  go,"  said  I,  in  a  hollow  whisper. 

Already  they  were  at  the  door ;  I  heard  -their  voices  as  they  chal- 
lenged the  sentry ;  I  heard  his  musket  as  he  raised  it  to  his  shoulder. 
The  thought  flashed  across  me — I  jumped  up,  and,  throwing  the 
loose  mantle  of  the  French  dragoon  around  him,  and  replacing  his 
own  with  the  foraging  cap  of  St.  Croix,  I  sprang  into  a  corner  of 
the  room,  and,  seating  myself  so  as  to  conceal  my  face,  waited  the 
result.  The  door  opened,  the  party  entered,  laughing  and  talking 
together. 

"  Come,  Eugene,"  said  one,  taking  Sir  George  by  the  arm,  "  you 
have  spent  long  enough  time  here  to  learn  the  English  language. 
We  shall  be  late  at  the  outpost.  *  Messieurs  les  Anglais,  good-night, 
good-night !" 

This  was  repeated  by  the  others  as  they  passed  out  with  Sir 
George  Dashwood  among  them,  who,  seeing  that  my  determination 
was  not  to  be  shaken,  and  that  any  demur  on  his  part  must  neces- 
sarily compromise  both,  yielded  to  a  coup  de  main  that  he  never 
would  have  consented  to  from  an  appeal  to  his  reason.  The  door 
closed ;  their  steps  died  away  in  the  distance.  Again  a  faint  sound 
struck  my  ear ;  it  was  the  challenge  of  the  sentry  beneath,  and  I 
heard  the  tramp  of  horses'  feet.  All  was  still,  and  in  a  burst  of 
heartfelt  gratitude  I  sank  upon  my  knees,  and  thanked  God  that  he 
was  safe. 

So  soundly  did  I  sleep,  that  not  before  I  was  shaken  several  times 
by  the  shoulder  could  I  awake  on  the  following  morning. 

"  I  thought  there  were  two  prisoners  here,"  said  a  gruff  voice,  as 
an  old  moustached-looking  veteran  cast  a  searching  look  about  the 
room.  "However,  we  shall  have  enough  of  them  before  sunset. 
Get — get  up  ;  Monsieur  le  Due  de  Dalmatie  desires  some  information 
you  can  give  him." 

As  he  said  this,  he  led  me  from  the  room,  and,  descending  the 
flight  of  stone  steps,  we  entered  the  court-yard.  It  was  but  four 
o'clock,  the  rain  still  falling  in  torrents,  yet  every  one  was  up  and 
stirring. 

"  Mount  this  horse,"  said  my  gruff  friend,  "  and  come  with  me 
towards  the  left ;  the  Marshal  has  already  gone  forward." 


730  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

The  heavy  mist  of  the  morning,  darkened  by  the  louring  clouds 
which  almost  rested  on  the  earth,  prevented  our  seeing  above  a 
hundred  yards  before  us;  but  the  hazy  light  of  the  watch-fires 
showed  me  the  extent  of  the  French  position,  as  it  stretched  away 
along  the  ridge  towards  the  Halle  road.  We  rode  forward  at  a  trot, 
but  in  the  deep  clayey  soil  we  sank  at  each  moment  to  our  horses' 
fetlocks.  I  turned  my  head  as  I  heard  the  tramp  and  splash  of 
horsemen  behind,  and  perceived  that  I  was  followed  by  two  dra- 
goons, who,  with  their  carbines  on  the  rest,  kept  their  eyes  steadily 
upon  me  to  prevent  any  chance  of  escape.  In  a  slight  hollow  of 
the  ground  before  us  stood  a  number  of  horsemen,  who  conversed 
together  in  a  low  tone  as  we  came  up. 

"  There !  that  is  the  Marshal,"  said  my  companion,  in  a  whisper, 
as  we  joined  the  party. 

"  Yes,  Monsieur  le  Due,"  said  an  engineer  colonel,  who  stood  be- 
side Soult's  horse,  with  a  colored  plan  in  his  hand — "  Yes,  that  is 
the  Chateau  de  Goumont,  yonder.  It  is,  as  you  perceive,  completely 
covered  by  the  rising  ground  marked  here;  they  will,  doubtless, 
place  a  strong  artillery  force  in  this  quarter." 

"  Ah !  who  is  this  ?"  said  the  Marshal,  turning  his  eyes  suddenly 
upon  me,  and  then  casting  a  look  of  displeasure  around  him,  lest  I 
should  have  overheard  any  portion  of  their  conversation.  "You 
are  deficient  in  cavalry,  it  would  appear,  sir  ?"  said  he  to  me. 

"  You  must  feel,  Monsieur  le  Due,"  said  I,  calmly,  "  how  impos- 
sible it  is  for  me,  as  a  man  of  honor  and  a  soldier,  to  afford  you  any 
information  as  to  the  army  I  belong  to." 

"  I  do  not  see  that,  sir.  You  are  a  prisoner  in  our  hands  ;  your 
treatment,  your  fortune,  your  very  life  depends  on  us.  Besides,  sir, 
when  French  officers  fall  into  the  power  of  your  people,  I  have  heard 
they  meet  not  very  ceremonious  treatment." 

"  Those  who  say  so,  say  falsely,"  said  I,  "  and  wrong  both  your 
countrymen  and  mine.     In  any  case " 

"  The  Guards  are  an  untried  force  in  your  service,"  said  he,  with 
a  mixture  of  inquiry  and  assertion. 

I  replied  not  a  word. 

"You  must  see,  sir,"  continued  he,  "that  all  the  chances  are 
against  you.  The  Prussians  beaten,  the  Dutch  discouraged,  the 
Belgians  only  waiting  for  victory  to  incline  to  our  standard,  to  desert 
your  ranks,  and  pass  over  to  ours ;  while  your  troops,  scarcely  forty 
thousand,  nay,  I  might  say,  not  more  than  thirty-five  thousand.  Is 
it  not  so?" 

Here  was  another  question,  so  insidiously  conveyed  that  even  a 
change  of  feature  on  my  part  might  have  given  the  answer.  A  half 
smile,  however,  and  a  slight  bow  was  all  my  reply ;  while  Soult  mut- 


QUATRE  BRAS.  731 

tered  something  between  his  teeth,  which  called  forth  a  laugh  from 
those  around  him. 

"  You  may  retire,  sir,  a  little,"  said  he,  dryly,  to  me. 

Not  sorry  to  be  freed  from  the  awkwardness  of  my  position,  I  fell 
back  to  the  little  rising  ground  behind.  Although  the  rain  poured 
down  without  ceasing,  the  rising  sun  dispelled,  in  part,  the  heavy 
vapor,  and  by  degrees  different  portions  of  the  wide  plain  presented 
themselves  to  view ;  and  as  the  dense  masses  of  fog  moved  slowly 
along,  I  could  detect,  but  still  faintly,  the  outline  of  the  large, 
irregular  biylding  which  I  had  heard  them  call  the  Chateau  de  Gou- 
mont,  and  from  whence  I  could  hear  the  clank  of  masonry,  as  at  in- 
tervals the  wind  bore  the  sounds  towards  me.  These  were  the  sap- 
pers piercing  the  walls  for  musketry  ;  and  this  I  could  now  perceive 
was  looked  upon  as  a  position  of  no  small  importance.  Surrounded 
by  a  straggling  orchard  of  aged  fruit  trees,  the  chateau  lay  some 
hundred  yards  in  advance  of  the  British  line,  commanded  by  two 
eminences,  one  of  which,  in  the  possession  of  the  French,  was 
already  occupied  by  a  park  of  eleven  guns ;  of  the  other  I  knew 
nothing,  except  the  passing  glance  I  had  obtained  of  its  position  on 
the  map.  The  second  corps,  under  Jerome  Bonaparte,  with  Foy  and 
Kellerman's  brigade  of  light  artillery,  stretched  behind  us.  On  the 
right  of  these  came  D'Erlon's  corps,  extending  to  a  small  wood, 
which  my  companion  told  me  was  Frischermont ;  while  Lobau's 
division  was  stationed  to  the  extreme  right  towards  St.  Lambert,  to 
maintain  the  communication  with  Grouchy  at  Wavre,  or,  if  need  be, 
to  repel  the  advance  of  the  Prussians,  and  prevent  their  junction 
with  the  Anglo-Dutch  army.  The  Imperial  Guard  with  the  cavalry 
formed  the  reserve.  Such  was,  in  substance,  the  information  given 
me  by  my  guide,  who  seemed  to  expatiate  with  pleasure  over  the 
magnificent  array  of  battle,  while  he  felt  a  pride  in  displaying  his 
knowledge  of  the  various  divisions  and  their  leaders. 

"  I  see  the  Marshal  moving  towards  the  right,"  said  he ;  "  we  had 
better  follow  him." 

It  was  now  about  eight  o'clock,  as  from  the  extremity  of  the  line 
I  could  see  a  party  of  horsemen  advancing  at  a  sharp  canter. 

"  That  must  be  Ney,"  said  my  companion.  "  See  how  rashly  he 
approaches  the  English  lines  !" 

And  so  it  was.  The  party  in  question  rode  fearlessly  down  the 
slope,  and  did  not  halt  until  they  reached  within  about  three  hun- 
dred yards  of  what  appeared  a  ruined  church. 

"  What  is  that  building  yonder  ?" 

"  That— that,"  replied  he,  after  a  moment's  thought,  "that  must 
be  La  Haye  Sainte  ;  and  yonder,  to  the  right  of  it,  is  the  road  to 
Brussels.    There,  look  now!  your  people  are  in  motion.    See!  i> 


732  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

column  is  moving  towards  the  right,  and  the  cavalry  are  defiling  on 
the  other  side  of  the  road.  I  was  mistaken — that  cannot  be  Ney. 
Heavens !  it  was  the  Emperor  himself,  and  here  he  comes." 

As  he  spoke,  the  party  galloped  forward,  and  pulled  up  short 
within  a  few  yards  of  where  we  stood. 

"  Ha !"  cried  he,  as  his  sharp  glance  fell  upon  me,  "  there  is  my 
taciturn  friend  of  Quatre  Bras.  You  see,  sir,  I  can  dispense  with 
your  assistance  now  ;  the  chess-board  is  before  me ;"  and  then  added 
in  a  tone  he  intended  not  to  be  overheard,  "  Everything  depends  on 
Grouchy." 

"  Well,  Haxo,"  he  called  out  to  an  officer  who  galloped  up,  cha- 
peau  in  hand,  "  what  say  you  ?  are  they  entrenched  in  that  posi- 
tion ?" 

"  No,  sire,  the  ground  is  open,  and  in  two  hours  more  will  be  firm 
enough  for  the  guns  to  manoeuvre." 

"  Now,  then,  for  breakfast,"  said  Napoleon,  as  with  an  easy  and 
tranquil  smile  he  turned  his  horse's  head,  and  cantered  gently  up 
the  heights  towards  La  Belle  Alliance.  As  he  approached  the  lines 
the  cry  of  "  Vive  VEmpereur  /"  burst  forth.  Regiment  after  regiment 
took  it  up ;  and  from  the  distant  wood  of  Frischermont  to  the  far 
left  beside  Merke-braine,  the  shout  resounded.  So  sudden,  so  sim- 
ultaneous was  the  outbreak,  that  he  himself,  accustomed  as  he  well 
was  to  the  enthusiasm  of  his  army,  seemed,  as  he  reined  in  his  horse, 
and  looked  with  proud  and  elated  eye  upon  the  countless  thousands, 
astounded  and  amazed.  He  lifted  with  slow  and  graceful  action  his 
unplumed  hat  above  his  head,  and  while  he  bowed  that  proud  front 
before  which  kings  have  trembled,  the  acclamation  burst  forth  anew, 
and  rent  the  very  air. 

At  this  moment  the  sun  shone  brilliantly  out  from  the  dark  clouds, 
and  flashed  upon  the  shining  blades  and  glistening  bayonets  along 
the  line.  A  dark  and  louring  shadow  hung  gloomily  over  the 
British  position,  while  the  French  sparkled  and  glittered  in  the 
sunbeams.  His  quick  glance  passed  with  lightning  speed  from  one 
to  the  other ;  and  I  thought  that,  in  his  look,  upturned  to»heaven, 
I  could  detect  the  flitting  thought  which  bade  him  hope  it  was  an 
augury.  The  bands  of  the  Imperial  Guard  burst  forth  in  joyous  and 
triumphant  strains,  and  amid  the  still  repeated  cries  of  "VEmpereur  1 
VEmpereur  /"  he  rode  slowly  along  towards  La  Belle  Alliance. 


WATERLOO.  733 


CHAPTER   LV 


WATEKLOO. 


NAPOLEON'S  first  intention  was  to  open  the  battle  by  an 
attack  upon  the  extreme  right ;  but  Ney,  who  returned  from 
an  observation  of  the  ground,  informed  him  that  a  rivulet, 
swollen  by  the  late  rains,  had  now  become  a  foaming  torrent,  per- 
fectly impassable  to  infantry.  To  avoid  this  difficulty,  he  abandoned 
his  favorite  manoeuvre  of  a  flank  movement,  and  resolved  to- attack 
the  enemy  by  the  centre.  Launching  his  cavalry  and  artillery  by 
the  road  to  Brussels,  he  hoped  thus  to  cut  off  the  communication  of 
the  British  with  their  own  left,  as  well  as  with  the  Prussians,  for 
whom  he  trusted  that  Grouchy  would  be  more  than  a  match. 

The  reserves  were  in  consequence  all  brought  up  to  the  centre. 
Seven  thousand  cavalry  and  a  massive  artillery  assembled  upon  the 
heights  of  La  Belle  Alliance,  and  waited  but  the  order  to  march.  It 
was  eleven  o'clock,  and  Napoleon  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  slowly 
along  the  line;  again  the  cry  of  "Vive  V Empereur /"  resounded,  and 
the  bands  of  the  various  regiments  struck  up  their  spirit-stirring 
strains  as  the  gorgeous  staff  moved  along.  On  the  British  side  all 
was  tranquil ;  and  still  the  different  divisions  appeared  to  have 
taken  up  their  ground,  and  the  long  ridge  from  Terla-Haye  to 
Merke-braine  bristled  with  bayonets.  Nothing  could  possibly  be 
more  equal  than  the  circumstances  of  the  field.  Each  army  pos- 
sessed an  eminence  whence  their  artillery  might  play.  A  broad  and 
slightly  undulating  valley  lay  between  both.  The  ground  permitted 
in  all  places  both  cavalry  and  infantry  movements,  and  except  the 
crumbling  walls  of  the  Chateau  of  Hougoumont,  or  the  farm-house 
of  La  Haye  Sainte,  both  of  which  were  occupied  by  the  British,  no 
advantage,  either  by  nature  or  art,  inclined  to  either  side.  It  was  a 
fair  stand-up  fight.  It  was  the  mighty  tournament,  not  only  of  the 
two  greatest  nations,  but  the  two  deadliest  rivals  and  bitterest 
enemies,  led  on  by  the  two  greatest  military  geniuses  that  the  world 
has  ever  seen — it  might  not  be  too  much  to  say  or  ever  will  see.  As 
for  me,  condemned  to  be  an  inactive  spectator  of  the  mighty  strug- 
gle, doomed  to  witness  all  the  deep-laid  schemes  and  well-devised 
plans  of  attack  which  were  destined  for  the  overthrow  of  my  coun- 
try's arms,  my  state  was  one  of  torture  and  suspense.  I  sat  upon 
the  little  rising  ground  of  Eossomme.  Before  me,  in  the  valley, 
where  yet  the  tall  corn  waved  in  ripe  luxuriance,  stood  the  quiet  and 
peaceful-looking  old  Chateau  of  Hougoumont,  and  the  blossoming 
branches  of  the  orchard ;  the  birds  were  gayly  singing  their  songs, 
the  shrill  whistle  of  the  fatal  musketry  was  to  be  heard,  and  through 


734  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

my  glass  I  could  detect  the  uniform  of  the  soldiers  who  held  the 
position,  and  my  heart  beat  anxiously  and  proudly  as  I  recognized 
the  Guards.  In  the  orchard  and  the  garden  were  stationed  some 
riflemen — at  least  their  dress  and  the  scattered  order  they  assumed 
bespoke  them  such.  While  I  looked,  the  tirailleurs  of  Jerome's 
division  advanced  from  the  front  of  the  line,  and,  descending  the 
hill  in  a  sling  trot,  broke  into  scattered  parties,  keeping  up,  as  they 
went,  a  desultory  and  irregular  fire.  The  English  skirmishers,  less 
expert  in  this  peculiar  service,  soon  fell  back,  and  the  head  of 
Eeille's  brigade  began  their  march  towards  the  chateau.  The  Eng- 
lish artillery  is  unmasked  and  opens  its  fire.  Kellermann  advances 
at  a  gallop  his  twelve  pieces  of  artillery;  the  chateau  is  concealed 
from  view  by  the  dense  smoke,  and  as  the  attack  thickens,  fresh 
troops  pour  forward,  the  artillery  thundering  on  either  side ;  the 
entire  lines  of  both  armies  stand  motionless  spectators  of  the  terrific 
combat,  while  every  eye  is  turned  towards  that  devoted  spot  from 
whose  dense  mass  of  cloud  and  smoke  the  bright  glare  of  artillery 
is  flashing,  as  the  crashing  masonry,  the  burning  rafters,  and  the 
loud  yell  of  battle  add  to  the  frightful  interest  of  the  scene.  For 
above  an  hour  the  tremendous  attack  continues  without  cessation  ; 
the  artillery  stationed  upon  the  height  has  now  found  its  range,  and 
every  ringing  shot  tells  upon  the  tottering  walls ;  some  wounded 
soldiers  return  faint  and  bleeding  from  the  conflict,  but  there  are 
few  who  escape.  A  crashing  volley  of  firearms  is  now  heard  from 
the  side  where  the  orchard  stands ;  a  second  and  a  third  succeed, 
one  after  the  other,  as  rapid  as  lightning  itself.  A  silence  follows, 
when,  after  a  few  moments,  a  deafening  cheer  bursts  forth,  and  an 
aide-de-camp  gallops  up  to  say  that  the  orchard  has  been  carried  at 
the  point  of  the  bayonet,  the  Nassau  sharpshooters  who  held  it 
having,  after  a  desperate  resistance,  retired  before  the  irresistible 
onset  of  the  French  infantry.  "A  moil  maintenant I"  said  General 
Foy,  as  he  drew  his  sabre,  and  rode  down  to  the  head  of  his  splendid 
division,  which,  anxious  for  the  word  to  advance,  were  standing  in 
the  valley.  "En  avant  I  mes  braves"  cried  he,  while,  pointing  to  the 
chateau  with  his  sword,  he  dashed  boldly  forward.  Scarcely  had  he 
advanced  a  hundred  yards,  when  a  cannon-shot,  "  ricocheting"  as 
it  went,  struck  his  horse  in  the  counter,  and  rolled  him  dead  on  the 
plain.  Disengaging  himself  from  the  lifeless  animal,  he  at  once 
sprang  to  his  feet,  and  hurried  forward.  The  column  was  soon  hid 
from  my  view,  and  I  was  left  to  mourn  over  the  seemingly  inevita- 
ble fate  that  impended  over  my  gallant  countrymen. 

In  the  intense' interest  which  chained  me  to  this  part  of  the  field, 
I  had  not  noticed  till  this  moment  that  the  Emperor  and  his  staff 
were  standing  scarcely  thirty  yards  from  where  I  was.     Napoleon, 


WATERLOO.  735 

seated  upon  a  gray,  almost  white,  Arabian,  had  suffered  the  reins  to 
fall  loosely  on  the  neck,  as  he  held  with  both  hands  his  telescope  to 
his  eye ;  his  dress,  the  usual  green  coat  with  white  facings,  the  uni- 
form of  the  chasseurs  a  cheval,  was  distinguished  merely  by  the  cross 
of  the  Legion ;  his  high  boots  were  splashed  and  mud-stained,  from 
riding  through  the  deep  and  clayey  soil ;  his  compact  and  clean-" 
bred  charger  looked  also  slightly  blown  and  heated ;  but  he  himself, 
and  I  watched  his  features  well,  looked  calm,  composed,  and  tran- 
quil. How  anxiously  did  I  scrutinize  that  face ;  with  what  a  throb- 
bing heart  did  I  canvass  every  gesture,  hoping  to  find  some  passing 
trait  of  doubt,  of  difficulty,  or  of  hesitation ;  but  none  was  there : 
unlike  one  who  looked  upon  the  harrowing  spectacle  of  a  battle- 
field, whose  all  was  depending  on  the  game  before  him;  gambling 
with  one  throw  his  last,  his  only  stake,  and  that  the  empire  of  the 
world.  Yet,  could  I  picture  to  myself  one  who  felt  at  peace  within 
himself — naught  of  reproach — naught  of  regret  to  move  or  stir  his 
spirit,  whose  tranquil  barque  had  glided  over  the  calm  sea  of  life, 
unruffled  by  the  breath  of  passion — I  should  have  fancied  such  was 
he. 

Beside  him  sat  one  whose  flashing  eye  and  changing  features 
looked  in  every  way  his  opposite.  Watching  with  intense  anxiety 
the  scene  of  the  deadly  struggle  round  the  chateau,  every  look, 
every  gesture,  told  the  changing  fortune  of  the  moment ;  his  broad 
and  brawny  chest  glittered  with  orders  and  decorations,  but  his 
heavy  brow  and  louring  look,  flushed  almost  black  with  excitement, 
could  not  easily  be  forgotten.  It  was  Soult,  who,  in  his  quality  of 
Major-General,  accompanied  the  Emperor  throughout  the  day. 

"  They  have  lost  it  again,  sire,"  said  the  Marshal,  passionately ; 
"  and  see,  they  are  forming  beneath  the  cross-fire  of  the  artillery ; 
the  head  of  the  column  keeps  not  its  formation  two  minutes  together. 
Why  does  he  not  move  up  ?" 

"  Domont,  you  know  the  British ;  what  troops  are  those  in  the 
orchard  ?     They  use  the  bayonet  well." 

The  officer  addressed  pointed  his  glass  for  a  moment  to  the  spot. 
Then  turning  to  the  Emperor,  replied,  as  he  touched  his  hat,  "  They 
are  the  Guards,  sire." 

During  this  time  Napoleon  spoke  not  a  word  ;  his  eye  ever  bent 
upon  the  battle,  he  seemed  to  pay  little  if  any  attention  to  the  con- 
versation about  him.  As  he  looked,  an  aide-de-camp,  breathless 
and  heated,  galloped  up. 

"  The  columns  of  attack  are  formed,  sire ;  everything  is  ready, 
and  the  Marshal  only  waits  the  order." 

Napoleon  turned  upon  his  saddle,  and,  directing  his  glass  towards 
Ney's  division,  looked  fixedly  for  some  moments  at  them.    His  eye 


736  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

moved  from  front  to  rear  slowly,  and  at  last  carrying  his  telescope 
along  the  line,  he  fixed  it  steadily  upon  the  far  left.  Here,  towards 
St.  Lambert,  a  slight  cloud  seems  to  rest  on  the  horizon,  as  the  Em- 
peror continued  to  gaze  steadfastly  at  it.  Every  glass  of  the  staff 
was  speedily  turned  in  that  direction. 

"  It  is  nothing  but  a  cloud  ;  some  exhalation  from  the  low  grounds 
in  that  quarter,"  whispered  one. 

"  To  me,"  said  another,  "  they  look  like  trees,  part  of  the  Bois  de 
Wavre." 

"  They  are  men,"  said  the  Emperor,  speaking  for  the  first  time. 
11  Est-ce  Grouchy!     Est-ce  Blucher  1" 

Soult  inclines  to  believe  it  to  be  the  former,  and  proceeds  to  give 
his  reasons,  but  the  Emperor,  without  listening,  turns  towards  Do- 
mont,  and  orders  him,  with  his  division  of  light  cavalry  and  Suber- 
vic's  brigade,  to  proceed  thither  at  once.  If  it  be  Grouchy,  to 
establish  a  junction  with  him;  to  resist,  should  it  prove  to  be  the 
advanced  guard  of  Marshal  Blucher.  Scarcely  is  the  order  given 
when  a  column  of  cavalry,  wheeling  "  fours  about,"  unravels  itself 
from  the  immense  mass,  and  seems  to  serpentine  like  an  enormous 
snake  between  the  squares  of  the  mighty  army.  The  pace  increases 
at  every  moment,  and  at  length  we  see  them  merge  from  the  extreme 
right  and  draw  up,  as  if  on  parade,  above  half  a  mile  from  the 
wood.  This  movement,  by  its  great  precision  and  beauty,  had  at- 
tracted our  entire  attention,  not  only  from  the  attack  on  Hougou- 
mont,  but  also  an  incident  which  had  taken  place  close  beside  us. 
This  was  the  appearance  of  a  Prussian  hussar  who  had  been  taken 
prisoner  between  Wavre  and  Planchenoit :  he  was  the  bearer  of  a 
letter  from  Bulow  to  Wellington,  announcing  his  arrival  at  St.  Lam- 
bert, and  asking  for  orders. 

This  at  once  explains  the  appearance  on  the  right ;  but  the  pris- 
oner also  adds  that  the  three  Prussian  corps  were  at  Wavre,  having 
pushed  their  patrols  two  leagues  from  the  town  without  ever  encoun-  « 
tering  any  portion  of  the  force  under  the  command  of  Grouchy. 
For  a  moment  not  a  word  is  spoken.  A  silence  like  a  panic  per- 
vades the  staff;  the  Emperor  himself  was  the  first  to  break  it. 

"  This  morning,"  said  he,  turning  towards  Soult,  "  the  chances 
were  ninety  to  one  in  our  favor  ;  Bulow's  arrival  has  already  lost  us 
thirty  of  the  number  ;  but  the  odds  are  still  sufficient,  if  Grouchy 
but  repair  the  horrible  fault  he  has  committed." 

He  paused  for  a  moment,  and,  as  he  lifted  up  his  own  hand,  and 
turned  a  look  of  indignant  passion  towards  the  staff,  added,  in  a 
voice  the  sarcasm  of  whose  tone  there  is  no  forgetting : 

"II  s'amuse  d  Gembloux  I  Still,"  said  he,  speaking  rapidly  and 
with  more  energy  than  I  had  hitherto  noticed,  "  Bulow  may  be  en- 


WATERLOO.  737 

tirely  cut  off.  Let  an  officer  approach.  Take  this  letter,  sir," — 
giving,  as  he  spoke,  Bulow's  letter  to  Lord  Wellington — give  this 
letter  to  Marshal  Grouchy ;  tell  him  that  at  this  moment  he  should 

be  before  Wavre ;  tell  him  that  already,  had  he  obeyed  orders 

but  no,  tell  him  to  march  at  once,  to  press  forward  his  cavalry,  to 
come  up  in  two  hours,  in  three  at  furthest.  You  have  but  five 
leagues  to  ride ;  see,  sir,  that  you  reach  him  within  an  hour." 

As  the  officer  hurries  away  at  the  top  of  his  speed,  an  aide-de- 
camp from  General  Domont  confirms  the  news ;  they  are  the  Prus- 
sians whom  he  has  before  him.  As  yet,  however,  they  are  debouch- 
ing from  the  wood,  and  have  attempted  no  forward  movement. 

"What's  Bulow's  force,  Marshal?" 

"  Thirty  thousand,  sire." 

"  Let  Lobau  take  ten  thousand,  with  the  Cuirassiers  of  the  Young 
Guard,  and  hold  the  Prussians  in  check." 

" Maintenanl,  pour  les  autres."  This  he  said  with  a  smile,  as  he 
turned  his  eye  once  more  towards  the  field  of  battle.  The  aide-de- 
camp of  Marshal  Ney,  who,  bareheaded  and  expectant,  sat  waiting 
for  orders,  presented  himself  to  view.  The  Emperor  turned  towards 
him  as  he  said,  with  a  clear  and  firm  voice : 

"  Tell  the  Marshal  to  open  the  fire  of  his  batteries ;  to  carry  La 
Haye  Sainte  with  the  bayonet,  and  leaving  an  infantry  division  for 
its  protection,  to  march  against  La  Papelotte  and  La  Haye.  They 
must  be  carried  by  the  bayonet." 

The  aide-de-camp  was  gone ;  Napoleon's  eye  followed  him  as  he 
crossed  the  open  plain,  and  was  lost  in  the  dense  ranks  of  the  dark 
columns.  Scarcely  five  minutes  elapsed  when  eighty  guns  thundered 
out  together,  and,  as  the  earth  shook  and  trembled  beneath,  the 
mighty  movement  of  the  day  began  its  execution.  From  Hougou- 
mont,  where  the  slaughter  and  the  carnage  continued  unslackened 
and  unstayed,  every  eye  was  now  turned  towards  the  right.  I  knew 
not  what  troops  occupied  La  Haye  Sainte,  or  whether  they  were 
British  who  crowned  the  heights  above  it;  but  in  my  heart  how 
fervently  did  I  pray  that  they  might  be  so.  Oh !  in  that  moment 
of  suspense  and  agonizing  doubt,  what  would  I  not  have  given  to 
know  that  Picton  himself  and  the  fighting  5th  were  there;  that  be- 
hind the  ridge  the  Greys,  the  Royals,  and  the  Enniskilleners  sat 
motionless,  but  burning  to  advance  ;  and  the  breath  of  battle  waved 
among  the  tartans  of  the  Highlanders,  and  blew  upon  the  flashing 
features  of  my  own  island  countrymen.  Had  I  known  this,  I  could 
have  marked  the  onset  with  a  less  failing  spirit. 

"  There  goes  Marcognet's  division,"  said  my  companion,  springing 
to  his  legs  ;  "they're  moving  to  the  right  of  the  road.     I  should  like 
to  see  the  troops  that  will  stand  before  them." 
47 


738  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

So  saying,  he  mounted  his  horse,  and,  desiring  me  to  accompany 
him,  rode  to  the  height  beside  La  Belle  Alliance.  The  battle  was 
now  raging  from  the  Chateau  de  Hougoumout  to  St.  Lambert,  where 
the  Prussian  tirailleurs,  as  they  issued  from  the  wood,  were  skirmish- 
ing with  the  advance  posts  of  Lobau's  brigade.  The  attack  upon 
the  centre,  however,  engrossed  all  my  attention,  and  I  watched  the 
dark  columns  as  they  descended  into  the  plain,  while  the  incessant 
roll  of  the  artillery  played  about  them.  To  the  right  of  Ney's  at- 
tack, D'Erlon  advanced  with  three  divisions,  and  the  artillery  of 
the  Guard.  Towards  this  part  of  the  field  my  companions  moved. 
General  Le  Vasseur  desired  to  know  if  the  division  on  the  Brussels 
road  were  English  or  Hanoverian  troops,  and  I  was  sent  for  to 
answer  the  question.  We  passed  from  square  to  square  until  at 
length  we  found  ourselves  upon  the  flank  of  D'Erlon's  division. 
Le  Vasseur,  who  at  the  head  of  his  cuirassiers  waited  but  the  order 
to  charge,  waved  impatiently  with  his  sword  for  us  to  approach. 
We  were  now  to  the  right  of  the  high  road,  and  about  four  hundred 
yards  from  the  crest  of  the  hill  where,  protected  by  a  slight  edge, 
Picton  with  Kempt's  brigade  waited  the  attack  of  the  enemy. 

Just  at  this  moment  an  incident  took  place  which,  while  in  itself 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  achievements  of  the  day,  changed  in  a 
signal  manner  my  own  fortunes.  The  head  of  D'Erlon's  column 
pressed  with  fixed  bayonets  up  the  gentle  slope.  Already  the  Bel- 
gian infantry  give  way  before  them.  The  brave  Brunswickers,  over- 
whelmed by  the  heavy  cavalry  of  France,  at  first  began  to  waver; 
then  are  broken  ;  and  at  last  retreat  in  disorder  up  the  road,  a  whirl- 
wind of  pursuing  squadrons  thundering  behind  them.  "En  avant! 
en  avant  I  la  vicloire  est  d  nous,"  isr  shouted  madly  through  the  impa- 
tient ranks ;  and  the  artillery  is  called  up  to  play  upon  the  British 
squares,  upon  which,  fixed  and  immovable,  the  cuirassiers  have 
charged  without  success.  Like  a  thunderbolt,  the  flying  artillery 
dashes  to  the  front ;  but  scarcely  has  it  reached  the  bottom  of  the 
ascent,  when,  from  the  deep  ground,  the  guns  become  embedded  in 
the  soil :  the  wheels  refuse  to  move.  In  vain  the  artillery  drivers 
whip  and  spur  their  laboring  cattle.  Impatiently  the  leading  files 
of  the  column  prick  with  their  bayonets  the  struggling  horses.  The 
hesitation  is  fatal ;  for  Wellington,  who,  with  eagle  glance,  watches 
from  an  eminence  beside  the  high  road  the  advancing  column,  sees 
the  accident.  An  order  is  given;  and,  with  one  fell  swoop,  the 
heavy  cavalry  brigade  pour  down.  Picton's  division  deploys  into 
line;  the  bayonets  glance  above  the  ridge;  and  with  a  shout  that 
tells  above  the  battle,  on  they  come,  the  fighting  5th.  One  volley 
is  exchanged ;  but  the  bayonet  is  now  brought  to  the  charge,  and 
the  French  division  retreat  in  close  column,  pursued  by  their  gal- 


WATERLOO.  739 

lant  enemy.  Scarcely  had  the  leading  divisions  fallen  back,  and 
the  rear  been  pressed  down  upon,  or  thrown  into  disorder,  than  the 
cavalry  trumpets  sound  a  charge.  The  bright  helmets  of  the  Ennis- 
killeners  come  flashing  in  the  sunbeams,  and  the  Scotch  Greys,  like 
a  white-crested  wave,  are  rolling  upon  the  foe.  Marcognet's  division 
is  surrounded ;  the  dragoons  ride  them  down  on  every  side ;  the  guns 
are  captured ;  the  drivers  cut  down,  and  two  thousand  prisoners  are 
carried  off.  A  sudden  panic  seems  to  seize  upon  the  French,  as 
cavalry,  infantry,  and  artillery  are  hurried  back  on  each  other. 
Vainly  the  French  attempt  to  rally:  the  untiring  enemy  press 
madly  on ;  the  household  brigade,  led  on  by  Lord  Uxbridge,  came 
thundering  down  the  road,  riding  down  with  their  gigantic  force 
the  mailed  cuirassiers  of  France.  Borne  along  with  the  retreating 
torrents,  I  was  carried  on  amidst  the  densely  commingled  mass. 
The  British  cavalry,  which,  like  the  lightnings  that  sever  the  thun- 
der-cloud, pierce  through  in  every  direction,  plunge  madly  upon  us. 
The  roar  of  battle  grew  louder,  as  hand  to  hand  they  fought.  Mil- 
haud's  heavy  dragoons,  with  the  4th  Lancers,  came  up  at  a  gallop. 
Picton  pressed  forward,  waving  his  plumed  hat  above  his  head ;  his 
proud  eye  flashes  with  the  fire  of  victory.  That  moment  is  his  last. 
Struck  in  the  forehead  by  a  musket-ball,  he  falls  dead  from  the 
saddle ;  and  the  wild  yell  of  the  Irish  regiments,  as  they  ring  his 
death-cry,  are  the  last  sounds  which  he  hears.  Meanwhile,  the  Life 
Guards  are  among  us;  prisoners  of  rank  are  captured  on  every 
side;  and  I,  seizing  the  moment,  throw  myself  among  the  ranks 
of  my  countrymen,  and  am  borne  to  the  rear  with  the  retiring 
squadrons. 

As  we  reached  the  crest  of  the  hill  above  the  road,  a  loud  cheer 
in  the  valley  beneath  us  burst  forth,  and  from  the  midst  of  the  dense 
smoke  a  bright  and  pointed  flame  shot  up  towards  the  sky.  It  was 
the  farm-house  La  Haye  Sainte,  which  the  French  had  succeeded 
in  setting  fire  to  with  hot  shot.  For  some  time  past  the  ammunition 
of  the  corps  that  held  it  had  failed,  and  a  dropping,  irregular  mus- 
ketry was  the  only  reply  to  the  incessant  rattle  of  the  enemy.  As 
the  smoke  cleared  away,  we  discovered  that  the  French  had  carried 
the  position ;  and  as  no  quarter  was  given  in  that  deadly  hand-to- 
hand  conflict,  not  one  returned  to  our  ranks  to  tell  the  tale  of  their 
defeat. 

"  This  is  the  officer  that  I  spoke  of,"  said  an  aide-de-camp,  as  he 
rode  up  to  where  I  was  standing,  bare-headed  and  without  a  sword. 
"  He  has  just  made  his  escape  from  the  French  lines,  and  will  be 
able  to  give  your  lordship  some  information." 

The  handsome  features  and  gorgeous  costume  of  Lord  Uxbridge 
were  known  to  me;  but  I  was  not  aware,  till  afterwards,  that  a 


740  CHARLES  O'M  ALLEY. 

soldier-like,  resolute-looking  officer  beside  him  was  General  Gra- 
ham.    It  was  the  latter  who  first  addressed  me. 

"Are  you  aware,  sir,"  said  he,  "if  Grouchy's  force  is  arrived?" 

"They  had  not;  on  the  contrary,  shortly  before  I  escaped,  an 
aide-de-camp  was  despatched  to  Gembloux  to  hasten  his  coming. 
And  the  troops,  for  they  must  be  troops,  were  debouching  from  the 
wood  yonder.  They  seem  to  form  a  junction  with  the  corps  to  the 
right;  they  are  the  Prussians.  They  arrived  there  before  noon  from 
St.  Lambert,  and  are  part  of  Bulow's  corps.  Count  Lobau  and  his 
division  of  ten  thousand  men  were  despatched,  about  an  hour  since, 
to  hold  them  in  check." 

"  This  is  great  news,"  said  Lord  Uxbridge.  "  Fitzroy  must  know 
it  at  once*" 

So  saying,  he  dashed  spurs  into  his  horse,  and  soon  disappeared 
amid  the  crowd  on  the  hilltop. 

"  You  had  better  see  the  Duke  immediately,  sir,"  said  Grahant. 
"  Your  information  is  too  important,  to  be  delayed.  Captain  Cal- 
vert, let  this  officer  have  a  horse ;  his  own  is  too  tired  to  go  much 
further." 

"  And  a  cap,  I  beg  of  you,"  added  I,  in  an  undertone,  "  for  I  have 
already  found  a  sabre." 

By  a  slightly  circuitous  route  we  reached  the  road,  upon  which  a 
mass  of  dismounted  artillery-carts,  baggage-wagons  and  tumbrils 
were  heaped  together  as  a  barricade  against  the  attack  of  the  French 
dragoons,  who  more  than  once  had  penetrated  to  the  very  crest  of 
our  position.  Close  to  this,  and  on  a  little  rising  ground,  from 
which  a  view  of  the  entire  field  extended,  from  Hougoumont  to  the 
far  left,  the  Duke  of  Wellington  stood,  surrounded  by  his  staff.  His 
eye  was  bent  upon  the  valley  before  him,  where  the  advancing  col- 
umns of  Ney's  attack  still  pressed  onwards,  while  the  fire  of  sixty 
great  guns  poured  death  and  carnage  into  his  lines.  The  second 
Belgian  division,  routed  and  broken,  had  fallen  back  upon  the  27th 
regiment,  who  had  merely  time  to  throw  themselves  into  square, 
when  Milhaud's  cuirassiers,  armed  with  their  terrible  long,  straight 
swords,  came  sweeping  down  upon  them.  A  line  of  impassable 
bayonets,  a  living  chevaux-de-frise,  of  the  best  blood  of  Britain,  stood 
firm  and  motionless  before  the  shock.  The  French  miiraille  played 
mercilessly  on  the  ranks,  but  the  chasms  were  filled  up  like  magic, 
and  in  vain  the  bold  horsemen  of  Gaul  galloped  round  the  bristling 
files.  At  length  the  word  "  Fire !"  was  heard  within  the  square,  and 
as  the  bullets  at  pistol-range  rattled  upon  them,  the  cuirass  afforded 
them  no  defence  against  the  deadly  volley.  Men  and  horses  rolled 
indiscriminately  upon  the  earth.  Then  would  come  a  charge  of  our 
dashing  squadrons,  who,  riding  recklessly  upon  the  foe,  were  in  their 


WA  TEE  LOO.  741 

turn  to  be  repulsed  by  numbers,  and  fresh  attacks  poured  down 
upon  our  unshaken  infantry. 

"  That  column  yonder  is  wavering.  Why  does  he  not  bring  up  his 
supporting  squadrons  ?"  inquired  the  Duke,  pointing  to  a  Belgian 
regiment  of  light  dragoons,  who  were  formed  in  the  same  brigade 
with  the  7th  Hussars. 

"  He  refuses  to  oppose  his  light  cavalry  to  cuirassiers,  my  lord," 
said  an  aide-de-camp,  who  had  just  returned  from  the  division  in 
question. 

"Tell  him  to  march  his  men  off  the  ground,"  said  the  Duke, 
with  a  quiet  and.  impassive  tone. 

In  less  than  ten  minutes  the  "  Belgian  regiment"  was  seen  to  de- 
file from  the  mass,  and  take  the  road  to  Brussels,  to  increase  the  panic 
of  that  city,  by  circulating  and  strengthening  the  report  that  the 
English  were  beaten,  and  Napoleon  in  full  march  upon  the  capital. 

"  What's  Ney's  force  ?  can  you  guess,  sir  ?"  said  the  Duke  of  Wel- 
lington, turning  to  me. 

"  About  twelve  thousand  men,  my  lord." 

"Are  the  Guard  among  them?" 

"  No,  sir ;  the  Guard  are  in  reserve  above  La  Belle  Alliance." 

"In  what  part  of  the  field  is  Bonaparte?" 

"  Nearly  opposite  to  where  we  stand." 

"  I  told  you,  gentlemen,  Hougoumont  never  was  the  great  attack. 
The  battle  must  be  decided  here,"  pointing,  as  he  spoke,  to  the  plain 
beneath  us,  where  Ney  still  poured  in  his  devoted  columns,  where 
yet  the  French  cavalry  rode  down  upon  our  firm  squares. 

As  he  spoke,  an  aide-de-camp  rode  up  from  the  valley. 

"  The  92d  requires  support,  my  lord.  They  cannot  maintain  their 
position  half  an  hour  longer  without  it." 

"  Have  they  given  way,  sir  ?" 

"No " 

"Well,  then,  they  must  stand  where  they  are.  I  hear  cannon 
towards  the  left — yonder,  near  Frischermont." 

At  this  moment  the  light  cavalry  swept  past  the  base  of  the  hill 
on  which  we  stood,  hotly  followed  by  the  French  heavy  cuirassier 
brigade.  Three  of  our  guns  were  taken  ;  and  the  cheering  of  the 
French  infantry,  as  they  advanced  to  the  charge,  presaged  their 
hope  of  victory. 

"  Do  it,  then,"  said  the  Duke,  in  reply  to  some  whispered  question 
of  Lord  Uxbridge,  and  shortly  after  the  heavy  trot  of  advancing 
squadrons  was  heard  behind. 

They  were  the  Life  Guards  and  the  Blues,  who,  with  the  1st 
Dragoon  Guards  and  the  Enniskilleners,  were  formed  into  close 
column. 


742  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  I  know  the  ground,  my  lord,"  said  I  to  Lord  Uxbridge. 

"  Come  along,  sir,  come  along,"  said  he,  and  he  threw  his  hussar 
jacket  loosely  behind  him,  to  give  freedom  to  his  sword-arm.  "For- 
ward, my  men,  forward!  but  steady;  hold  your  horses  in  hand. 
Threes  about,  and  together — charge!" 

"  Charge !"  he  shouted.  As  the  word  flew  from  squadron  to 
squadron,  each  horseman  bent  upon  his  saddle,  and  that  mighty 
mass,  as  though  instinct  with  one  spirit,  dashed  like  a  thunderbolt 
upon  the  column  beneath  them.  The  French,  blown  and  exhausted, 
inferior  besides  in  weight,  both  of  man  and  horse,  offered  but  a 
short  resistance.  As  the  tall  corn  bends  beneath  the  sweeping 
hurricane,  wave  succeeding  wave,  so  did  the  steel-clad  squadrons 
of  France  fall  before  the  nervous  arm  of  Britain's  cavalry.  Onward 
they  went,  carrying  death  and  ruin  before  them,  and  never  stayed 
their  course  until  the  guns  were  recaptured,  and  the  cuirassiers, 
repulsed,  disordered,  and  broken,  had  retired  beneath  the  protection 
of  their  artillery. 

There  was,  as  a  brilliant  and  eloquent  writer  on  the  subject  men- 
tions, a  terrible  sameness  in  the  whole  of  this  battle, — incessant 
charges  of  cavalry  upon  the  squares  of  our  infantry,  whose  sole 
manoeuvre  consisted  in  either  deploying  into  line  to  resist  the  attack 
of  infantry,  or  falling  back  into  square  when  the  cavalry  advanced : 
performing  those  two  evolutions  under  the  devastating  fire  of  artil- 
lery, before  the  unflinching  heroism  of  that  veteran  infantry  whose 
glories  had  been  reaped  upon  the  blood-stained  fields  of  Austerlitz, 
Marengo,  and  Wagram,  or  opposing  an  unbroken  front  to  the  whirl- 
wind swoop  of  infuriated  cavalry.  Such  were  the  enduring  and  de- 
voted services  demanded  from  the  English  troops,  and  such  they 
failed  not  to  render.  Once  or  twice  had  temper  nearly  failed  them, 
and  the  cry  ran  through  the  ranks,  "  Are  we  never  to  move  for- 
ward ?  Only  let  us  at  them !"  But  the  word  was  not  yet  spoken 
which  was  to  undam  the  pent-up  torrent,  and  bear  down  with 
unrelenting  vengeance  upon  the  now  exulting  columns  of  the 
enemy. 

It  was  six  o'clock.  The  battle  had  continued  with  unchanged  for- 
tune for  three  hours.  The  French,  masters  of  La  Haye  Sainte, 
could  never  advance  farther  into  our  position.  They  had  gained 
the  orchard  of  Hougoumont,  but  the  chateau  was  still  held  by  the 
British  Guards,  although  its  blazing  roof  and  crumbling  walls  made 
its  occupation  rather  the  desperate  stand  of  unflinching  valor  than 
the  maintenance  of  an  important  position.  The  smoke  which  hung 
upon  the  field  rolled  in  slow  and  heavy  masses  back  upon  the 
French  lines,  and  gradually  discovered  to  our  view  the  entire  of  the 
army.     We  quickly  perceived  that  a  change  was  taking  place  in 


WATERLOO.  743 

their  position.  The  troops,  which  on  their  left  stretched  far  beyond 
Hougoumont,  were  now  moved  nearer  to  the  centre.  The  attack 
upon  the  chateau  seemed  less  vigorously  supported,  while  the 
oblique  direction  of  their  right  wing,  which,  pivoting  upon  Planche- 
noit,  opposed  a  face  to  the  Prussians,  all  denoted  a  change  in  their 
order  of  battle.  It  was  now  the  hour  when  Napoleon  was  at  last 
convinced  that  nothing  but  the  carnage  he  could  no  longer  sup- 
port could  destroy  the  unyielding  ranks  of  British  infantry ;  that 
although  Hougoumont  had  been  partially,  La  Haye  Sainte  com- 
pletely won ;  that  upon  the  right  of  the  road  the  farm-houses  Pape- 
lotte  and  La  Haye  were  nearly  surrounded  by  his  troops,  which 
with  any  other  army  must  prove  the  forerunner  of  defeat,  yet  still 
the  victory  was  beyond  his  grasp.  The  bold  stratagems  whose  suc- 
cess the  experience  of  a  life  had  proved  were  here  found  to  be 
powerless.  The  decisive  manoeuvre  of  carrying  one  important  point 
of  the  enemy's  lines,  of  turning  him  upon  the  flank,  or  piercing  him 
through  the  centre,  were  here  found  impracticable.  He  might 
launch  his  avalanche  of  grape-shot,  he  might  pour  down  his  crash- 
ing columns  of  cavalry,  he  might  send  forth  the  iron  storm  of  his 
brave  infantry ;  but,  though  death  in  every  shape  heralded  their 
approach,  still  were  others  found  to  fill  the  fallen  ranks,  and  feed 
with  their  heart's  blood  the  unslaked  thirst  for  slaughter.  Well 
might  the  gallant  leader  of  this  gallant  host,  as  he  watched  the 
reckless  onslaught  of  the  untiring  enemy,  and  looked  upon  the  un- 
flinching few  who,  bearing  the  proud  badge  of  Britain,  alone  sus- 
tained the  fight, — well  might  he  exclaim,  "  Night  or  Blucher  I" 

It  was  now  seven  o'clock,  when  a  dark  mass  was  seen  to  form  upon 
the  heights  above  the  French  centre,  and  divide  into  three  gigantic 
columns,  of  which  the  right  occupied  the  Brussels  road.  These  were 
the  reserves,  consisting  of  the  Old  and  Young  Guards,  and  amount- 
ing to  twelve  thousand — the  ilite  of  the  French  army — reserved  by 
the  Emperor  for  a  great  coup  de  main.  These  veterans  of  a  hundred 
battles  had  been  stationed  from  the  beginning  of  the  day,  inactive 
spectators  of  the  fight ;  their  hour  was  now  come,  and  with  a  shout 
of  "  Vive  VEmpereur  /"  which  rose  triumphantly  over  the  din  and  crash 
of  battle,  they  began  their  march.  Meanwhile,  aides-de-camp  gal- 
loped along  the  lines,  announcing  the  arrival  of  Grouchy,  to  reani- 
mate the  drooping  spirits  of  the  men  ;  for,  at  last,  a  doubt  of  victory 
was  breaking  upon  the  minds  of  those  who  never  before,  in  the  most 
adverse  hour  of  fortune,  deemed  his  star  could  be  set  that  led  them 
on  to  glory. 

"  They  are  coming ;  the  attack  will  be  made  on  the  centre,  my 
lord,"  said  Lord  Fitzroy  Somerset,  as  he  directed  his  glass  upon  the 
column.    Scarcely  had  he  spoken,  when  the  telescope  fell  from  hia 


744  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

hand,  as  his  arm,  shattered  by  a  French  bullet,  fell  motionless  to 
his  side. 

"  I  see  it,"  was  the  cool  reply  of  the  Duke,  as  he  ordered  the 
Guards  to  deploy  into  line,  and  lie  down  behind  the  ridge,  which 
now  the  French  artillery  had  found  the'  range  of,  and  were  laboring 
at  their  guns.  In  front  of  them  the  52d,  71st,  and  95th  were  formed ; 
the  artillery  stationed  above  and  partly  upon  the  road,  loaded  with 
grape,  and  waited  but  the  word  to  open. 

It  was  an  awful,  a  dreadful  moment.  The  Prussian  cannon  thun- 
dered on  our  left,  but  so  desperate  was  the  French  resistance,  they 
made  but  little  progress.  The  dark  columns  of  the  Guard  had  now 
commenced  the  ascent,  and  the  artillery  ceased  their  fire  as  the  bayo- 
nets of  the  grenadiers  showed  themselves  upon  the  slope.  Then 
began  that  tremendous  cheer  from  right  to  left  of  our  line  which 
those  who  heard  never  can  forget.  It  was  the  impatient,  long-re- 
strained burst  of  unslaked  vengeance.  With  the  instinct  which 
valor  teaches,  they  knew  the  hour  of  trial  was  come;  and  that  wild 
cry  flew  from  rank  to  rank,  echoing  from  the  blood-stained  walls  of 
Hougoumont  to  the  far-off  valley  of  La  Papelotte.  "  They  come ! 
they  come!"  was  the  cry;  and  the  shout  of  "Vive  HEmpereur!" 
mingled  with  the  outburst  of  the  British  line. 

Under  an  overwhelming  shower  of  grape,  to  which  succeeded  a 
charge  of  cavalry  of  the  Imperial  Guard,  the  head  of  Ney's  column 
fired  its  volley  and  advanced'with  the  bayonet.  The  British  artil- 
lery now  opened  at  half  range,  and  although  the  plunging  fire 
scathed  and  devastated  the  dark  ranks  of  the  Guard,  on  they  came, 
Ncy  himself,  on  foot,  at  their  head.  Twice  the  leading  division  of 
that  gallant  column  turned  completely  round,  as  the  withering  fire 
wasted  and  consumed  them  ;  but  they  were  resolved  to  win. 

Already  they  gained  the  crest  of  the  hill,  and  the  first  line  of  the 
British  were  falling  back  before  them.  The  artillery  closes  up ;  the 
flanking  fire  from  the  guns  upon  the  road  opens  upon  them ;  the 
head  of  their  column  breaks  like  a  shell ;  the  Duke  seizes  the  mo- 
ment, and  advances  on  foot  towards  the  ridge. 

"  Up,  Guards,  and  at  them  !"  he  cried. 

The  hour  of  triumph  and  vengeance  had  arrived.  In  a  moment 
the  Guards  were  on  their  feet ;  one  volley  was  poured  in  ;  the  bayo- 
nets were  brought  to  the  charge;  they  closed  upon  the  enemy.  Then 
was  seen  the  most  dreadful  struggle  that  the  history  of  all  war  can 
present.  Furious  with  long-restrained  passion,  the  Guards  rushed 
upon  the  leading  divisions;  the  71st,  the  95th,  and  26th  overlapped 
them  on  the  flanks.  Their  generals  fell  thickly  on  every  side  ; 
Michel,  Jamier,  and  Mallet  are  killed ;  Friant  lies  wounded  upon 
the  ground ;  Ney,  his  dress  pierced  and  ragged  with  balls,  shouts 


WA  TEE LOO.  745 

still  to  advance ;  but  the  leading  files  waver ;  they  fall  back ;  the 
supporting  divisions  thicken  ;  confusion,  panic  succeeds  ;  the  British 
press  down  ;  the  cavalry  come  galloping  up  to  their  assistance  ;  and 
at  last  pell-mell,  overwhelmed  and  beaten,  the  French  fall  back  upon 
the  Old  Guard.  This  was  the  decisive  moment  of  the  day — the  Duke 
closed  his  glass,  as  he  said, 

"  The  field  is  won.     Order  the  whole  line  to  advance." 

On  they  came,  four  deep,  and  poured  like  a  torrent  from  the 
height. 

"  Let  the  Life  Guards  charge  them,"  said  the  Duke ;  but  every 
aide-de-camp  on  his  staff  was  wounded,  and  I  myself  brought  the 
order  to  Lord  Uxbridge. 

Lord  Uxbridge  had  already  anticipated  his  orders,  and  bore  down 
with  four  regiments  of  heavy  cavalry  upon  the  French  centre.  The 
Prussian  artillery  thundered  upon  their  flank,  and  at  their  rear. 
The  British  bayonet  was  in  their  front ;  while  a  panic  fear  spread 
through  their  ranks,  and  the  cry  of  "Sauve  qui  peut  /"  resounded  on 
all  sides.  In  vain  Ney,  the  bravest  of  the  brave ;  in  vain  Soult,  Ber- 
trand,  Gourgaud,  and  Labedoyere,  burst  from  the  broken,  disorgan- 
ized mass,  and  called  on  them  to  stand  fast.  A  battalion  of  the  Old 
Guard,  with  Cambronne  at  their  head,  alone  obeyed  the  summons. 
Forming  into  square,  they  stood  between  the  pursuers  and  their 
prey,  offering  themselves  a  sacrifice  to  the  tarnished  honor  of  their 
arms.  To  the  order  to  surrender  they  answered  with  a  cry  of  defi- 
ance ;  and  as  our  cavalry,  flushed  and  elated  with  victory,  rode 
round  their  bristling  ranks,  no  quailing  look,  no  craven  spirit  was 
there.  The  Emperor  himself  endeavored  to  repair  the  disaster  ;  he 
rode  with  lightning  speed  hither  and  thither,  commanding,  ordering, 
nay  imploring  too ;  but  already  the  night  was  falling,  the  confusion 
became  each  moment  more  inextricable,  and  the  effort  was  a  fruitless 
one.  A  regiment  of  the  Guards  and  two  batteries  were  in  reserve 
behind  Planchenoit ;  he  threw  them  rapidly  into  position  ;  but  the 
overwhelming  impulse  of  flight  drove  the  mass  upon  them,  and  they 
were  carried  away  upon  the  torrent  of  the  beaten  army.  No  sooner 
did  the  Emperor  see  this,  his  last  hope,  desert  him,  than  he  dis- 
mounted from  his  horse,  and  drawing  his  sword,  threw  himself  into 
a  square,  which  the  first  regiment  of  Chasseurs  of  the  Old  Guard  had 
formed  with  a  remnant  of  the  battalion.  Jerome  followed  him,  as 
he  called  out, — 

"You  are  right,  brother;  here  should  perish  all  who  bear  the 
name  of  Bonaparte." 

The  same  moment  the  Prussian  light  artillery  rend  the  ranks 
asunder,  and  the  cavalry  charge  down  upon  the  scattered  fragments. 
A  few  of  his  staff,  who  never  left  him,  place  the  Emperor  upon  a 


746  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

horse  and  fly  through  the  death-dealing  artillery  and  musketry.  A 
squadron  of  the  Life  Guards,  to  which  I  had  attached  myself,  came 
up  at  the  moment,  and  as  Blucher's  hussars  rode  madly  here  and 
there,  where  so  lately  the  crowd  of  staff  officers  had  denoted  the 
presence  of  Napoleon,  expressed  their  rage  and  disappointment  in 
curses  and  cries  of  vengeance. 

Cambronne's  battalion  stood  yet  unbroken,  and  seemed  to  defy 
every  attack  that  was  brought  against  them.  To  the  second  sum- 
mons to  surrender  they  replied  as  indignantly  as  at  the  first ;  and 
Vivan's  brigade  was  ordered  to  charge  them.  A  crowd  of  British 
horse  bore  down  on  every  face  of  the  devoted  square;  but  firm  as  in 
their  hour  of  victory,  the  heroes  of  Marengo  never  quailed;  and 
twice  the  bravest  blood  of  Britain  recoiled,  baffled  and  dismayed. 
There  was  a  pause  for  some  minutes,  and  even  then  as  we  surveyed 
our  broken  and  blood-stained  squadrons,  a  cry  of  admiration  burst 
from  our  ranks  at  the  gallant  bearing  of  that  glorious  infantry.  Sud- 
denly the  tramp  of  approaching  cavalry  was  heard ;  I  turned  my 
head,  and  saw  two  squadrons  of  the  Second  Life  Guards.  The  officer 
who  led  them  on  was  bare-headed,  his  long  dark  hair  streaming 
wildly  behind  him  and  upon  his  pale  features,  to  which  not  even  the 
headlong  enthusiasm  of  battle  had  lent  one  touch  of  color.  He  rode 
straight  to  where  I  was  standing,  his  dark  eyes  fixed  upon  me  with 
a  look  so  fierce,  so  penetrating,  that  I  could  not  look  away.  The 
features,  save  in  this  respect,  had  almost  a  look  of  idiocy.  It  was 
Hammersley. 

"  Ha  P?  he  cried  at  last,  "  I  have  sought  you  out  the  entire  day, 
but  in  vain.  It  is  not  yet  too  late.  Give  me  your  hand,  boy.  You 
once  called  on  me  to  follow  you,  and  I  did  not  refuse ;  I  trust  you'll 
do  the  like  by  me.     Is  it  not  so?" 

A  terrible  perception  of  his  meaning  shot  through  my  mind  as  I 
clasped  his  clay-cold  hand  in  mine,  and  for  a  moment  I  did  not 
speak. 

"I  had  hoped  for  better  than  this,"  said  he,  bitterly,  and  a 
glance  of  withering  scorn  flashed  from  his  eye.  "  I  did  trust  that  he 
who  was  preferred  before  me  was  at  least  not  a  coward." 

As  the  word  fell  from  his  lips  I  nearly  leaped  from  my  saddle,  and 
mechanically  raised  my  sabre  to  cleave  him  on  the  spot. 

"Then  follow  me!"  shouted  he,  pointing  with  his  sword  to  the 
glistening  ranks  before  us. 

"  Come  on  !"  said  I,  with  a  voice  hoarse  with  passion,  while,  bury- 
ing my  spurs  in  my  horse's  flanks,  I  sprang  on  a  full  length  before 
him,  and  bore  down  upon  the  enemy.  A  loud  shout,  a  deafening 
volley,  the  agonizing  cry  of  the  wounded  and  the  dying,  were  all  I 
heard,  as  my  horse,  rearing  madly  upwards,  plunged  twice  into  the 


WATERLOO.  747 

air.  and  then  fell  dead  upon  the  earth,  crushing  me  beneath  his  cum- 
brous weight,  lifeless  and  insensible. 

The  day  was  breaking;  the  cold,  gray  light  of  the  morning  was 
struggling  through  the  misty  darkness,  when  I  once  more  recovered 
my  consciousness.  There  are  moments  in  life  when  memory  can  so 
suddenly  conjure  up  the  whole  past  before  us,  that  there  is  scarcely 
time  for  a  doubt  ere  the  disputed  reality  is  palpable  to  our  senses. 
Such  was  this  to  me.  One  hurried  glance  upon  the  wide,  bleak  plain 
before  me,  and  every  circumstance  of  the  battle-field  was  present  to 
my  recollection.  The  dismounted  guns,  the  broken  wagons,  the 
heaps  of  dead  or  dying,  the  straggling  parties  who  on  foot  or  horse- 
back traversed  the  field,  and  the  dark  litters  which  carried  the 
wounded,  all  betokened  the  sad  evidences  of  the  preceding  day's 
battle. 

Close  around  me  where  I  lay,  the  ground  was  marked  with  the 
bodies  of  our  cavalry,  intermixed  with  the  soldiers  of  the  Old 
Guard.  The  broad  brow  and  the  stalwart  chest  of  the  Saxon  lay 
bleaching  beside  the  bronzed  and  bearded  warrior  of  Gaul,  while  the 
torn-up  ground  attested  the  desperation  of  that  struggle  which  closed 
the  day. 

As  my  eye  ranged  over  this  harrowing  spectacle,  a  dreadful  anx- 
iety shot  through  me  as  I  asked  myself  whose  had  been  the  victory. 
A  certain  confused  impression  of  flight  and  pursuit  remained  in  my 
mind;  but,  at  the  moment,  the  circumstances  of  my  own  position 
in  the  early  part  of  the  day  increased  the  difficulty  of  reflection, 
and  left  me  in  a  state  of  intense  and  agonizing  uncertainty.  Al- 
though not  wounded,  I  had  been  so  crushed  by  my  fall  that  it  was 
not  without  pain  I  got  upon  my  legs.  I  soon  perceived  that  the 
spot  around  me  had  not  yet  been  visited  by  those  vultures  of  the 
battle-field  who  strip  alike  the  dead  and  dying.  The  distance  of  the 
place  from  where  the  great  conflict  of  the  battle  had  occurred  was 
probably  the  reason  ;  and  now,  as  the  straggling  sunbeams  fell  upon 
the  earth,  I  could  trace  the  helmet  of  the  Enniskilleners,  or  the  tall 
bearskin  of  the  Scotch  Greys,  lying  in  thick  confusion  where  the 
steel  cuirass  and  long  sword  of  the  French  dragoons  showed  the 
fight  had  been  hottest.  As  I  turned  my  eyes  hither  and  thither,  I 
could  see  no  living  thing  near  me.  In  every  attitude  of  struggling 
agony  they  lay  around ;  some  buried  beneath  their  horses,  some 
bathed  in  blood,  some,  with  clenched  hands  and  darting  eye-balls, 
seemed  struggling  even  in  death.  But  all  was  still— not  a  word,  not 
a  sigh,  not  a  groan  was  there.  I  was  turning  to  leave  the  spot,  and, 
uncertain  which  way  to  direct  my  steps,  looked  once  more  around, 
when  my  glance  rested  upon  the  pale  and  marble  features  of  one 


748  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

who,  even  in  that  moment  of  doubt  and  difficulty,  there  was  no  mis- 
taking. His  coat,  torn  widely  open,  was  grasped  in  either  hand, 
while  his  breast  was  shattered  with  balls,  and  bathed  in  gore. 
Gashed  and  mutilated  as  he  lay,  still  the  features  bore  no  trace  of 
suffering;  cold,  pale,  motionless,  but  with  the  tranquil  look  of  sleep, 
his  eyelids  were  closed,  and  his  half-parted  lips  seemed  to  quiver  in 
life.  I  knelt  down  beside  him  ;  I  took  his  hand  in  mine  ;  I  bent  over 
and  whispered  his  name ;  I  placed  my  hand  upon  his  heart,  where 
even  still  the  life-blood  was  warm — but  he  was  dead.  Poor  Ham- 
mersley  !  His  was  a  gallant  soul ;  and,  as  I  looked  upon  his  blood- 
stained corpse,  my  tears  fell  fast  and  hot  upon  his  brow  to  think  how 
far  I  had  myself  been  the  cause  of  a  life  blighted  in  its  hope,  and  a 
death  like  his. 


CHAPTEE   LVI. 

BRUSSELS. 

ONCE  more  I  would  entreat  my  reader's  indulgence  for  the 
prolixity  of  a  narrative  which  has  grown  beneath  my  hands 
to  a  length  I  had  never  intended.  This  shall,  however,  be 
the  last  time  for  either  the  offence  or  the  apology.  My  story  is  now 
soon  concluded. 

After  wandering  about  for  some  time,  uncertain  which  way  to 
take,  I  at  length  reached  the  Charleroi  road,  now  blocked  by  car- 
riages and  wagons  conveying  the  wounded  towards  Brussels.  Here 
I  learned  for  the  first  time  that  we  had  gained  the  battle,  and  heard 
of  the  total  annihilation  of  the  French  army,  and  the  downfall  of 
the  Emperor.  On  arriving  at  the  farm-house  of  Mont  St.  Jean,  I 
found  a  number  of  officers,  whose  wounds  prevented  their  accom- 
panying the  army  in  its  forward  movement.  One  of  them,  with 
whom  I  was  slightly  acquainted,  informed  me  that  General  Dash- 
wood  had  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  night  upon  the  field  in  search 
of  me,  and  that  my  servant  Mike  was  in  a  state  of  distraction  at 
my  absence  that  bordered  on  insanity.  While  he  was  speaking,  a 
burst  of  laughter  and  the  tones  of  a  well-remembered  voice  behind 
attracted  my  attention. 

"  Made  a  very  good  thing  of  it,  upon  my  life.  A  dressing-case — 
not  gold,  you  know,  but  silver-gilt — a  dozen  knives,  with  blood-stone 
handles,  and  a  little  coffee-pot,  with  the  imperial  arms — not  to  speak 
of  three  hundred  naps  in  a  green  silk  purse — Lord  !  it  reminds  m» 


BEUSSELS.  749 

of  the  Peninsula.  Do  you  know,  those  Prussians  are  mere  bar- 
barians— haven't  a  notion  of  civilized  war.  Bless  your  heart,  my 
fellows  in  the  Legion  would  have  ransacked  the  whole  coach,  from 
the  boot  to  the  sword-case,  in  half  the  time  they  took  to  cut  down 
the  coachman." 

"  The  Major  I  as  I  live,"  said  I.     "  How  goes  it,  Major?" 

"  Eh,  Charley !  when   did  you  turn  up  ?     Delighted  to  see  you. 
They  told  me  you  were  badly  wounded,  or  killed,  or  something  of( 
that  kind  ;  but  I  should  have  paid  the  little  debt  to  your  executors 
all  the  same." 

"All  the  same,  no  doubt,  Major;  but  where,  in  Heaven's  name, 
did  you  fall  upon  that  mine  of  pillage  you  have  just  been  talk- 
ing of?" 

"  In  the  Emperor's  carriage,  to  be  sure,  boy.  While  the  Duke 
was  watching  all  day  the  advance  of  Ney's  columns,  and  keeping 
an  anxious  look-out  for  the  Prussians,  I  sat  in  a  window  in  this  old 
farm-house,  and  never  took  my  eye  off  the  garden  at  Planchenoit. 
I  saw  the  imperial  carriage  there  in  the  morning — it  was  there  also 
at  noon — and  they  never  put  the  horses  to  it  till  past  seven  in  the 
evening.  The  roads  were  very  heavy,  and  the  crowd  was  great.  I 
judged  the  pace  couldn't  be  a  fast  one ;  and  with  four  of  the  Ennis- 
killeners  I  charged  it  like  a  man.  The  Prussians,  however,  had  the 
start  of  us ;  and  if  they  hadn't  thought,  from  my  seat  on  horseback 
and  my  general  appearance,  that  I  was  Lord  Uxbridge,  I  should 
have  got  but  a  younger  son's  portion.  However,  I  got  in  first,  filled 
my  pockets  with  a  few  little  souvenirs  of  the  Emperor,  and  then,  lay- 
ing my  hands  upon  what  was  readiest,  got  out  in  time  to  escape 
being  shot ;  for  two  of  Blucher's  hussars,  thinking  I  must  be  the 
Emperor,  fired  at  me  through  the  window." 

"  What  an  escape  you  had  !" 

"  Hadn't  I,  though  ?  Fortunate,  too,  my  Enniskilleners  saw  the 
whole  thing ;  for  I  intend  to  make  the  circumstance  the  ground  of 
an  application  for  a  pension.  Harkye,  Charley,  don't  say  anything 
about  the  coffee-pot  and  the  knives.  The  Duke,  you  know,  has 
strange  notions  of  his  own  on  these  matters.  But  isn't  that  your 
fellow  fighting  his  way  yonder  ?" 

"Tear  an'  ages!  don't  howld  me — that's  himself — devil  a  one 
else!" 

This  exclamation  came  from  Mickey  Free,  who,  with  his  dress 
torn  and  dishevelled,  his  eyes  bloodshot  and  strained,  was  upsetting 
and  elbowing  all  before  him,  as  he  made  his  way  towards  me  through 
the  crowd. 

"  Take  that  fellow  to  the  guard-house  !  Lay  hold  of  him,  sergeant. 
Knock  him  down !     Who  is  the  scoundrel?" 


750  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

Such  were  the  greetings  he  met  with  on  every  side.  Regardless  of 
everything  and  everybody,  he  burst  his  way  through  the  dense  mass. 

"  Oh,  murther  I  oh,  Mary  !  oh,  Moses  !  Is  he  safe  here  after  all?" 

The  poor  fellow  could  say  no  more,  but  burst  into  a  torrent  of 
tears.  A  roar  of  laughter  around  him  soon,  however,  turned  the 
current  of  his  emotions;  when,  dashing  the  scalding  drops  from  his 
eyelids,  he  glared  fiercely  like  a  tiger  on  every  side. 

"You're  laughing  at  me,  are  ye?"  cried  he,  "bekase  I  love  the 
hand  that  fed  me,  and  the  master  that  stood  to  me.  But  let  us  see 
now  which  of  us  two  has  the  stoutest  heart;  you  with  your  grin  on 
you,  or  myself  with  the  salt  tears  on  my  face." 

As  he  spoke,  he  sprang  upon  them  like  a  madman,  striking  right 
and  left  at  everything  before  him.  Down  they  went  beneath  his 
blows,  levelled  with  the  united  strength  of  energy  and  passion,  till 
at  length,  rushing  upon  him  in  numbers,  he  was  overpowered  and 
thrown  to  the  ground.  It  was  with  some  difficulty  I  accomplished 
his  rescue ;  for  his  enemies  felt  by  no  means  assured  how  far  his 
amicable  propensities  for  the  future  could  be  relied  upon ;  and,  in- 
deed, Mike  himself  had  a  most  constitutional  antipathy  to  binding 
himself  by  any  pledge.  With  some  persuasion,  however,  I  recon- 
ciled all  parties ;  and  having,  by  the  kindness  of  a  brother  officer, 
provided  myself  with  a  couple  of  troop  horses,  I  mounted,  and  set 
out  for  Brussels,  followed  by  Mickey,  who  had  effectually  cured  his 
auditory  of  any  tendency  to  laughter  at  his  cost.  • 

As  I  rode  up  to  the  Belle  Vue,  I  saw  Sir  George  Dashwood  in  the 
window.  He  was  speaking  to  the  Ambassador,  Lord  Clancarty ;  but 
the  moment  he  caught  my  eye,  hurried  down  to  meet  me. 

"  Charley,  safe — safe,  my  boy !  Now  am  I  really  happy.  The 
glorious  day  had  been  one  of  sorrow  to  me  for  the  rest  of  my  life 
had  anything  happened  to  you.  Come  up  with  me  at  once;  I  have 
more  than  one  friend  here  who  longs  to  thank  you." 

So  saying,  he  hurried  me  along;  and,  before  I  could  well  re- 
member where  I  was,  introduced  me  to  a  number  of  persons  in  the 
saloon. 

"Ah!  very  happy  to  know  you,  sir,"  said  Lord  Clancarty;  "per- 
haps we  had  better  walk  this  way.  My  friend  Dashwood  has  ex- 
plained to  me  the  very  pressing  reasons  there  are  for  this  step ;  and 
I,  for  my  part,  see  no  objection." 

"What,  in  Heaven's  name,  can  he  mean !"  thought  I,  as  he  stopped 
short,  expecting  me  to  say  something,  while,  in  utter  confusion,  I 
smiled,  simpered,  and  muttered  some  commonplaces. 

"Love  and  war,  sir,"  resumed  the  Ambassador,  "very  admirable 
associates,  and  you  certainly  have  contrived  to  couple  them  most 
closely  together.    A  long  attachment,  I  believe  ?" 


BBUSSELS.  751 

"  Yes,  sir,  a  very  long  attachment,"  stammered  I,  not  knowing 
which  of  us  was  about  to  become  insane. 

"A  very  charming  person,  indeed;  I  have  seen  the  lady,"  replied 
his  lordship,  as  he  opened  the  door  of  a  small  room,  and  beckoned 
me  to  follow.  The  table  was  covered  with  paper  and  materials  for 
writing ;  but,  before  I  had  time  to  ask  for  any  explanation  of  this 
unaccountable  mystery,  he  added,  "  Oh,  I  was  forgetting ;  this  must 
be  witnessed :  wait  one  moment." 

With  these  words  he  left  the  room,  while  I,  amazed  and  thunder- 
struck, vacillating  between  fear  and  hope,  trembling  lest  the  delusive 
glimmering  of  happiness  should  give  way  at  every  moment,  and  yet 
totally  unable  to  explain  by  any  possible  supposition  how  fortune 
could  so  far  have  favored  me. 

While  yet  I  stood  hesitating  and  uncertain,  the  door  opened,  and 
the  Senhora  entered.  She  looked  a  little  pale,  though  not  less 
beautiful  than  ever ;  and  her  features  wore  a  slight  trace  of  serious- 
ness, which  rather  heightened  than  took  from  the  character  of  her 
loveliness. 

"  I  heard  you  had  come,  Chevalier,"  said  she,  "  and  so  I  ran  down 
to  shake  hands  with  you.     We  may  not  meet  again  for  some  time." 

"How  so,  Senhora?     You  are  not  going  to  leave  us,  I  trust?" 

"Then  you  have  not  seen  Fred?  Oh,  I  forgot,  you  know  nothing 
of  our  plans." 

"  Here  we  are  at  last,"  said  the  Ambassador,  as  he  came  in,  fol- 
lowed by  Sir  George,  Power,  and  two  other  officers.  "Ah,  ma  belle, 
how  fortunate  to  find  you  here !  I  assure  you  it  is  a  matter  of  no 
small  difficulty  to  get  people  together  at  such  a  time  as  this." 

"Charley,  my  dear  friend,"  cried  Power,  "I  scarcely  hoped  to 
have  had  a  shake  hands  with  you  ere  I  left." 

"  Do,  Fred,  tell  me  what  all  this  means  ?  I  am  in  a  maze  of  doubt 
and  difficulty,  and  cannot  comprehend  a  word  I  hear  about  me.". 

"Faith,  my  boy,  I  have  little  time  for  explanation.  The  man 
who  was  at  Waterloo  yesterday,  is  to  be  married  to-morrow,  and  to 
sail  for  India  in  a  week,  has  quite  enough  upon  his  hands." 

"  Colonel  Power,  will  you  please  to  put  your  signature  here,"  said 
Lord  Clancarty,  addressing  himself  to  me. 

"  If  you  will  allow  me,"  said  Fred,  "  I  had  rather  represent  my- 
self." 

"  Is  not  this  the  Colonel,  then  ?  Why,  confound  it,  I  have  been 
wishing  him  joy  the  last  quarter  of  an  hour." 

A  burst  of  laughter  from  the  whole  party,  in  which  it  was  pretty 
evident  I  took  no  part,  followed  this  announcement. 

"And  so  you  are  not  Colonel  Power?  Nor  going  to  be  married 
either?" 


752  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

I  stammered  out  something,  while,  overwhelmed  with  confusion, 
I  stooped  down  to  sign  the  paper.  Scarcely  had  I  done  so,  when  a 
renewed  burst  of  laughter  broke  from  the  party. 

"  Nothing  but  blunders,  upon  my  soul,"  said  the  Ambassador,  as 
he  handed  the  paper  from  one  to  another. 

What  was  my  confusion  to  discover  that,  instead  of  Charles 
O'Malley,  I  had  written  the  name  of  Lucy  Dashwood.  I  could 
bear  no  more.  The  laughing  and  raillery  of  my  friends  came  upon 
my  wounded  and  irritated  feelings  like  the  most  poignant  sarcasm. 
I  seized  my  cap,  and  rushed  from  the  room.  Desirous  of  escaping 
from  all  that  knew  me,  anxious  to  bury  my  agitated  and  distracted 
thoughts  in  solitude  and  quiet,  I  opened  the  first  door  before  me, 
and,  seeing  it  an  empty  and  unoccupied  room,  threw  myself  upon 
a  sofa,  and  buried  my  head  within  my  hands.  Oh,  how  often  had 
the  phantom  of  happiness  passed  within  my  reach,  but  still  glided 
from  my  grasp !  How  often  had  I  beheld  the  goal  I  aimed  at,  as  it 
were  before  me,  and  the  next  moment  all  the  bleak  reality  of  my 
evil  fortune  was  louring  around  me ! 

"Oh  Lucy,  Lucy!"  I  exclaimed  aloud,  "but  for  you  and  a  few 
words  carelessly  spoken,  I  had  never  trod  that  path  of  ambition 
whose  end  has  been  the  wreck  of  all  my  happiness.  But  for  you,  I 
had  never  loved  so  fondly ;  I  had  never  filled  my  mind  with  one 
image  which,  excluding  every  other  thought,  leaves  no  pleasure  but 
in  it  alone.  Yes,  Lucy,  but  for  you  I  should  have  gone  tranquilly 
down  the  stream  of  life  with  naught  of  grief  or  care,  save  such  as 
are  inseparable  from  the  passing  chances  of  mortality ;  loved,  per- 
haps, and  cared  for  by  some  one  who  would  have  deemed  it  no  dis- 
grace to  have  linked  her  fortune  to  my  own.  But  for  you,  and  I 
had  never  been " 

"A  soldier,  you  would  say,"  whispered  a  soft  voice,  as  a  light 
hand  gently  touched  my  shoulder.  "  I  had  come,"  continued  she, 
"to  thank  you  for  a  gift  no  gratitude  can  repay, — my  father's  life; 
but,  truly,  I  did  not  think  to  hear  the  words  you  have  spoken  ;  nor, 
having  heard  them,  can  I  feel  their  justice.  No,  Mr.  O'Malley, 
deeply  grateful  as  I  am  to  you  for  the  service  you  once  rendered 
myself,  bound  as  I  am,  by  every  tie  of  thankfulness,  by  the  greater 
one  to  my  father,  yet  do  I  feel  that  in  the  impulse  I  have  given  to 
your  life,  if  so  be  that  to  me  you  owe  it,  I  have  done  more  to  repay 
my  debt  to  you  than  by  all  the  friendship,  all  the  esteem,  I  owe 
you ;  if,  indeed,  by  my  means,  you  became  a  soldier,  if  my  few  and 
random  words  raised  within  your  breast  that  fire  of  ambition  which 
has  been  your  beacon-light  to  honor  and  to  glory,  then  am  I  indeed 
proud." 

"  Alas !  alas !  Lucy— Miss  Dashwood,  I  would  say— forgive  jne  if 


BRUSSELS.  753 

I  know  not  the  very  words  I  utter.  How  has  my  career  fulfilled 
the  promise  that  gave  it  birth?  For  you,  and  you  only,  to  gain 
your  affection,  to  win  your  heart,  I  became  a  soldier;  hardship, 
danger,  even  death  itself  were  courted  by  me,  supported  by  the  one 
thought  that  you  had  cared  for  or  had  pitied  me;  and  now,  and 
now " 

"And  now,"  said  she,  while  her  eyes  beamed  upon  me  with  a  very 
flood  of  tenderness,  "  is  it  nothing  that  in  my  woman's  heart  I  have 
glowed  with  pride  at  triumphs  I  could  read  of  but  dared  not  share 
in  ?  Is  it  nothing  that  you  have  lent  to  my  hours  of  solitude  and 
of  musing  the  fervor  of  that  career,  the  maddening  enthusiasms  of 
that  glorious  path  my  sex  denied  me  ?  I  have  followed  you  in  my 
thoughts  across  the  burning  plains  of  the  Peninsula,  through  the 
long  hours  of  the  march  in  the  dreary  nights  even  to  the  battle- 
field. I  have  thought  of  you;  I  have  dreamed  of  you;  I  have 
prayed  for  you." 

"  Alas  !  Lucy,  but  not  loved  me." 

The  very  words,  as  I  spoke  them,  sank  with  a  despairing  cadence 
upon  my  heart.  Her  hand,  which  had  fallen  upon  mine,  trembled 
violently.  I  pressed  my  lips  upon  it,  but  she  moved  it  not.  I  dared 
to  look  up.  Her  head  was  turned  away,  but  her  heaving  bosom 
betrayed  her  emotion. 

"No,  no,  Lucy,"  cried  I  passionately,  "I  will  not  deceive  myself; 
I  ask  for  more  than  you  can  give  me.     Farewell !" 

Now,  and  for  the  last  time,  I  pressed  her  hand  once  more  to  my 
lips  ;  my  hot  tears  fell  fast  upon  it.  I  turned  to  go,  and  threw  one 
last  look  upon  her.  Our  eyes  met.  I  cannot  say  what  it  was,  but 
in  a  moment  the  whole  current  of  my  thoughts  was  changed ;  her 
look  was  bent  upon  me,  beaming  with  softness  and  affection ;  her 
hand  gently  pressed  my  own,  and  her  lips  murmured  my  name. 

The  door  burst  open  at  this  moment,  and  Sir  George  Dashwood 
appeared.  Lucy  turned  one  fleeting  look  upon  her  father,  and  fell 
fainting  into  my  arms. 

"  God  bless  you,  my  boy  !"  said  the  old  General,  as  he  hurriedly 
wiped  a  tear  from  his  eye ;  "  I  am  now,  indeed,  a  happy  father." 


4X 


754  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

CHAPTER    LVII. 

CONCLUSION. 
******** 

THE  sun  had  set  about  half  an  hour.  Already  were  the  dusky 
shadows  blending  with  the  faint  twilight,  as  on  a  lovely  June 
evening  we  entered  the  little  village  of  Portumna, — we,  I  say, 
for  Lucy  was  beside  me.  For  the  last  few  miles  of  the  way  I  had 
spoken  little.  Thoughts  of  the  many  times  I  had  travelled  that 
same  road,  in  how  many  moods,  occupied  my  mind ;  and  although, 
as  we  flew  rapidly  along,  some  well-known  face  would  every  now 
and  then  present  itself,  I  had  but  time  for  the  recognition  ere  we 
were  past.  Arousing  myself  from  my  reverie,  I  was  pointing  out  to 
Lucy  certain  well-known  spots  in  the  landscape,  and  directing  her 
attention  to  places  with  the  names  of  which  she  had  been  for  some 
time  familiar,  when  suddenly  a  loud  shout  rent  the  air,  and  the 
next  moment  the  carriage  was  surrounded  by  hundreds  of  country 
people,  some  of  whom  brandished  blazing  pine  torches  ;  others  car- 
ried rude  banners  in  their  hands  ;  but  all  testified  the  most  fervent 
joy  as  they  bade  us  welcome.  The  horses  were  speedily  unhar- 
nessed, and  their  places  occupied  by  a  crowd  of  every  age  and  sex, 
who  hurried  us  along  through  the  straggling  street  of  the  village, 
now  a  perfect  blaze  of  bonfires. 

Mounds  of  turf,  bog-fir,  and  tar-barrels  sent  up  their  ruddy  blaze, 
while  hundreds  of  wild  but  happy  faces  flitted  around  and  through 
them, — now  dancing  merrily  in  chorus,  now  plunging  madly  into 
the  midst  of  the  fire,  and  scattering  the  red  embers  on  every  side. 
Pipers  were  there,  too,  mounted  upon  cars  or  turf-kishes ;  even  the 
very  roof-tops  rang  out  their  merry  notes  ;  the  ensigns  of  the  little 
fishing-craft  waved  in  the  breeze,  and  seemed  to  feel  the  general  joy 
around  them  ;  while  over  the  door  of  the  village  inn  stood  a  bril- 
liantly-lighted transparency,  representing  the  head  of  the  O'Malleys 
holding  a  very  scantily-robed  young  lady  by  the  tips  of  the  fingers  ; 
but  whether  this  damsel  was  intended  to  represent  the  genius  of  the 
west  or  my  wife,  I  did  not  venture  to  inquire. 

If  the  welcome  were  rude,  assuredly  it  was  a  hearty  one.  Kind 
wishes  and  blessings  poured  in  on  every  side,  and  even  our  own 
happiness  took  a  brighter  coloring  from  the  beaming  looks  around 
us.  The  scene  was  wild.  The  lurid  glare  of  the  rod  torchlight,  the 
frantic  gestures,  the  maddening  shouts,  the  forked  flames  rising 
amidst  the  dark  shadows  of  the  little  hamlet,  had  something  strange 
and  almost  unearthly  in  their  effect ;  but  Lucy  showed  no  touch  of 
fear.     It  is  true  she  grasped  my  hand  a  little  closer,  but  her  fail 


CONCL  USION.  755 

cheek  glowed  with  pleasure,  and  her  eye  brightened  as  she  looked  ; 
and  as  the  rich  light  fell  upon  her  beauteous  features,  how  many  a 
blessing,  heartfelt  and  deep,  how  many  a  word  of  fervent  praise,  was 
spoken. 

'Ah  !  then,  the  Lord  be  good  to  you  ;  it's  yourself  has  the  dar- 
iin'  blue  eyes.  Look  at  them,  Mary ;  ain't  they  like  the  blossoms 
on  a  peacock's  tail  ?  Musha,  may  sorrow  never  put  a  crease  on  that 
beautiful  cheek  !  The  saints  watch  over  you  !  for  your  mouth  is 
like  a  moss-rose.  Be  good  to  her,  yer  honor,  for  she's  a  raal  gem. 
Devil  fear  you,  Mr.  Charles,  but  you'd  have  a  beauty." 

We  wended  our  way  slowly,  the  crowd  ever  thickening  around  us, 
until  we  reached  the  market-place.  Here  the  procession  came  to  a 
stand,  and  I  could  perceive,  by  certain  efforts  around  me,  that  some 
endeavor  was  making  to  enforce  silence. 

"  Whist  there  !  howld  your  prate  ;  be  still,  Paddy.  Tear  an'  ages, 
Molly  Blake,  don't  be  howldin'  me  that  way  ;  let  us  hear  his  rive- 
rence.  Put  him  up  on  the  barrel.  Haven't  you  got  a  chair  for  the 
priest?  Pun  and  bring  a  table  out  of  Mat  Haley's.  Here,  father, — 
here,  your  riverence;  take  care,  will  you? — you'll  have  the  holy 
man  in  the  blaze  1" 

By  this  time  I  could  perceive  that  my  worthy  old  friend  Father 
Push  was  in  the  midst  of  the  mob,  with  what  appeared  to  be  a 
written  oration,  as  long  as  the  tail  of  a  kite,  between  his  hands. 

"  Be  aisy,  there,  ye  savages  ;  who's  tearin'  the  back  of  my  neck  ? 
Howld  me  up  straight — steady,  now — hem  !" 

"Take  the  laste  taste  in  life  of  this  to  wet  your  lips,  your 
riverence,"  said  a  friendly  voice,  while  at  the  same  moment  a 
smoking  tumbler  of  what  seemed  to  be  punch  appeared  on  the  heads 
of  the  crowd. 

"Thank  you,  Judy,"  said  the  father,  as  he  drained  the  cup. 
"  Howld  the  light  up  higher  ;  I  can't  read  my  speech.  There,  now  ; 
be  quiet,  will  ye  ?  Here  goes.  Peter,  stand  to  me  now,  and  give 
me  the  word." 

This  admonition  was  addressed  to  a  figure  on  a  barrel  behind  the 
priest,  who,  as  well  as  the  imperfect  light  would  permit  me  to  des- 
cry, was  the  coadjutor  of  the  parish,  Peter  Nolan.  Silence  being 
perfectly  established,  Father  Push  began  :— 

"  When  Mars,  the  god  of  war  on  high, 
Of  battles  first  did  think, 
»             He  girt  his  sword  upon  his  thigh, 
And 

And— what  is't,  Peter?" 

"  And  mixed  a  drop  of  drink." 


756  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  And  mixed  a  drop  of  drink,"  quoth  Father  Kush,  with  great 
emphasis.  Scarcely  were  the  words  spoken,  than  a  loud  shout  of 
laughter  showed  him  his  mistake,  and  he  overturned  upon  the  luck- 
less curate  the  full  vial  of  his  wrath. 

"  What  is  it  that  you  mean,  Father  Peter  ?  I'm  ashamed  of  ye ; 
faith,  it's  maybe  yourself,  not  Mars,  you  are  speaking  of." 

The  roar  of  merriment  around  prevented  my  hearing  what  passed  ; 
but  I  could  see  by  Peter's  gestures — for  it  was  too  dark  to  see  his 
face — that  he  was  expressing  deep  sorrow  for  the  mistake.  After  a 
little  time,  order  was  again  established,  and  Father  Kush  resumed  : 

"  But  love  drove  battles  from  his  head, 
And  sick  of  wounds  and  scars, 
To  Venus  bright  he  knelt,  and  said 

And  said — and  said ;  what  the  blazes  did  he  say  ?" 

"  I'll  make  you  Mrs.  Mars," 

shouted  Peter,  loud  enough  to  be  heard. 

"  Bad  luck  to  you,  Peter  Nolan,  it's  yourself's  the  ruin  of  me  this 
blessed  night.  Here  have  I  come  four  miles  with  my  speech  in  my 
pocket,  'per  imbres  et  ignes.''  "  Here  the  crowd  crossed  themselves 
devoutly.  "  Ay,  just  so ;  and  he  spoilt  it  for  me  entirely."  At  the 
earnest  entreaty,  however,  of  the  crowd,  Father  Eush,  with  renewed 
caution  to  his  unhappy  prompter,  again  returned  to  the  charge : 

"  Thus  love  compelled  the  god  to  yield, 
And  seek  for  purer  joys; 
He  laid  aside  his  helm  and  shield, 
And  took 


Took — took- 


"And  took  to  corduroys," 


cried  Father  Nolan. 

This  time,  however,  the  good  priest's  patience  could  endure  no 
more,  and  he  levelled  a  blow  at  his  luckless  colleague,  which  miss- 
ing his  aim,  lost  him  his  own  balance,  and  brought  him  down  from 
his  eminence  upon  the  heads  of  the  mob. 

Scarcely  had  I  recovered  the  perfect  convulsion  of  laughter  into 
which  the  scene  had  thrown  me,  when  the  broad  brim  of  Father 
Nolan's  hat  appeared  at  the  window  of  the  carriage.  Before  I  had 
time  to  address  him,  he  took  it  reverently  from  his  head,  disclosing 
in  the  act  the  ever-memorable  features  of  Master  Frank  Webber ! 

"  What !     Eh  !— can  it  be?"  said  I. 

"  It  is  surely  not "  said  Lucy,  hesitating  at  the  name. 

"  Your  aunt,  Miss  Judy  Macan,  no  more,  than  the  Rev.  Peter  No, 


CONCL  USION.  757 

Ian,  I  assure  you ;  though,  I  confess,  it  has  cost  me  much  more  to 
personate  the  latter  character  than  the  former,  and  the  reward  by- 
no  means  so  tempting." 

Here  poor  Lucy  blushed  deeply  at  the  remembrance  of  the  scene 
alluded  to  ;  and,  anxious  to  turn  the  conversation,  I  asked  by  what 
stratagem  he  had  succeeded  to  the  functions  of  the  worthy  Peter. 

"At  the  cost  of  twelve  tumblers  of  the  strongest  punch  ever 
brewed  at  the  O'Malley  Arms.  The  good  father  gave  in  only  ten 
minutes  before  the  oration  began,  and  I  had  barely  time  to  change 
my  dress  and  mount  the  barrel,  without  a  moment's  preparation." 

The  procession  once  more  resumed  its  march,  and  hurried  along 
through  the  town,  we  soon  reached  the  avenue.  Here  fresh  prepar- 
ations for  welcoming  us  had  also  been  made ;  but,  regardless  of 
blazing  tar  barrels  and  burning  logs,  the  reckless  crowd  pressed 
madly  on,  their  wild  cheers  waking  the  echoes  as  they  went.  We 
soon  reached  the  house,  and  with  a  courtesy  which  even  the  hum- 
blest and  poorest  native  of  this  country  is  never  devoid  of,  the  pre- 
parations of  noise  and  festivity  had  not  extended  to  the  precincts  of 
the  dwelling.  With  a  tact  which  those  of  higher  birth  and  older 
blood  might  be  proud  of,  they  limited  the  excesses  of  their  reckless 
and  careless  merriment  to  their  own  village,  so  that,  as  we  ap- 
proached the  terrace,  all  was  peaceful,  still,  and  quiet. 

I  lifted  Lucy  from  the  carriage,  and,  passing  my  arm  around  her, 
was  assisting  her  to  mount  the  steps,  when  a  bright  gleam  of  moon- 
light burst  forth,  and  lit  up  the  whole  scene.  It  was,  indeed,  an 
impressive  one.  Among  the  assembled  hundreds  there  who  stood 
bare-headed,  beneath  the  cold  moonlight,  not  a  word  was  now  spo- 
ken— not  a  whisper  heard.  I  turned  from  the  lawn,  where  the  tall 
beech-trees  were  throwing  their  gigantic  shadows,  to  where  the  river, 
peering  at  intervals  through  the  foliage,  was  flowing  on  its  silvery 
track,  plashing  amid  the  tall  flaggers  that  lined  its  banks — all  were 
familiar,  all  were  dear  to  me  from  childhood.  How  doubly  were 
they  so  now  !  I  lifted  up  my  eyes  towards  the  door,  and  what  was 
my  surprise  at  the  object  before  them !  Seated  in  a  large  chair  was 
an  old  man,  whose  white  hair,  flowing  in  straggling  masses  upon  his 
neck  and  shoulders,  stirred  with  the  night  air;  his  hands  rested 
upon  his  knees,  and  his  eyes,  turned  slightly  upward,  seemed  to 
seek  for  some  one  he  found  it  difficult  to  recognize.  Changed  as  he 
was  by  time,  heavily  as  years  had  done  their  work  upon  him,  the 
stern  features  were  not  to  be  mistaken.  As  I  looked,  he  called  out, 
in  a  voice  whose  unshaken  firmness  seemed  to  defy  the  touch  of  time : 

"  Charley  O'Malley !  come  here,  my  boy.  Bring  her  to  me,  till  I 
bless  you  both.  Come  here,  Lucy  :  I  may  call  you  so.  Come  here, 
my  children.    I  have  tried  to  live  on  to  see  this  day,  when  the  head 


758  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

of  an  old  house  comes  back  with  honor,  with  fame,  and  with  for- 
tune, to  dwell  amidst  his  own  people  in  the  old  home  of  his  fathers." 

The  old  man  bent  above  us,  his  white  hair  falling  upon  the  fair 
locks  of  her  who  knelt  beside  him,  and  pressed  his  cold  and  quiver- 
ing hand  within  her  own. 

"Yes,  Lucy,"  said  I,  as  I  led  her  within  the  house,  "this  is 
home." 

Here  now  ends  my  story.  The  patient  reader  who  has  followed 
me  so  far,  deserves  at  my  hands  that  I  should  not  trespass  upon  his 
kindness  one  moment  beyond  the  necessity  ;  if,  however,  any  lurking 
interest  may  remain  for  some  of  those  who  have  accompanied  me 
through  this  my  history,  it  may  be  as  well  that  I  should  say  a  few 
words  further,  ere  they  disappear  forever. 

Power  went  to  India  immediately  after  his  marriage,  distinguished 
himself  repeatedly  in  the  Burmese  war,  and  finally  rose  to  a  high 
command,  that  he  at  this  moment  holds,  with  honor  to  himself  and 
advantage  to  his  country. 

O'Shaughnessy,  on  half-pay,  wanders  about  the  Continent;  pass- 
ing his  summers  on  the  Rhine,  his  winters  at  Florence  or  Geneva. 
Known  to  and  by  everybody,  his  interest  in  the  service  keeps  him 
au  courant  to  every  change  and  regulation,  rendering  him  an  invalu- 
able companion  to  all  to  whom  an  army  list  is  inaccessible.  He  is 
the  same  good  fellow  he  ever  was,  and  adds  to  his  many  excellent 
qualities  the  additional  one  of  being  the  only  man  who  can  make  a 
bull  in  French ! 

Monsoon,  the  Major,  when  last  I  saw  him,  was  standing  on  the 
pier  at  Calais,  endeavoring,  with  a  cheap  telescope,  to  make  out  the 
Dover  cliffs,  from  a  nearer  prospect  of  which  certain  little  family 
circumstances  might  possibly  debar  him.  He  recognized  me  in  a 
moment,  and  held  out  his  hand,  while  his  eye  twinkled  with  its 
ancient  drollery. 

"  Charley,  my  son,  how  goes  it  ?  Delighted  to  see  you.  What  a 
pity  I  did  not  meet  you  yesterday  !  Had  a  little  dinner  at  Crillon's. 
Harding,  Vivian,  and  a  few  others.  They  all  wished  for  you;  'pon 
my  life  they  did." 

"  Civil,  certainly,"  thought  I,  "  as  I  have  not  the  honor  of  being 
known  to  them." 

"  You  are  at  Maurice's,"  resumed  he ;  "  a  very  good  house,  but 
give  you  bad  wine,  if  they  don't  know  you.  They  know  me,"  added 
he,  in  a  whisper :  "  never  try  any  tricks  upon  me.  I'll  just  drop  in 
upon  you  at  six." 

"  It  is  most  unfortunate,  Major ;  I  can't  have  the  pleasure  you 
speak  of;  we  start  in  half  an  hour." 


CONCL  USION.  759 

"  Never  mind,  Charley,  never  mind  ;  another  time.  By  the  bye, 
now  I  think  of  it,  don't  you  remember  something  of  a  ten-pound 
note  you  owe  me?" 

"  As  well  as  I  remember,  Major,  the  circumstance  was  reversed  : 
you  are  the  debtor." 

"  Upon  my  life  you  are  right ;  how  droll.  No  matter,  let  me  have 
the  ten,  and  I'll  give  you  a  check  for  the  whole." 

The  Major  thrust  his  tongue  into  his  cheek  as  he  spoke,  gave  an- 
other leer,  pocketed  the  note,  and  sauntered  down  the  pier  muttering 
something  to  himself  about  King  David  and  greenhorns ;  but  how 
they  were  connected  I  could  not  precisely  overhear. 

Baby  Blake,  or  Mrs.  Sparks,  to  call  her  by  her  more  fitting  appel- 
lation, is  as  handsome  as  ever,  and  not  less  good-natured  and  light- 
hearted,  her  severest  trials  being  her  ineffectual  efforts  to  convert 
Sparks  into  something  like  a  man  for  Galway. 

Last  of  all,  Mickey  Free.  Mike  remains  attached  to  our  fortune 
firmly,  as  at  first  he  opened  his  career ;  the  same  gay,  rollicksome 
Irishman,  making  songs,  making  love,  and  occasionally  making 
punch,  he  spends  his  days  and  his  nights  pretty  much  as  he  was 
wont  to  do  some  thirty  years  ago.  He  obtains  an  occasional  leave 
of  absence  for  a  week  or  so,  but  for  what  precise  purpose,  or  with 
what  exact  object,  I  have  never  been  completely  able  to  ascertain.  I 
have  heard  it  as  true,  that  a  very  fascinating  companion  and  a  most 
agreeable  gentleman  frequents  a  certain  oyster-house  in  Dublin, 
called  Burton  Bindon's.  I  have  also  been  told  of  a  distinguished 
foreigner,  whose  black  moustache  and  broken  English  were  the  ad- 
miration of  Cheltenham  for  the  last  two  winters.  I  greatly  fear, 
from  the  high  tone  of  the  conversation  in  the  former,  and  for  the 
taste  in  continental  characters  in  the  latter  resort,  that  I  could  fix 
upon  the  individual  whose  convivial  and  social  gifts  have  won  so 
much  of  their  esteem  and  admiration ;  but  were  I  to  run  on  thus,  I 
should  recur  to  every  character  of  my  story,  with  each  and  all  of 
whom  you  have  doubtless  grown  well  wearied.  So  here,  for  the 
last  time,  and  with  every  kind  wish,  I  say — adieu  I 


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nient form  for  the  tourist,  and  at  the  same  time  providing  an  illustrated 
guide-book  to  a  country  which  Americans  always  view  with  interest.  There 
are  few  satisfactory  works  about  this  land  which  is  so  generously  gifted  by 
Nature  and  so  full  of  memorials  of  the  past.    Such  books  as  there  are,  either 
cover  a  few  counties  or  are  devoted  to  special  localities,  or  are  merely  guide- 
books. The  present  work  is  believed  to  be  the  first  attempt  to  give  in  attrac- 
tive form  a  description  of  the  stately  homes,  renowned  castles,  ivy-clad  ruina 
of  abbeys,  churches,  and  ancient  fortresses,  delicious  scenery,  rock-bound 
coasts,  and  celebrated   places  of  England  and  Wales.    It  is  written  by  an 
author  fully  competent  from  travel  and  reading,  and  in  position  to  properly 
describe  his  very  interesting  subject;  and  the  artist's  pencil  has  beeu  called 
into  requisition  to  graphically  illustrate  its  well-written  pages.    There  are 
487  illustrations,  prepared  in  the  highest  style  of  the  engraver's  art,  while 
the  book  itself  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  ever  presented  to  the  American 
public. 

Its  method  of  construction  is  systematic,  following  the  most  convenient 
routes  taken  by  tourists,  and  the  letter-press  includes  enough  of  the  history 
and  legend  of  each  of  the  places  described  to  make  the  story  highly  inter- 
esting. Its  pages  fairly  overflow  with  picture  and  description,  telling  of 
everything  attractive  that  is  presented  by  England  and  Wales.  Executed 
In  tht  highest  style  of  the  printer's  and  engraver's  art,  "England,  Pictv*»» 
es^us*  ,nd  Descriptive,"  is  one  of  the  best  American  books  of  the  year. 


PORTER  &  COATES7    PUBLICATIONS. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAE  IN  AMERICA.  By  the  Comtb 
De  Paris.  With  Maps  faithfully  Engraved  from  the  Origin- 
als, and  Printed  in  Three  Colors.  8vo.  Cloth,  per  volume, 
$3.50;  red  cloth,  extra,  Roxburgh  style,  uncut  edges,  $3.50; 
sheep,  library  style,  $4.50;  half  Turkey  morocco,  $6.00.  Vols. 
I,  II,  and  III  now  ready. 

The  third  volume  embraces,  without  abridgment,  the  fifth  and  sixth 
volumes  of  the  French  edition,  and  covers  one  of  the  most  interesting  as 
well  as  the  most  anxious  periods  of  the  war,  describing  the  operations  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  in  the  East,  and  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  and 
Tennessee  in  the  West. 

It  contains  full  accounts  of  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  the  attack  of  the 
monitors  on  Fort  Sumter,  the  sieges  and  fall  of  Vicksburg  and  Port  Hudson ; 
the  battles  of  Port  Gibson  and  Champion's  Hill,  and  the  fullest  and  most 
authentic  account  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  ever  written. 

"The  head  of  the  Orleans  family  has  put  pen  to  paper  with  excellent 

result Our   present  impression  is  that  it  will  form  by  far  the  best 

history  of  the  American  war." — Athenceum,  London. 

"  We  advise  all  Americans  to  read  it  carefully,  and  judge  for  themselves 
if  'the  future  historian  of  our  war,'  of  whom  we  have  heard  so  much,  be  not 
already  arrived  in  the  Comte  de  Paris."— Nation,  New  York. 

"This  is  incomparably  the  best  account  of  our  great  second  revolution 
that  has  yet  been  even  attempted.  It  is  so  calm,  so  di>passionate,  so  accurate 
in  detail,  and  at  the  same  time  so  philosophical  in  general,  that  its  reader 
counts  confidently  on  finding  the  complete  work  thoroughly  satisfactory." — 
Evening  Bulletin,  Philadelphia. 

"The  work  expresses  the  calm,  deliberate  judgment  of  an  experienced 
military  observer  and  a  highly  intelligent  man.  Many  of  its  statements 
will  excite  discussion,  but  we  much  mistake  if  it  does  not  take  high  and 
permanent  ran  it  among  the  standard  histories  of  the  civil  war.  Indeed 
that  place  has  been  assigned  it  by  the  most  competent  critics  both  of  thia 
country  and  abroad." — Times,  Cincinnati. 

"Messrs.  Porter  &  Coates,  of  Philadelphia,  will  publish  in  a  few  days  the 
authorized  translation  of  the  new  volume  of  the  Comte  de  Paris'  History  of 
Our  Civil  War.  The  two  volumes  in  French — the  fifth  and  sixth — are  bound 
together  in  the  translation  in  one  volume.  Our  readers  already  know, 
through  a  table  of  contents  of  these  volumes,  published  in  the  cable  columns 
of  the  Herald,  the  period  covered  by  this  new  installment  of  a  work  remark- 
able in  several  ways.  It  includes  the  most  important  and  decisive  period  of 
the  war,  and  the  two  great  campaigns  of  Gettysburg  and  Vicksburg. 

"The  great  civil  war  has  had  no  better,  no  abler  historian  than  the  French 
prince  who,  emulating  the  example  of  Lafayette,  took  part  in  this  new 
struggle  for  freedom,  and  who  now  writes  of  events,  in  many  of  which  he 
participated,  as  an  accomplished  officer,  and  one  who,  by  his  independent 
position,  his  high  character  and  eminent  talents,  was  placed  in  circum- 
stances and  relations  which  gave  him  almost  unequalled  opportunities  to 
gain  correct  information  and  form  impartial  judgments. 

"The  new  installment  of  a  work  which  has  already  become  a  classic  will 
be  read  with  increased  interest  by  Americans  because  of  the  importance  of 
the  period  it  covers  and  the  stirring  events  it  describes.  In  advance  of  a 
careful  review  we  present  to-day  some  extracts  from  the  advance  sheets  sent 
us  by  Messrs.  Porter  &  Coates,  which  will  give  our  readers  a  foretaste  of 
chapters  which  bring  back  to  memory  so  many  half-forgotten  and  not  a  few 
hitherto  unvalued  details  of  a  time  which  Americans  of  this  generation  at 
least  cannot  read  of  without  a  fresh  thrilJ  of  excitement." 


PORTER  &  COATES     PUBLICATIONS. 


HALF-HOURS  WITH  THE  BEST  AUTHORS.  With  short  Bi- 
ographical and  Critical  Notes.     By  Charles  Knight. 

New  Household  Editiou.  With  six  portraits  ou  steel.  3  vols., 
thick  12mo.  Cloth,  extra,  black  and  gold,  per  set,  $1.50;  half  imt. 
Russia,  marbled  edges,  $6.00 ;  half  calf,  gilt,  marbled  edges,  $12.00. 

Library  Edition.  Printed  on  fine  laid  and  tinted  paper.  With 
twenty-four  portraits  on  steel.  6  vols.,  12mo.  Cloth,  extra,  per 
set,  $7.50;  half  calf,  gilt,  marbled  edges,  per  set,  $18.00;  half  Rus- 
sia, gilt  top,  $21.00;  full  French  morocco,  limp,  per  set,  $12.00; 
full  smooth  Russia,  limp,  round  corners,  in  Russia  case,  per  set, 
$25.00;  full  s?al  grained  Russia,  limp,  round  corners,  in  Russia 
case  to  match,  $25.00. 

The  excellent  idea  of  the  editor  of  these  choice  volumes  has  been  most 
admirably  carried  out,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  list  of  authors  upon  all  sub- 
jects. S'U-cting  some  choice  passages  of  the  best  standard  authors,  each  of  suffi- 
cient length  to  occupy  half  an  hour  in  its  perusal,  there  is  here  food  for 
thought  for  every  day  in  the  year:  so  that  if  the  purchaser  will  devote  but 
one-half  hour  each  day  to  its  appropriate  selection  he  will  read  through 
these  six  volum°s  in  one  year,  and  in  such  a  leisurely  manner  that  the 
noblest  thoughts  of  many  of  the  greatest  minds  will  be  firmly  in  his  mind 
forever.  For  every  Sunday  there  is  a  suitable  selection  from  some  of  the 
most  eminent  writers  in  sacred  literature.  We  venture  to  say  if  the  editor's 
idea  is  carried  out  the  reader  will  possess  more  and  better  knowledge  of  the 
English  classics  at  the  end  of  the  year  than  he  would  by  five  years  of  desul- 
tory rending. 

They  can  be  commenced  at  any  day  in  the  year.  The  variety  of  reading 
is  so  great  that  no  one  will  ever  tire  of  these  volumes.  It  is  a  library  in 
itself. 

THE  POETRY  OF  OTHER  LANDS.  A  Collection  of  Transla- 
tions into  English  Verse  of  the  Poetry  of  Other  Languages, 
Ancient  and  Modern.  Compiled  by  N.  Clemmons  Hunt. 
Containing  translations  from  the  Greek,  Latin,  Persian,  Ara- 
bian, Japanese,  Turkish,  Servian,  Russian,  Bohemian,  Polish, 
Dutch,  German,  Italian,  French,  Spanish,  and  Portuguese 
languages.  12mo.  Cloth,  extra,  gilt  edges,  $2.50 ;  half  calf,  gilt, 
marbled  edges,  $4.00 ;  Turkey  morocco,  gilt  edges,  $6.00. 
"  Another  of  the  publications  of  Porter  &  Coates,  called  'The  Poetry  of 

Other  Lands,'  compiled  by  N.  Clemmons  Hunt,  we  most  warmly  commend. 

It  is  one  of  the  best  collections  we  have  seen,  containing  many  exquisite 

f»oems  and  fragments  of  verse  which  have  not  before  been  put  into  book 
orm  in  English  words.  We  find  many  of  the  old  favorites,  which  appear 
in  every  well-selected  collection  of  sonnets  and  songs,  and  we  miss  others, 
which  seem  a  necessity  to  complete  the  bouquet  of  grasses  and  flowers, 
some  of  which,  from  time  to  time,  we  hope  to  republish  in  the  '  Courier.  '"— 
Cincinnati  Courier. 

"A  book  of  rare  excellence,  because  it  gives  a  collection  of  choice  gems  in 
many  languages  not  available  to  the  general  lover  of  poetry.  It  contains 
translations  from  the  Greek,  Latin,  Persian,  Arabian,  Japanese,  Turkish, 
Servian,  Russian,  Bohemian,  Polish,  Dutch,  German,  Italian,  French, 
Spanish,  and  Portuguese  languages.  The  book  will  be  an  admirable  com- 
panion volume  to  any  one  of  the  collections  of  English  poetry  that  are  now 
fmblished.  With  the  full  index  of  authors  immediately  preceding  the  col- 
ection,  and  the  arrangement  of  the  poems  under  headings,  the  reader  will 
find  it  convenient  for  reference.  It  is  a  gift  that  will  be  more  valued  by 
very  many  than  some  of  the  transitory  ones  at  these  holiday  times."-* 
Philadelphia  Methodist. 


PORTER  &  COATES7    PUBLICATIONS. 


THE  FIEESIDE  ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  POETEY.  Edited  by 
Henry  T.  Coates.  This  is  the  latest,  and  beyond  doubt  the 
best  collection  of  poetry  published.  Printed  on  fine  paper  and 
illustrated  with  thirteen  steel  engravings  and  fifteen  title 
pages,  containing  portraits  of  prominent  American  poets  and 
fac-similes  of  their  handwriting,  made  expressly  for  this  book. 
8vo.  Cloth,  extra,  black  and  gold,  gilt  edges,  $5.00 ;  half  calf, 
gilt,  marbled  edges,  $7.50 ;  half  morocco,  full  gilt  edges,  $7.50 ; 
full  Turkey  morocco,  gilt  edges,  $10.00 ;  tree  calf,  gilt  edges, 
$12.00 ;  plush,  padded  side,  nickel  lettering,  $14.00. 

"The  editor  shows  a  wide  acquaintance  with  the  most  precious  treasures 
of  English  verse,  and  has  gathered  the  most  admirable  specimens  of  their 
ample  wealth.  Many  pieces  which  have  been  passed  by  in  previous  collec- 
tions hold  a  place  of  honor  in  the  present  volume,  and  will  be  heartily  wel- 
comed by  the  lovers  of  poetry  as  a  delightful  addition  to  their  sources  of 
enjoyment.  It  is  a  volume  rich  in  solace,  in  entertainment,  in  inspiration, 
of  which  the  possession  may  well  be  coveted  by  every  lover  of  poetry.  The 
pictorial  illustrations  of  the  work  are  in  keeping  with  its  poetical  contents, 
and  the  beauty  of  the  typographical  execution  entitles  it  to  a  place  among 
the  choicest  ornaments  of  the  library  ."—New  York  Tribune. 

"Lovers  of  good  poetry  will  find  this  one  of  the  richest  collections  ever 
made.  All  the  best  singers  in  our  language  are  represented,  and  the  selec- 
tions are  generally  those  which   reveal  their  highest  qualities The 

lights  and  shades,  the  finer  play  of  thought  and  imagination  belonging  to 
individual  authors,  are  brought  out  in  this  way  (by  the  arrangement  of 
poems  under  subject-headings)  as  they  would  not  be  under  any  other  sys- 
tem  We  are  deeply  impressed  with  the  keen  appreciation  of  poetical 

worth,  and  also  with  the  good  taste  manifested  by  the  compiler."— Church- 
man. 

"Cyclopaedias  of  poetry  are  numerous,  hut  for  sterling  value  of  its  contents 
for  the  library,  or  as  a  book  of  reference,  no  work  of  the  kind  will  compare 
with  this  admirable  volume  of  Mr.  Coates  It  takes  the  gems  from  many 
volumes,  culling  with  rare  skill  and  judgment."— Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 

THE  CHILDEEN'S  BOOK  OF  POETEY.     Compiled  by  Henry 
T.  Coates.      Containing   over  500  poems  carefully  selected 
from  the  works  of  the  best  and  most  popular  writers  for  chil- 
dren ;  with  nearly  200  illustrations.     The  most  complete  col- 
lection of  poetry  for  children  ever   published.    4to.     Cloth, 
extra,  black  and  gold,  gilt  side  and  edges,  $3.00;  full  Turkey 
morocco,  gilt  edges,  $7.50. 
"This  seems  to  us  the  best  book  of  poetry  for  children  in  existence.    We 
Have  examined  many  other  collections,  but  we  cannot  name  another  that 
deserves  to  be  compared  with  this  admirable  compilation."—  Worcester  Spy. 
"The  special  value  of  the  book  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  nearly  or  quite 
covers  the  entire  field.    There  is  not  a  great  deal  of  good  poetry  which  has 
been  written  for  children  that  cannot,  be  found  in  this  book.  The  collection 
is  particularly  strong  in  ballads  and  tales,  which  are  apt  to  interest  children 
more  than  poems  of  other  kinds;  and  Mr.  Coates  has  shown  good  judgment 
in  supplementing  this  department  with  some  of  the  best  poems  of  that  class 
that  have  been  written  for  grown  people.    A  surer  method  of  forming  the 
taste  of  children  for  good  and  pure  literature  than  by  reading  to  them  from 
any  portion  of  this  book  can  hardly  be  imagined*.     The  volume  is  richly 
illustrated  and  beautifully  bound." — Philadelphia  Evening  Bulletin. 

"A  more  excellent  volume  cannot  be  found.  We  have  found  within  the 
covers  of  this  handsome  volume,  and  upon  its  fair  pages,  many  of  the  most 
exquisite  poems  which  our  language  contains.  It  must  hecome  a  standard 
vplume,  and  can  never  grow  old  or  obsolete."— Episcopal  Recorder. 


PORTER  &  COATES     PUBLICATIONS. 


THE  COMPLETE  WOEKS  OF  THOS.  HOOD.  With  engravings 

on  steel.    4  vols.,  12mo.,  tinted  paper.     Poetical  Works ;   Up 

the  Rhine;    Miscellanies  and  Hood's  Own;    Whimsicalities, 

Whims,  and  Oddities.     Cloth,  extra,  black  and  gold,  $6.00; 

red  cloth,  paper  label,  gilt  top,  uncut  edges,  $6.00;    half  calf, 

gilt,  marbled  edges,  $14.00;  half  Russia,  gilt  top,  $18.00. 

Hood's  verse,  whether  serious  or  comic— whether  serene  like  a  cloudless 

autumn  evening  or  sparkling  with   puns  like  a  frosty  January  midnight 

with  stars— was  ever  pregnant  with  materials  for  the  thought.    Like  every 

author  distinguished  for  true  comic  humor,  there  was  a  deep  vein  of  mrlan- 

choly  pathos  running  through  his  mirth,  aud  even  when  his  sun  shone 

brightly  its  light  seemed  often  reflected  as  if  only  over  the  rim  of  a  cloud. 

Well  may  we  say,  in  the  words  of  Tennyson,  "  Would  he  could  have 
stayed  with  us."  for  never  could  it  be  more  truly  recorded  of  any  one— in 
the  words  of  Hamlet  characterizing  Yorick— that  "he  was  a  fellow  of  in- 
finite jest,  of  most  excellent  fancy."  D.  M.  Mora. 
THE     ILIAD    OF    HOMER    RENDERED    INTO    ENGLISH 
BLANK    VERSE.    By    Edward,  Earl  of  Derby.    From 
the  latest  London  edition,  with  all  the  author's  last  revisions 
and  corrections,  and   with   a   Biographical   Sketch   of  Lord 
Derby,  by  R.  Shelton   Mackenzie,  D.C.L.     With    twelve 
steel  engravings  from  Flaxman's  celebrated  designs.    2  vols., 
12mo.    Cloth,  extra,  bev.  boards,  gilt  top,  $3.50;  half  calf,  gilt, 
marbled  edges,  $7.00;  half  Turkey  morocco,  gilt  top,  $7.00. 
The  same.    Popular  edition.    Two  vols,  in  one.    12mo.    Cloth, 
extra,  $1.50. 

"It  must  equally  he  considered  a  splendid  performance;  and  for  the  pres- 
ent we  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  it  is  by  far  the  best  representation 
of  Homer's  Iliad  in  th«  English  language."— London  Times. 

"The  merits  of  Lord  Derby's  translation  may  be  summed  up  in  one  word, 
it  is  eminently  attractive;  it  is  instinct  with  life ;  it  may  be  read  with  fervent 
interest;  it  is  immeasurably  nearer  than  Pope  to  the  text  of  the  original.  . 
.  .  .  Lord  Derby  has  y;iven  a  version  far  more  closely  allied  to  the  original, 
and  superior  to  any  that  has  yet  been  attempted  in  the  blank  verse  of  our 
language." — Edinburg  Review. 

THE  WORKS  OF  FLAVIUS  JOSEPHUS.  Comprising  the  Anti- 
quities of  the  Jews;  a  History  of  the  Jewish  Wars,  and  a  Life 
of  Flavius  Josephus,  written  by  himself.  Translated  from  the 
original  Greek,  by  William  Whiston,  A.M.  Together  with 
numerous  explanatory  Notes  and  seven  Dissertations  concern- 
ing Jesus  Christ,  John  the  Baptist,  James  the  Just,  God's  com- 
mand to  Abraham,  etc.,  with  an  Introductory  Essay  by  Rev. 
H.  Stebbing,  D.D.  8vo.  Cloth,,  extra,  black  and  gold,  plain 
edges,  $3.00;  cloth,  red,  black  and  gold,  gilt  edges,  $4.50;  sheep, 
marbled  edges,  $3.50;  Turkey  morocco,  gilt  edges,  $8.00. 
This  is  the  largest  type  one  volume  edition  published. 

THE  ANCIENT  HISTORY  OF  THE  EGYPTIANS,  CARTHA- 
GINIANS, ASSYRIANS,  BABYLONIANS,  MEDES  AND 
PERSIANS,  GRECIANS  AND  MACEDONIANS.  Including 
a  History  of  the  Arts  and  Sciences  of  the  Ancients.  By 
Charles  Rollin.  W^th  a  Life  of  the  Author,  by  James 
Bell.    2  vols.,  royal  8vo.    Sheep,  marbled  edges,  per  set,  $6.00. 


8  PORTER  &  COATES     PUBLICATIONS. 

COOKERY  FROM  EXPERIENCE.  A  Practical  Guide  for  House- 
keepers iu  the  Preparation  of  Every-day  Meals,  containing 
more  than  One  Thousand  Domestic  Recipes,  mostly  tested  by 
Personal  Experience,  with  Suggestions  for  Meals,  Lists  of 
Meats  and  Vegetables  in  Season,  etc.  By  Mrs.  Saba  T.  Paul. 
12mo.  Cloth,  extra,  black  and  gold,  $1.50. 
Interleaved  Edition.     Cloth,  extra,  black  and  gold,  $1.75. 

THE  COMPARATIVE  EDITION  OF  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT. 
Both  Versions  in  One  Book. 

The  proof  readings  of  our  Comparative  Edition  have  been  gone 
over  by  so  many  competent  proof  readers,  that  we  believe  the  text 
is  absolutely  correct. 

Large  12mo.,  700  pp.  Cloth,  extra,  plain  edges,  $1.50;  cloth, 
extra,  bevelled  boards  and  carmine  edges,  $1.75 ;  imitation  panelled 
calf,  yellow  edges,  $2.00;  arabesque,  gilt  edges,  $2.50;  French  mo- 
rocco, limp,  gilt  edges,  $4.00;  Turkey  morocco,  limp,  gilt  edges, 
$6.00. 

The  Comparative  New  Testament  has  been  published  by  Porter  &  Coates. 
In  parallel  columns  on  each  page  are  given  the  old  and  new  versions  of  the 
Testament,  divided  also  as  far  as  practicable  into  comparative  versos,  so  that 
it  is  almost  impossible  for  the  slightest  new  word  to  escape  the  notice  of 
either  the  ordinary  reader  or  the  analytical  student.  It  is  decidedly' the 
best  edition  yet  published  of  the  most  interest-exciting  literary  production 
of  the  day.  No  more  convenient  form  for  comparison  could  be  devised 
either  for  economizing  time  or  labor.  Another  feature  is  the  foot-notes, 
and  there  is  also  given  in  an  appendix  the  various  words  and  expressions 
preferred  by  the  American  member^  of  the  Revising  Commission.  The 
work  is  handsomely  printed  on  excellent  paper  with  clear,  legible  type.  It 
contains  nearly  700  pages. 

THE  COUNT  OF  MONTE  CRISTO.  By  Alexandke  Dumas. 
Complete  in  one  volume,  with  two  illustrations  by  George  G. 
White.     12mo.     Cloth,  extra,  black  and  gold,  $1.25. 

THE  THREE  GUARDSMEN.    By  Alexandre  Dumas.    Com- 
plete in  one  volume,  with   two   illustrations  by  George   G. 
White.     12mo.     Cloth,  extra,  black  and  gold,  $1.25. 
There  is  a  magic  influence  in  his  pen,  a  magnetic  attraction  in  his  descrip- 
tions, a  fertility  in  his  literary  resources  which  are  characteristic  of  Dumas 
alone,  and  the  seal  of  the  master  of  light  literature  is  set  upon  all  his  works. 
Even  when  not  strictly  historical,  his  romances  give  an  insight  into  the 
habits  and  modes  of  thought  and  action  of  the  people  of  the  time  described, 
which  are  not  offered  in  any  other  author's  productions. 

THE  LAST  DAYS  OF  POMPEII.  By  Sir  Edward  Bulwer 
Lytton,  Bart.  Illustrated.  12mo.  Cloth,  extra,  black  and 
gold,  $1.00.    Alta  edition,  one  illustration,  75  cts. 

JANE  EYRE.  By  Charlotte  Bronte  (Currer  Bell).  New  Li- 
brary Edition.  With  five  illustrations  by  E.  M.  Wimperis. 
12mo.    Cloth,  extra,  black  and  gold,  $1.00. 

SHIRLEY.  By  Charlotte  Bronte  (Currer  Bell).  New  Library 
Edition.  With  five  illustrations  by  E.  M.  WIMPERIS.  12ma 
Cloth,  extra,  black  and  gold,  $1.00. 


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